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How Long To Wear Boot For Broken Toe ? – Know The Reality

Michael Snow

September 23, 2021

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Know how long to wear boot for broken toe and ways to cure it soon. There is always an area of the foot that usually gets injured, which is small bones (phalanges).

Anatomy of the toe-

1. 26 Bones in the Foot
2. Nineteen bones in the forefoot
3. Five Metatarsals
4. Fourteen Phalanges

Toe bones often fall prey to trauma and injuries and cause them to break or fracture. Prolonged repetitive movements cause them stress or a hairline fracture.

A broken toe’s possible complications include nail injury, fungal/bacterial infections, compound fracture, arthritis, or deformity.

Symptoms Of A Broken Toe

The broken toe is not an easy one to handle and needs to be taken care of properly. Some of the symptoms include-

Pain, swelling, and stiffness occur on the broken toe, followed by injury, especially when a big toe is broken. The pain of a big broken toe is unbearable because of the body’s weight that falls on the toe while pivoting or walking. Because of the pain, the ability to walk gets limited.

Some added symptoms are-

1. Bruises on the toe
2. Bruises on the skin around the toe
3. The bent or deformed appearance of the toe is broken out of place.
4. Other problems might occur not immediately but days, months, or years after injury.
5. Weakening of bones.

Possible Causes Of A Broken Toe?

Several causes add to the possible causes of a broken toe; some are-

• Trauma or injury like dropping heavy objects or jammed toe may cause a broken toe. The toe- Located in such an area of the body, it is most likely to get injured mostly.
• When repetitive movements occur like sports or exercise, they cause a type of broken toe called a stress fracture or hairline fracture.
• People having weak bones develop osteoporosis or some other disorder or creates stress fractures just for wearing improper shoes.

When Do You Need To Wear A Boot For Broken Toe?

When you are going under a treatment for a broken toe, wearing a boot might be recommended by foot specialists.

For Big Toe

If you great toe is broken, it is most likely that you should keep your regular shoes out and wear a boot to heal quickly.

Why are these required

These Boots are required as they limit the amount of pressure that falls on your toe and help you to heal. Some cases even require to wear a fracture walking boot with a broken big toe. This, helps you to heal appropriately and fast.

How Do Wearing Boots Help Your Broken Toe?

Firstly, boots or surgical are prescribed to you only when the foot specialists or medical supervisors asks you to wear. They provide-

• Extra support to your feet
• Keeps your feet in a proper position while healing
• Keep your toe in a stable position so you can start walking
• Lowers the risk of long-term complication
• Lowers the risk of arthritis
• Protects the toe from deformity 

Wearing boots while recovering from a broken toe plays an important role and protects your feet from further dislocation.

How To Wear Boots With A Broken Toe ?

Boots that are for broken toe are not just boots but are a medical wearable device. These boots help you equally distribute the overall weight and does not compromise with your foot condition.

How do the boots do?

The sole in the shoe helps you to keep your foot stable and does not allow it to move too much- which is a very important factor.

An immobilized toe is very much required to heal the foot properly.  

How To Wear Walking Boots And Why?

1.Wear a walking boot

A tall walking boot or a short boot can be the one. It is better to wear a tall walking boot as it immobilizes the leg muscle better when worn and starts walking.

2.Using an Arch Support in the boot

Using an arch support inside the boot helps to stabilize and limit the toe motion and movement. The arch support provides enhanced stability.

One can adjust this arch support for maximum support and comfort. These are inserted beneath the cover.

3.Wear the boot comfortably

If you want to wear a boot and walk comfortably then you need to ensure that your other foot is at the same level. It is recommended to wear a shoe having good heel height so that both the toe is at the same level.

Should You Take Some Time Off Work For Broken Toe?

It is recommended to wear the boots or cast for about 2-3 weeks. Then start the practice of wearing your normal shoe for about 3-4 weeks having hard or stiff sole.

The broken toe would heal really fast if the wound is given a time span of 8-9 weeks minimum or as per the severity of the fracture. I hope you won’t ask again about “How long to wear boot for broken toe”

Essential Medical Treatment For A Broken Toe

The treatments are many, but usually, with essential treatments, it goes away; some of the treatments are-

1. If the location and severity are up to the extreme, it needs to put back the toe into its place (reduced), and a splint or cast is required.
2. As the weight-bearing role falls on the toe, so the fracture of the big toes needs surgeries or severe medical treatment as compared to the pinky toe.
3. In case of an open wound- near the injured toe, a tetanus shot should be given with antibiotics (when required).
4. In case of an open (compound) fracture of the toe, surgery needs to be done (in severe cases), and antibiotics must be given.
5. Fractures like this need immediate treatment under medical supervision.
6. Some medicines that can be taken for a broken toe

Generally, anti-inflammatory drugs are taken, and some of them are–

• Ibuprofen (Motrin)
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

But, if your pain gets worse and the injury is severe, doctors would prescribe a more potent medicine.

How Long To Wear A Boot For A Broken Toe?

About cast of a broken toe

When you have a simple toe fracture, you won’t need to cast the broken toe. *It is recommended to wear a hard-soled, sturdy shoe or boot that supports your broken toe. If something more is required, your doctor will prescribe you a special shoe if the swelling of the foot or toe persists.

When do you require surgery or cast?

1. If your big toe is broken
2. Fractures involve a Joints
3. Several fractures in the small toe
4. The bone of the foot or leg, in addition to the toe fracture

When do you require reduction?

1. When the displacement of the toe fracture happens- both the ends of the broken toe are out of place
2. Rotation of the toe- The toe twists and points in another direction
3. Dislocation of the toe

These are the cases when the doctor would require to reduce the broken toe and set it back to the right place.

Before reduction

1. At times, doctors give local anesthesia to numb the toe so that the patient can bear the pain before putting the toe back into its place.
2. Post-Reduction
3. Once reduction is done, a splint is applied to the broken toe that holds the toe in its place as it heals with time.

How Much Time Does A Broken Toe Take To Heal?

Consult your medical supervisor about your broken toe and the conditions to follow to cure the fractured toe immediately.

If you feel there is an emergency, call for a medical assistant immediately and schedule the appointment immediately.

Generally, a broken toe takes about six weeks to heal, and if the condition persists, it is recommended to have another x-ray to check and evaluate the situation.

Usually, simple toe fractures do not require any specifications and heal with no issues, but if the condition is severe, it is advised to take extensive care.

In severe fractures, there is a higher risk of developing arthritis pain, stiffness, and probable deformity at the joints.

Complications Of A Broken Toe

Many complications do arise after a toe fracture. Some might take minutes to days to develop, whether some can take weeks to build.

If the treatment is done correctly, it can lead to chronic pain followed by toe deformity too. Also, some additional complications might arise because of the ill-treatment. They are-

Hematoma (injury in the nail)- A blood clot may develop beneath the toenail, and the process is called Hematoma. If the lump is large, then draining the blood is needed.

Process

The doctor will make a small hole in the toenail to drain the blood. The entire toenail might need to remove if the clot is large. This broken toenail can also require trim or cut too.

1. Arthritis- Post healing of the toe fracture, arthritis pain, stiffness, or deformity can still be there.
2. Malunion- At times, the toe does not heal entirely, and the condition is known to be Nonunion. And at times, the toe heals improperly, and that condition is known to be Malunion. Surgeries are required to fix the problem, but that does not need often.

FAQs

Also Read This

1. 5 Best Shoes For Broken Toe In 2021
2. How to make shoes slippery for Dancing
3. What Socks To Wear With White Shoes?

Conclusion

To avoid developing more conditions, it is recommended to wear boots but limiting the duration of wearing or wearing proper boots to restrict the condition from growing.

Still a question – How long to wear boot for broken toe? A broken toe can happen at any time, but that needs few restrictions during healing. Along with proper medications and medical supervision, one should limit walking and stress the injured toe.