While extremely painful and frustrating, hitting a hard surface with a toe is not a serious injury. However, in some cases, a trauma that looks just like a bruise can turn out to be something worse, such as a fracture or sprain of the ligament. Since these problems carry the risk of complications, such as osteoarthritis, learning to recognize and treat them is a very useful first aid skill.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Basic Treatments
Step 1. Check the status of your finger immediately after the accident
The first thing to do when you hit a hard surface with your toe is to check for damage. Gently remove the shoe, sock and examine the toe, being careful not to make the situation worse by handling the foot lightly (at this stage you can ask another person for help). Look for the following signs:
- The foot appears bent or deformed;
- Bleeding
- The nail is broken or detached;
- Bruises;
- Severe swelling and / or hematoma.
- Treatment varies based on symptoms (if any). Read on for more details.
- If you feel too much pain taking off the shoe and sock, you probably have a fracture or sprain in your toe and / or foot. This is not a serious injury, but you should go to the emergency room for treatment.
Step 2. Clean and disinfect any cuts and abrasions
If you notice any areas where the skin has broken, you need to clean them promptly to avoid infections. This means taking care of any cuts, scrapes, abrasions and broken nails. Carefully wash your finger with warm, soapy water. Gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel and then smear some antibacterial ointment on the wound. Protect your finger with a bandage.
- Replace the dressing every day as the finger heals.
- Read this article for more information.
Step 3. Apply an ice pack to reduce swelling
In most cases, when you tap your finger on a hard surface, you will experience some painful swelling. The finger may become bulky, take on an odd shape, and be more vulnerable to pain. However, you can easily reduce edema with a cold compress. There are several techniques to do this, for example you can place a cold gel bag, an ice pack or a sealed package of frozen vegetables.
- Whatever you want to use as a cold pack, remember to wrap it in a towel or cloth before placing it on your skin. Direct and prolonged contact with ice can irritate and further damage the skin, worsening the condition of the finger.
- For the 24 hours following the accident, leave it in place for 15-20 minutes at a time, waiting 10-15 minutes between sessions. After this stage, you can apply the compress two or three times a day until the pain subsides.
- Please refer to this article for more detailed information.
Step 4. Avoid applying pressure to the injured finger
Even mundane, everyday activities can become painful when you have to walk with a bruised toe. To reduce swelling and pain even further, try to shift some of your body weight to your heel as you walk and stand. It is not easy to find the right balance, since carrying all the weight on the heel assumes an abnormal gait, which over time causes pain. Try to take some of the usual pressure off your injured finger when walking.
- When the swelling subsides, you can use a gel insole or other type of device to cushion the impact and reduce pain while walking.
- If the pain does not subside within an hour or two, you should stop physical activities such as sports for a few days, until the pain subsides.
Step 5. Make sure the footwear offers enough room for the swollen, sore finger
The tight ones can irritate him even more. If you can, wear loose, comfortable shoes after injury to avoid putting pressure on your toes. If you don't have another pair of shoes, at least loosen the laces.
Open toe footwear, such as sandals and flip flops, are the best choice, not only do they put no pressure on and on the sides of the finger, but they allow you to easily apply the cold pack or change the dressing
Step 6. Manage persistent pain with over-the-counter medications
If the discomfort caused by the bruise doesn't go away on its own, non-prescription pain relievers are a good temporary solution. If so, you have several choices; acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are sold in different formulations and in any pharmacy.
- Carefully follow the instructions on the leaflet regarding the dosage. Even over-the-counter medicines can have dangerous side effects when taken in excessive quantities.
- Do not give aspirin to children.
Step 7. Bandage the adjacent finger along with the sore finger for support
You can arrange a cotton ball between one finger and the other so it doesn't get too wet.
Change the cotton daily
Step 8. Keep your foot elevated, especially if the trauma is severe
Another technique for controlling edema is to lift your finger above body level when sitting or lying down. For example, you can place it on top of a pile of pillows when you lie down. By lifting the bruised and swollen part of the body, the heart has greater difficulty pumping blood into it; consequently, the blood gradually moves away from the area of the lesion and the edema is reduced. Since it is virtually impossible to achieve this while walking or standing, you should take some time to lift your bruised foot every time you sit or lie down.
Part 2 of 2: Recognizing More Serious Problems
Step 1. Pay attention to persistent inflammation and pain
As already described in the introduction, a bruise on the toe is often not a serious injury. However, the fact that the condition of the foot is not improving anytime soon is a good clue that it is something more serious. Pain that doesn't go away as quickly as it usually does for a normal bruise, could indicate that the trauma needs special treatment. In detail you should pay attention to:
- Pain that does not subside within an hour or two
- Pain that recurs every time you apply pressure to the finger
- Swelling and / or inflammation that makes walking or wearing shoes difficult for a few days;
- Hematoma that does not disappear in a few days.
Step 2. Notice if there are any signs of fracture
When the impact is very severe, the finger can be fractured (broken bone). In that case, you need to go to the emergency room to undergo an x-ray and apply a cast or brace. The aspects that indicate a fracture are:
- An audible snap at the time of the accident;
- The finger is visibly bent, deformed or crooked;
- Inability to move your finger
- Persistent pain, inflammation, and bruising
- Note that many toe fractures do not prevent the person from walking. Just being able to move doesn't necessarily mean the bone isn't broken.
Step 3. Pay attention to the subungual hematoma
Another common result of a toe bruise is the accumulation of blood under the nail. The pressure generated on the nail bed can prolong the inflammation and swelling, making the convalescence longer and more unpleasant. In this case, the doctor makes a small hole in the nail to drain the blood and lower the pressure. This procedure is called surgical trepanation.
Step 4. Check the nail for breaks
A toe injury that causes partial or total detachment of the nail is very painful. While in some cases it is possible to take care of it at home, by going to the doctor you have the possibility to undergo treatments to manage the suffering, protect the wound and fight infections that you might not otherwise get.
Also, if the impact was severe enough to break the nail, it is likely that it also caused a fracture or other problem that requires medical attention
Step 5. Check for infections
It is usually possible to heal from this type of wound without any problems, but you should always be on the lookout for possible infections. If you notice increasing pain, redness, swelling, itching, numbness, or fever, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Step 6. If the damage seems severe, go to the emergency room
All the complications listed above (fracture, hematoma and breakage of the nail) are valid reasons to be examined by a doctor. An x-ray can be done in the hospital and other machines are available to help the doctor make a diagnosis. Additionally, the healthcare professional can explain to you how to heal your finger as it heals. Remember once again that most toe bruises do not require medical intervention. However, if you are concerned that it is a serious injury, don't be afraid to go to the emergency room or contact your doctor.
Always prioritize your doctor's advice over what you find online. If any of the instructions described here contradict what the doctor gave you, listen to his advice
Advice
- After getting hurt, take a break from whatever you are doing, even if you have no reason to fear the injury is serious. Swelling from even a small accident increases the chances of hitting your finger again.
- The reason why it is so difficult to tell whether the finger injury is serious or not is because the feet contain many sense nerve endings; in other words, even a slight injury hurts as much as a serious one. It is therefore very important to check the foot for worrying signs after bumping the toe.
