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Fracture of the little finger on the leg is a fairly common occurrence. This is because it is very easy to damage the bone that forms the little finger, one of the thinnest.
According to statistics, this probability is from 3 to 5% of the total number of fractures of the lower extremities. In addition, there is a large number of those fractures that, due to inattention, were not completely healed or were not treated at all. This figure is not more than 15%.
Symptoms of a broken little toe
The symptoms of a broken little finger are:
sharp pain immediately after injury and pain at the slightest attempt to move a finger, but not only the little finger, but also the ring finger next to it;
the formation of edema, discoloration of the skin at the site of injury (usually redness);
the appearance of a hematoma;
change in the shape and integrity of soft tissues and skin in case of an open fracture of the little finger.
Even more obvious symptoms should be considered the pathological immobility of the little finger, the audibility of fragments in case of pressure (the so-called crepitus) and the unnatural position of the finger. Considering that during a fracture, blood vessels of various significance are affected, not only the hematoma, but also the edema of the main phalanx of the little finger will be much larger than in the situation when only the distal phalanx is damaged.
Most often, in the case of a closed fracture of the little finger, an exclusively undulating increase in pain signals to a person that he should consult a specialist. What can not be said about an open fracture, which is immediately noticeable.
Causes of a broken little toe
Considering how thin the bones of the little toes on the leg are, there is no need to make any special efforts to break them. So, this can happen completely by accident, and also be the result of playing on the football field or a common injury received at home.
At the same time, the cause of getting a fracture of the little finger may be:
hit;
compression (pressure);
sharp twisting of the limb;
changes in the work of the body, taking on a pathological character.
Recent changes are the result of a violation of the structure and integrity of the bone. We are talking about osteomyelitis, osteoporosis or bone tumors. A broken toe is an extremely painful condition that requires adequate recovery.
Types
Fractures of the little toe are divided into certain types. So, four categories of injuries should be distinguished:
fracture of a closed or open type;
with or without displacement;
absolute or partial;
localized, that is, located on one of the three phalanges: main, middle or nail.
In that situation, if fragments of a broken little finger break through the skin, ligaments or muscles and at the same time communicate with the external environment, experts make an unambiguous diagnosis of an “open fracture”. However, these injuries are much less common than closed fractures. Given that the toes, according to their anatomical structure, tend to break in several places at once, it is localization that plays a decisive role in making a diagnosis in violation of the integral structure of the bone.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of a fracture of the little toe on the leg is made on the basis of finding out all the details of the patient’s medical history. It is even easier to do this if there are any relative and absolute signs. Also, a competent diagnosis implies the appointment of an x-ray examination, so that the nature of the fracture does not raise any doubts.
Treatment of a broken little toe
The course of treatment is selected individually.
It may consist of:
standard fixation of the damaged little finger;
the use of a gypsum splint;
the implementation of reposition of bone tissue (in case of a fracture with displacement).
In the case when a fracture of the phalanx of the nail part is noted, a special nail plate is most often inserted. Then the little finger is fixed with a standard plaster for a period of two or three weeks. In the event of an injury in the area of the first or second phalanx, it becomes necessary to apply a plaster splint as a sole. The patient will have to wear it from one to one and a half months.
If, due to a fracture of the little finger, the movement of bone fragments was diagnosed, then under anesthesia, changes in their positions are carried out. When an open wound is formed, doctors perform its specialized treatment, prescribe a course of antibiotics, and carry out mandatory vaccination against a disease such as tetanus.
To reduce the pain and swelling that has formed, ice should be applied to the fracture area for the first two or three days, while direct contact with the skin should be avoided. A person also needs to avoid any exertion and inspect a broken little finger every day.
Speaking about the period that the process of healing a fracture of the little finger takes, in this case, as in the case of injuries to the fingers, the terms can vary within a fairly wide range. After all, this is directly dependent on how correctly the treatment is carried out and how accurately the victim follows all the recommendations of specialists.
Few manage to follow the basic rule, namely, to keep the damaged little finger in a stationary state. The optimal position of the injured leg should be considered its location in an elevated state on a special pillow or a small roller.
After the process of bone fusion is completed, you should undergo a rehabilitation course, which includes a cycle of gymnastic exercises, physiotherapeutic procedures, and a restorative massage. All this can take another one or even two months.
Thus, a fracture of the little toe is a fairly serious injury that must be cured to the end. To do this, you must follow all the recommendations of a specialist and follow the rules indicated by him.