Turf Toe

Turf toe is a common sports injury that happens to many athletes that we treat at Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco, Little Elm, & McKinney. Named after the artificial turf that many sports like football are played on, this injury is painful and requires one of our expert podiatrists to heal your injury and get you back on your feet.

What Can Cause Turf Toe?

Turf toe is an injury that occurs when the forefoot is fixed on the ground, the heel is raised, and a force pushes the big toe into hyperextension. By forcing the toe beyond its normal range of motion, the main joint of the big toe becomes sprained the surrounding ligaments can become damaged.

Athletes have the highest risk factor due to the amount of force that is applied to their feet, the type of ground they play on, and the design of athletic shoes. Certain sports have a higher risk for turf toe, such as soccer, football, hockey, and rugby. Hard surfaces like artificial turf, are unyielding and not very shock-absorbent to the forefoot. This lack of cushion also applies to athletic shoes, as they have been designed for flexibility and agility, but not for the stability of the foot.

Turf toe can happen more than once to the same joint, which is why it is important to see a podiatrist at Foot & Ankle Centers to examine the severity and damage inflicted on this joint. In addition, damage to the big toe joint can also develop over time from repetitive strain and pressure. At Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco, Little Elm, & McKinney, our expert podiatrists can ensure that your injury heals correctly and provide recommendations on how to prevent this injury in the future.

Immediate Treatment For Turf Toe

Once you suspect that turf toe has happened, do not "play through the pain". The injury can sustain additional damage and become severe enough to rupture the surrounding ligaments and joint capsule. To prevent further damage, all weight should be removed from the foot and the big toe should be buddy taped to the second toe in order to keep the joint stable.

After protecting the injury, it is important to keep the foot elevated and iced. This will help reduce pain and swelling. At Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco, Little Elm, & McKinney, our team offers same-day appointments for urgent foot injuries. It is important to get diagnosed right away, as moderate and severe turf toe injury can require an x-ray to determine the degree of damge and find out if there are any associated fractures.

How Is Turf Toe Treated?

At Foot & Ankle Centers, our podiatrist can easily diagnose the severity of your turf toe injury by evaluating the range of motion, testing the joint stability, and taking any x-rays that are required for more severe cases. After a diagnosis is made, your podiatrists will create a treatment plan to help heal and repair the joint, while reducing the likelihood of re-injury in the future. Treatment plans can include:

Prescribe or recommend pain and anti-inflammatory medications
Provide a walking cast boot to keep the toe joint stabilized
Teach exercises to strengthen the muscles of the big toe
Recommend orthotics, such as fortified soles under the forefoot

Many athletes will require approval from a licensed podiatrist to keep playing. At Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco, Little Elm, & McKinney, our podiatrists are certified in sports medicine and can determine when your turf toe injury has been healed for you to get back to your sport.

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Turf Toe

What Can Cause Turf Toe?

Immediate Treatment For Turf Toe

How Is Turf Toe Treated?

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