It’s the day of your daughter’s gymnastic tournament. During her floor routine she makes a move and it looks as if her toe is stuck to the floor but the rest of her body continues moving forward. She makes it through the routine, but afterwards her big toe is in a substantial amount of pain. By the next day, the joint at the base of toe has blown up and she can hardly bend it at all. These are the signs of an injury we see fairly often at Foot & Ankle Specialists, PC: Turf Toe.

What is it?

Turf toe is actually a sprain of the joint of the big toe. It gets its name from the fact that the injury often occurs when athletes play on artificial turf where the foot tends to stick and jam into the field. It can, however, occur on other surfaces and in addition to gymnasts, it frequently affects those who participate in football, basketball, soccer, wrestling and even dance. Turf toe can either be the result of a sudden injury or the symptoms can come on gradually over time due to overuse and repetitive action to the toe.

Diagnosing Turf Toe

Our podiatrists, Dr. Scott E. Hughes, Dr. Greg P. Vogt, Dr. Christine I. Tumele, and Dr. Matthew W.E. Lewin will examine your toe and foot and most likely order x-rays (which can be done in either our Monroe or Lambertville office) and possibly other imaging tests to rule out a fracture or other problem with the toe. Turf toe injuries are “graded” 1, 2, or 3 based on severity.

Treatment

Fortunately, the treatment for Turf Toe is almost always non-invasive. Patients will most likely be asked to rest the damaged toe for a period of time. Icing and ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed to relieve pain and swelling. The foot doctor may also tape or strap the toe to limit range of motion until it heals. In the case of a very bad injury where the pain does not go away after a period of more conservative treatment, surgery may be required.

If your child has sustained an injury to the big toe or is complaining of pain or stiffness in the toe, don’t encourage them to “play through the pain” as that may cause a greater and more debilitating injury. Contact us for an appointment to find the cause and correct treatment for the condition.