What is a broken toe called?
A broken toe, also known as a toe fracture, is a very common injury, especially in athletes and those with active lifestyles. Out of the five toes (also known as digits of the feet) the pinky toe is the most commonly broken toe with the fracture often occurring at the base of the toe.
What is the medical term for broken?
A fracture is a break, usually in a bone. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open or compound fracture.
Is a fractured toe a broken toe?
Is there a difference between a fractured toe and a broken toe? Actually, there’s no difference whatsoever! A fracture and a break are the exact same thing, even though one may sound different or even more severe than the other. For the sake of simplicity, let’s refer to a fractured toe as that: a fractured toe.
What is a broken hallux?
Hallux fractures: Hallux fractures are fractures of the big toe proper. They can cause deformities of the foot and big toe. These fractures may also reduce a person’s range of motion in their big toe, leading to long term difficulties walking.
What is a metatarsal?
Introduction. The metatarsal bones are the bones of the forefoot that connect the distal aspects of the cuneiform (medial, intermediate and lateral) bones and cuboid bone to the base of the five phalanges of the foot. There are five metatarsal bones, numbered one to five from the hallux (great toe) to the small toe.
What are toe bones called?
Phalanges (singular: phalanx) – the 14 bones that make up the toes. The big toe consists of two phalanges – the distal and proximal. The other toes have three. Sesamoids – two small, pea-shaped bones that lie beneath the head of the first metatarsal in the ball of the foot.
What is a broken bone called?
A break of any size is called a fracture. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open fracture (compound fracture). A stress fracture is a break in the bone that develops because of repeated or prolonged forces against the bone.
How serious is a broken toe?
After the toe fracture heals, the person may still be left with arthritis, pain, stiffness, or even a deformity. Sometimes, the fractured bone will not heal completely (called a nonunion), or will heal improperly (called a malunion). Although it’s rare, surgery may be necessary to fix this problem.
How is a broken toe treated?
Broken Toe Treatment
- Prevent Swelling and Further Injury. Stay off the foot as much as possible. Avoid movement or pressure that causes pain. Apply ice up to 20 minutes at a time.
- Get Help. If you have severe pain, can’t walk, the toe looks bent or deformed, or the pain lasts for a long time, see a doctor.
- Follow Up.
What are the different types of foot fractures?
4 Types of Foot Fractures
- Toe Fractures. Toe fractures typically occur as the result of stubbing the toe against a heavy object.
- Metatarsal Fractures. The metatarsals are the longer bones at the base of each toe.
- Heel Fractures.
- Stress Fractures.
- When to See a Doctor.
Can you walk on a broken metatarsal?
A patient with a broken metatarsal may be able to walk, depending on how painful the injury is. Despite this, the patient with a metatarsal fracture is advised to avoid excessive walking, especially on uneven ground, to eliminate the risk of displacement.
Is my metatarsal bone broken?
Signs and symptoms of a traumatic fracture include: You may hear a sound at the time of the break. Pinpoint pain (pain at the place of impact) at the time the fracture occurs and perhaps for a few hours later, but often the pain goes away after several hours. Crooked or abnormal appearance of the toe.
What is a phalanx bone?
The phalanges—the toe bones—of the foot have bases relatively large compared with the corresponding bones in the hand, while the shafts are much thinner. The middle and outer phalanges in the foot are short in comparison with those of the fingers.
What’s the difference between fracture and broken?
The terms are actually interchangeable and both refer to a bone that has been shattered, often by excessive force. Your doctor may be more likely to use the term fracture. To be frank, the term fracture is more “professional” sounding. To say break would still be correct but more colloquial.
What is metatarsal fracture?
A metatarsal fracture is a break or a thin, hairline crack to one of the metatarsal bones of the foot. This type of fracture usually happens from repeated stress on the bones of the foot.
What is a broken (fractured) toe?
A broken (fractured) toe is an injury normally caused by either dropping a heavy object on the toe or stubbing the toe hard. Generally it takes quite a lot of force to break a bone. However, toe bones are more vulnerable because they are small bones and because they are on the edge of the body, so are more likely to be injured in the first place.
What can cause a toe to break?
Broken Toe Causes. Broken toes usually result from some form of trauma or injury to the foot or toe. Injuries such as stubbing a toe or dropping a heavy object on a toe may cause a fracture. Sometimes, a broken toe may result from prolonged repetitive movements, as in certain sports activities.
Can a broken toe bone stick out through the skin?
Open fracture: Rarely, the broken bone in a toe fracture may stick out through the skin. This is called an open or compound fracture. Careful cleansing of the wound and possibly antibiotic medication will be needed to prevent the bone from becoming infected.
What are the treatment options for a broken toe?
Depending on the location and severity of the toe fracture, the fracture may need to be reduced (put back into place) and splinted or casted. If there is an open wound near the injured toe, a tetanus shot and antibiotic medication may also be necessary.