A broken pinky toe is a fracture of the smallest toe. Elevate your child's toe above the level of the heart as often as you can. It can also happen from an injury to your foot or toe. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Product Highlights Customer Reviews. (2015). Sprained toes can take around 46 weeks to heal. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 134,033 times. Toe sprains can be mistaken for broken or dislocated toes. Make sure that the direction of your fingers is away from your body. It also examines the treatment and management options for this injury. But occasionally, a doctor may determine that taping is the right step." However, don't try doing it at home without seeing a doctor first. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Be sure to get medical attention if you have intense pain or swelling in your pinky toe, are unable to put any pressure on it, or its out of alignment. Foot fractures are common, so it is a good idea to know the symptoms of a broken toe and when to contact a doctor. Place a cotton ball between your pinky toe and the toe next to it. FOLLOW US: Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichiganFootDocFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichiganFootDoctors/Website: https://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/This is opinion only:For the viewer or reader: Do not consider this video as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Other than a broken pinky toe, there are many reasons a person might have pain or swelling in their smallest toe. (2015). When you can walk without irritating your broken pinky toe, try going for short walks so you dont put too much pressure on it. It's also a good idea to see a doctor if your big toe is the one affected, as injuries to this toe are more likely to be severe. You should change the cotton ball once a day and re-wrap the toes together so the area stays clean and stable. The first line of treatment is to use conservative therapies to try to reposition the pinky toe. Broken fingers or finger fractures may account for up to 10% of all broken bones. Sprains are categorized in 3 grades: For grade I sprains, you may only need to rest and ice your toe and possibly do buddy taping. It is slightly different from a traumatic fracture, as it usually occurs due to overuse and repetitive activity. A broken toe may appear swollen and bruised, and it may feel painful when you walk on it. Additional imaging studies may be necessary if the initial X-ray does not show anything. Address Depending on the extent of the injury, a broken pinky finger is treated through conservative or surgical methods: A conservative treatment typically involves the placement of a cast or a splint to immobilize the finger, enabling the fracture to mend on its own. It is important to seek medical attention if a person suspects a broken toe, as it can get worse without treatment. You can sprain your toe by bumping it hard or stretching it beyond its normal range of motion. Please note that masks are required for all in-person appointments. Once Dr. Rambacher has diagnosed your toe fracture, you have a few treatment options depending on the severity of the injury. Traumatic fractures can range from minor to severe. Refer to answer: Keep toe clean. (2014). Learn about the symptoms, Stubbed toes happen to everyone. "We tape fingers more than we tape toes. Your pinky toe is prone to injury because of its location on the outside of your foot. To do this, keep your leg raised on a chair or cushion while sitting down. Just ice like crazy and buddy tape. Elevation of toes proves to be an excellent way to reduce the swelling of it. Do you have a BROKEN PINKY TOE? We go over the absolute best treatment, how to tape a broken pinky toe, if you have a stubbed pinky toe vs. a broken little toe. The following sections outline some other causes of pain and swelling in the pinky toe in more detail. Learn more about the bones of the feet here. This will also work for a bruised pinky toe.More on Broken Pinky Toe Treatment:https://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/sprained-pinky-toe/Our Recommended Shoes:https://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/podiatrist-recommended-shoes/Our Recommended Products: https://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/recommended-products/Best Fracture Products:Best Short Walking Boot: https://amzn.to/351fsTQBest Tall Walking Boot: https://amzn.to/2Kn4jmKSimple Surgical Shoe: https://amzn.to/2znngn2Balance the Opposite Foot! This article looks at the symptoms of a broken small toe, along with some other problems that can cause pain and swelling in the area. It can be hard to tell whether the toe is bruised, broken, or sprained. Ice helps prevent tissue damage and decreases swelling and pain. If there is an open wound. Chapter 3: It's just a fifth toe. For mild to moderate bunions, switching to a roomier shoe and adding bunion pads to shoes can help prevent continued shifting and ease symptoms. This involves: Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin can help ease the pain and swelling. A sprain occurs when there is damage to a ligament. Additionally, we have a few other ways to target the mobility and strength of the small finger directly: Patients with a bone infection will also experience restricted circulation and an increased risk for skin cancer. Wrap it in a towel; do not apply. The term broken toe usually describes a traumatic fracture, which can occur due to a direct blow or impact, such as stubbing the toe or dropping something on it. Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. This will help to speed up the healing process. 1. People should also not wrap the tape around a toe in a circular fashion, as this may constrict the blood supply to the toe and cause permanent injury. The bones then move out of their normal position. (n.d.). The most common symptoms of broken toes are pain and difficulty walking. . Your pinky and all the other toes, with the exception of your big toe, have 3 bones. Rigid or stiff-soled shoe. As well as resting, using shoe inserts or braces can help stress fractures heal. Treatment For A Broken Toe DxTx 78K views 3 years ago How to Wrap a Broken Fifth Toe Douglas Robinson DPM, Podiatrist 884 views 4 months. In fact, leaving them without treatment can lead to future complications. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the most important treatment for a stress fracture is rest. If you use ice, wrap it in a towel so that it doesn't touch your skin. A broken toe is a common injury that's most frequently caused by dropping something on your foot or stubbing your toe. Depending on how serious the dislocation is, you may need to wear an elastic bandage, splint, cast, or walking boot to keep the toe in alignment while it heals. Depending on which toe in the foot is broken, a splint or cast may be used to keep the broken bone isolated until it can heal. Fifth toe deformities: Overlapping and underlapping toe. Depending on the severity, stress fractures are often treated similarly to breaks. If there is any blood trapped under the toenail of the broken toe, your doctor may drain the blood by making a small hole in your nail or by removing the nail. In most cases, a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, or family doctor will diagnose a broken toe using a physical exam and an X-ray. Factors that can affect symptoms of a broken toe include: There are a few ways a toe could break. We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/Treat-a-Broken-Pinky-Toe-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Treat-a-Broken-Pinky-Toe-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/Treat-a-Broken-Pinky-Toe-Step-1.jpg\/aid7460424-v4-728px-Treat-a-Broken-Pinky-Toe-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"