It’s the wurst-case scenario.
People are prone to toe injuries big and small in the summer because they’re playing outside more, wearing less-protective footwear, such as sandals and flip-flops, and walking barefoot on hot surfaces like pavement and sand.
A broken toe might seem like a minor inconvenience, but dismissing it means you’re left with the dreaded, red and swollen “sausage toe” — and must banish those toe-tally cute kitten heels and wedges to the back of the closet for now.
In the long term, you face the risk of persistent aches and pains, trouble walking, arthritis and even deformity.
“Broken toes are a common injury in my office during those warm months, but unfortunately, the patients come to me after thinking that the issue would resolve on its own,” podiatrist and author Dr. Rock G. Positano told The Post.
“Too often,” he added, “patients tell me in my office, ‘I was told there’s nothing you can do for a broken toe, so I didn’t do anything!’ Wrong.”
Positano and his son, Dr. Rock CJay Positano, are co-directors of the Non-Surgical Foot and Ankle Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC.
The Positanos focus on treating foot and ankle disorders without surgery.
They have their work cut out for them when one of the smaller toes gets injured.
Even a minor impact on these little piggies can cause big pain because they contain many sensitive nerves and little natural cushioning.
“Small toes don’t equate to a small amount of pain,” Dr. Rock CJay Positano said. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”
The Positanos recommend seeing a doctor as soon as the injury occurs to undergo medical imaging.
An X-ray can help diagnose a broken or fractured toe, while an ultrasound examination of the forefoot can reveal a soft tissue, tendon or ligament injury.
A short, removable walking cast (aka a boot) or a stiff-soled surgical shoe is a common treatment for a swollen, painful or fractured toe.
These may be worn for up to three or four weeks, depending on the severity of symptoms.
“Most patients note a considerable decrease in pain and discomfort when they immobilize the foot with one of these devices,” Dr. Rock G. Positano said.
“Some patients may think flip-flops are a safe treatment option, but they can make pain and swelling of the toe more severe.”
The Positanos caution that frank-en foot can happen year-round, not just in the summertime.
There are many hazards around the house — it’s easy to fracture a toe by slamming it into the edge of furniture in the middle of the night or by dropping a can of soda on it at dinnertime.
“People don’t appreciate how important their feet are until they sustain an injury like this, one that seems small in scale, but as time passes, it becomes only more painful and can hinder one’s lifestyle,” Dr. Rock CJay Positano said.
“It’s important to remember that a toe injury isn’t life-threatening, but it can certainly be lifestyle-threatening.”
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