Turf Toe Causes & Symptoms
What Is Turf Toe?
Simply put, turf toe is a sprained big toe. The term “turf toe” originates from the fact that many of these injuries occur on artificial turf, commonly during sports like rugby, hockey, and sprinting.
If you have turf toe, you’ll experience pain and tenderness in the big toe joint, located at the ball of your foot, along with swelling and bruising. The pain will worsen when you try to move your toe upwards, as the swelling in the joint likely limits your range of motion. You may also find yourself limping, as putting weight on or applying pressure to the big toe joint will cause significant discomfort.
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What Caused My Turf Toe?
Just as an ankle sprain occurs when the ankle rolls too far beyond the point that the supporting ligaments can handle, a turf toe injury happens when the big toe is excessively and forcefully bent upwards, damaging the joint capsule or the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles. This often occurs during activities that involve sudden starts, stops, and changes in direction, such as certain sports.
While turf toe injuries often happen suddenly, damage to the joint can also develop gradually from repetitive strain and pressure. This is particularly common in activities like jumping sports and dancing. Additionally, wearing unsupportive, soft footwear can increase the likelihood of developing this injury.
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Treating Turf Toe
Proper care for turf toe is essential, as continuing to walk and bear weight on the injured joint can worsen the damage, delay recovery, and keep you off the field.
Immediately after the injury, begin by avoiding weight on the injured big toe, keeping it elevated, applying ice to reduce swelling, and buddy taping the big toe to the second toe to help stabilize the joint. Avoid pushing through the pain.
Next, schedule an appointment with your podiatrist. At Priority Podiatry Clinic, we start by assessing the severity of the injury, evaluating the biomechanics of your feet, and considering your usual activities that may increase the risk of ongoing pain and re-injury. From there, we’ll develop a personalized treatment plan to aid in healing and minimize the chances of re-injury in the future.
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