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Toe
fracture rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
exercises
When
can I return to my sport or activity?
How
long will the effects of the injury last?
Read
more about toe fractures
Toe fracture rehabilitation
As an athlete, your number one concern is getting back to full strength
as soon as possible so that you can return to training and competition.
That is why appropriate rehabilitation is extremely important. Rehabilitation
for a toe fracture often includes the following:
- Rest
Do not participate in sports until your toe is fully healed.
- Ice
Apply ice or a cold pack to your toe for 15-20 minutes, 4 times a day
for several days. This helps reduce pain and swelling. Wrap the ice
or cold pack in a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to your skin.
- Elevation
Keep the injured foot raised above the level of your heart for 48 hours
(such as on a pillow). This will help drain fluid and reduce swelling.
- Medication
Use anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen to reduce inflammation
and speed up recovery.
Rehabilitation
exercises
The main purposes of rehabilitation from a toe fracture are to restore
painless full range of motion of the affected toe and to increase the
strength and integrity of the joint of the foot and other toes. The following
exercises will help you achieve this:
- Toe extension
Stand with the injured foot a few inches in front of the other. Slightly
bend the injured side knee, raise up on the toe, and place both hands
on the injured side thigh. With weight on the injured toe, press down
with both hands to the point of significant pain and hold this position
for 5 seconds. Stand straight with body erect, feet flat on the floor,
and hands at sides. Relax for 10 seconds. Perform this sequence 5 times,
3 times daily.
- Toe flexion
Stand with the injured foot a few inches in front of the other. Slightly
bend the injured-side knee and turn the injured toes under so that the
top of the toes face or are in contact with the floor. Put both hands
on the injured-side thigh. Place weight on the injured toe and press
down on the thigh with both hands to the point of significant pain.
Hold this position for 5 seconds. Stand straight with the body erect,
hands at the sides, and soles of the feet flat on the floor. Relax for
10 seconds. Perform this sequence 5 times, 3 times daily.
- All fours toe extension
Kneel on all fours with toes underneath the buttocks. Slowly lower the
buttocks over the toes to the point of significant pain and hold this
position for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position and relax for
10 seconds. Perform this sequence 5 times, 3 times daily.
- Toe raises
Stand with the injured side next to a chair or other supporting structure
and place the injured-side hand on the support. Lift the uninjured-side
foot from the floor, placing body weight on the injured foot. Raise
upward on the injured foot to the point of significant pain and hold
this position for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position and relax
for 10 seconds. Perform this sequence 10 times, 3 times daily.
When toe raises
can be performed without pain, modify the exercise by removing the
supporting structure, placing 5-pound weights in each hand, raising
up on the toes fully, and holding for five seconds. Relax in the starting
position for 10 seconds. The sequence should be performed 10 times,
3 times daily. As strength increases, the hand-held weights may be
increased by increments of as much as 2 pounds.
The four exercises
above both rehabilitate and may help prevent toe fractures. We suggest
that the exercises be part of your daily warm-up routine. Both sides should
be exercised, especially when your sport is played on an artificial surface.
When can I return
to my sport or activity?
The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity
as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your
injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Return to your activity
is determined by how soon your toe fracture recovers and full range of
motion is restored, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your
injury occurred.
How long will the
effects of the injury last?
With proper rehabilitation, a toe fracture diagnosed and treated in its
early stages usually will heal in two to three weeks.
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