Fractured toe

The Internet is full of jokes about the insidious legs of the sofa and bedside tables, which dream of meeting the little toe. Many remember the pain that happens after their sharp contact. But few then rush to the doctor. A broken toe is often seen as comical. As a result, a person looks at whether the finger is moving or not, it hurts – it doesn’t hurt, and lives on calmly. Even if the finger swells the next day, many rely on “it will pass by itself.” In some cases, this is what happens. But sometimes the severity of the situation can exceed the insignificance of external symptoms, especially since not only the little finger can be broken on the leg.

“The big toe or little finger is most often affected by fractures of the toes,” says traumatologist Ervin Kuzmin. “People hit furniture – these are common cases when, for example, a young mother ran after a child and got injured. Either the person was in a hurry to the TV, the children frolicked next to the pieces of furniture. In these cases, the little fingers are more often injured. In my practice, there was a treatment with a broken toe as a result of a Rottweiler jumping on the mistress – the dog made a maneuver out of the best of feelings, as a result, the woman had a fracture of her little finger. Big toes are injured mainly when playing football, participating in outdoor sports, accidentally or intentionally kicking a hard surface. You can also get a broken toe if a heavy angular object falls from above. As an example, I can cite a schoolboy whose briefcase with textbooks fell on his leg. Severe injuries, for example, resulting from an accident, are not taken into account, since there we are talking, most often, about a combined injury and saving the patient’s life, and not a broken toe.

Symptoms of a broken toe

Three main symptoms:

• pain;
• edema;
• deformation.

Pain. Pain is the first and foremost symptom of a broken toe. The pain syndrome also occurs with bruises and dislocations, therefore, first of all, it is worth paying attention to its intensity. Constant throbbing pain in the finger, especially at night, is a sure reason to go to the emergency room.

Edema. When a toe is fractured, swelling appears along with pain, in other words, swelling. As a result of injury, the integrity of body tissues, vascular permeability and water-salt balance are violated, as a result, an excess of fluid accumulates in the intercellular space, which we observe visually. Small blood vessels are also damaged, and a hematoma joins the edema, i.e. bruise. When you try to move your finger, swelling and hematoma can increase, as well as spread to neighboring tissues.

Deformation. A clear sign of a broken toe is its curvature. Most often, in such a situation, it is impossible to move them, and an attempt to touch causes a sharp pain. However, it should be borne in mind that with significant edema, the deformation may not be visible to the eye, so it is better to consult a doctor to make a diagnosis.

Treatment of a broken toe

Fractures are different – open and closed, with and without displacement of fragments, oblique, transverse, comminuted, and so on. Treatment of a fracture depends on its type. If this is a simple fracture without displacement, then a universal remedy is the imposition of a splint for short-term immobilization of the limb. After two weeks, it will be possible to step on the leg, after three – to remove the splint.

In the past, doctors could recommend tight bandaging for several weeks, especially for injuries to the middle and ring fingers. It was necessary to apply a tourniquet, connecting the injured finger with the neighboring uninjured one, and tightly tie them. Bandage every 3-4 days. But, the main rule in the treatment of a broken toe is that patients should not lean on the injured leg.

“Most patients consider a broken toe to be a trifle and neglect the orthopedic regimen,” comments Erwin Kuzmin. – As a result, the consolidation of bone fragments is delayed, the fracture becomes ununited. Treatment is delayed. Therefore, it is much more practical to temporarily walk with a splint and enjoy life. After all, other types of toe fractures require more serious intervention – surgery.

Diagnostics

The main method for diagnosing a broken toe is x-ray. It will allow you to immediately differentiate the diagnosis: bruise or fracture, as well as determine the type of fracture.

Modern treatments

Modern medicine has especially advanced with respect to the treatment of complex fractures. First of all, this concerns the treatment of comminuted fractures of the toes, where fixation of bone fragments is necessary using special structures: pins or plates.

To date, there are many options for plates for periosteal osteosynthesis, with which you can fix any bone. Plates vary in size, shape, functionality. If we are talking about a fracture of the toe, then it is installed for 3-4 weeks and guarantees 100% fixation. Subsequently, it can be both removed and, if indicated, left. However, there is always the risk of a suppurative process.

Kirschner’s wires mainly fix small bones and joints. Fixation can be carried out both externally, when the end of the needle rises above the surface, and internally, when the entire structure is under the skin. Immobilization lasts, as a rule, for 4 to 6 weeks after the operation. The operation is minimally invasive, less traumatic than the installation of plates. Subsequently, you can remove the spokes at any emergency room.

Prevention of a broken toe at home

Broken fingers are usually the result of hitting something hard and immovable, or from dropping a heavy, angular object on the foot. Less often – from bending the fingers inward. Therefore, pay attention when buying furniture to its protruding parts. Do not arrange furniture so that it is in your path or aisle. It is advisable to walk around the house in slippers that can soften the blow. Be careful when lifting heavy objects. Also pay attention to the selection of shoes: wearing shoes that are narrow or smaller than necessary in size is fraught with injuries on the street, especially on ice.

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