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Toe
sprain 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
sprains
Toe sprain 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 sprain often includes the following:
- Rest
Avoid using the inured toe.
- 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.
- Compression
If the injured toe is the big toe, wrap a 2-inch elastic compression
bandage around it. Put several wraps around the big toe and then include
the rest of the forefoot within the bandage. This will limit swelling
of your big toe. Other toes cannot be effectively compressed with a
bandage.
- Elevation
Keep the injured
foot raised above the level of your heart for 48 hours (such as up 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 purpose of rehabilitating a toe sprain is to restore painless
full range of motion of the sprained toe and to increase the strength
and integrity of the joints of the injured foot. The following exercises
may help get you back in the game a little faster:
- 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 you can perform
toe raises 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. This 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.
These exercises rehabilitate
and may decrease your chances of spraining a toe. 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 sprain 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?
A simple toe sprain can be treated with rest, ice, elevation, and anti-inflammatory
drugs. Pain and swelling can disappear and full range of motion return
within 24 to 48 hours.
More serious toe sprains
or a toe fracture may last 7 to 10 days. An acute form of toe sprain -
turf toe - is accompanied by pain, swelling, and loss of range of motion
that can last weeks or even months.
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