About This Guide

Most toe fractures do not require surgery. Follow this guide and you should recover well at home within 6–8 weeks.

Quick Facts

• Healing time: 6–8 weeks
• Surgery needed? Usually no
• Will I be able to bear weight? Yes, in good shoes
• Follow-up: GP or Polyclinic

What Happened?

You have a broken toe, usually caused by dropping something heavy on your foot or stubbing it hard. Bruising, swelling, and pain are normal and will improve over several weeks.

First 72 Hours — RICE Method

• Rest: Stay off your feet. Avoid long walks and prolonged standing.
• Ice: Apply a wrapped ice pack for 20 minutes every 1–2 hours. Never apply ice directly to the skin.
• Compression: Not necessary in this case. Buddy strapping may be applied if deemed necessary.
• Elevation: Keep foot raised above heart level when resting or lying down.

Buddy Strapping

Buddy strapping is a technique where you tape an injured toe to an adjacent healthy toe. The healthy toe acts as a support, keeping the injured toe immobilised in a natural position while allowing it to heal.

Buddy Strapping Steps

• Step 1: Place a small piece of gauze or cotton wool between the two toes to protect the skin.
• Step 2: Loosely wrap both toes with rigid tape — keep the injured toe straight, not too tight.
• Step 3: Remove the tape before showering. After drying your foot, reapply with fresh tape from any pharmacy.
• Step 4: Remove strapping immediately if the injured toe becomes more painful when taped.

Continue buddy strapping for 2–4 weeks.

Footwear

• Wear: Sturdy shoes with a stiff sole and wide toe box (sneakers or boots).
• Avoid: Flip-flops, slippers, heels, or any shoe that bends or squashes the toe.
• Tip: Avoid walking barefoot on wet bathroom or kitchen floors to prevent re-injury.

Walking

• It is safe to walk and put full weight on your foot while wearing a supportive shoe.
• If walking is painful, try bearing weight on your heel instead.
• Crutches may be used during the first few days if needed for comfort.
• Avoid uneven ground and stairs where possible for the first 1–2 weeks.

Pain Relief

• Paracetamol (Panadol): First choice, safe for most people. Take as directed on the box. Safe to use regularly for initial pain management.
• NSAIDs — Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Advil): Reduces inflammation and pain. Take with food. Avoid if you have stomach ulcers, kidney problems, or are on blood thinners — check with your pharmacist.

If pain is not controlled by these medications, visit your GP or polyclinic for a prescription review.

Rehabilitation Exercises

Begin 48–72 hours after injury. Perform 4 times daily. Stop if your pain increases significantly.

1. Foot Pumps: Point your foot up toward you, then down away from you. 10 repetitions. Helps improve circulation and reduce swelling.

2. Foot Rotations: Turn your feet inward toward each other, then outward away from each other. 10 repetitions. Helps restore ankle movement.

3. Towel Stretch: Loop a towel around the ball of your foot and gently pull back toward you. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 5 times. You should feel this in the calf and foot — it should not be painful.

Exercise Precautions

Stop exercising and consult your doctor if you experience increasing pain, deterioration in your condition, or a new injury.

Still having difficulty walking after 6–8 weeks? Ask your GP for a referral to a physiotherapist at your polyclinic.

Getting Back to Activities

Everyone recovers at a different pace. Use these timelines as a guide only.

• Desk work — early return: Return to desk-based work as soon as pain allows, often within days.
• Manual work — 3–4 weeks: Uneven ground, climbing, or heavy lifting? Discuss timing with your GP and employer.
• Driving — when safe to do so: Left foot injury: can drive immediately (if automatic car). Right foot injury: once pain has subsided and you are able to perform an emergency stop (approx. 6 weeks).
• Sport & exercise — 8–12 weeks: See a physiotherapist for a guided return-to-sport programme first.

Long-Term Recovery

If significant pain or limitation persists beyond 3–6 months despite physiotherapy, ask your GP for an orthopaedic specialist referral.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Return to the Emergency Department or your nearest polyclinic promptly if you experience any of the following:

• Severe pain not controlled by paracetamol or ibuprofen, even after RICE measures
• Increasing pain after a period of improvement, with no clear cause
• Numbness, pins and needles, or changes in skin colour in your foot or toe
• Signs of infection: increasing redness, warmth, swelling, or discharge from any wound
• Symptoms that have not improved or have worsened after 6 weeks

Useful Information

• For non-urgent concerns, visit your GP or polyclinic before returning to the Emergency Department.
• Where to buy tape & medication: Retail pharmacies have stock buddy-strapping tape, paracetamol, and ibuprofen.

OS.PE.13.0726