Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Toe, Foot, and Ankle Injuries
About this symptom
At one
time or another, everyone has had a minor toe, foot, or ankle injury that
caused pain or swelling. Most of the time our body movements do not cause
problems, but it's not surprising that symptoms develop from everyday wear and
tear, overuse, or an injury.
Toe, foot, or ankle injuries most commonly occur during:
- Sports or recreational activities.
- Work-related tasks.
- Work or projects around the home.
In children, most toe, foot, or ankle injuries occur during sports or play or accidental falls. The risk for injury is higher in sports with jumping, such as basketball, or sports with quick direction change, such as soccer or football. Any bone injury near a joint may injure the growth plate (physis) in a child and needs to be evaluated.
Certain athletes, such as dancers, gymnasts, or soccer or basketball players, have an increased risk of toe, foot, or ankle injuries.
Older adults are at higher risk for injuries and fractures because they lose muscle mass and bone strength (osteopenia) as they age. They also have more problems with vision and balance, which increases their risk for accidental injury.
Most minor injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve your symptoms and promote healing.
Sudden (acute) injury
An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a penetrating injury, a fall, or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Your pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after your injury. Acute injuries include:
- Bruises. After an ankle injury,
bruising may extend to your toes from the effects of gravity. See a picture of
a bruise (contusion)
. - Puncture wounds. Sharp objects, such as nails, tacks, ice picks, knives, teeth, and needles, can all cause puncture wounds. Puncture wounds increase your risk for infection because they are hard to clean and provide a warm, moist place for bacteria to grow. The bacteria Pseudomonas is a common cause of infections when a puncture wound occurs through the sole of an athletic shoe.
- Injuries to
ligaments that support your joints. See a picture of a
ligament tear .
- Injuries to
tendons, such as ruptured tendons in your heel (Achilles tendon). Young boys between 8 and 14 years
old may have a condition known as Sever's disease, which causes injury to the
growing bone where the Achilles tendon is attached. This usually occurs during
activity and is relieved with home treatment. See a picture of the
Achilles tendon .
- Injuries to your joints (sprains). If a
sprain does not appear to be healing, a condition known as
osteochondritis dissecans may be present, causing
persistent symptoms. See a picture of a
sprained ankle .
- Pulled muscles (strains). Muscles of the foot and ankle can be strained and can also rupture.
- Broken bones (fractures), such as a broken toe.
- A bone moving out of place (dislocation).
- A crushing injury, which can lead to compartment syndrome.
Overuse injuries
Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on your joint or other tissue, often by "overdoing" an activity or repeating the same activity over and over. Overuse injuries include:
- Retrocalcaneal bursitis, which is
inflammation of the bursa. This condition causes swelling and tenderness of the
heel. Pain usually gets worse while wearing shoes and during activity and
improves during rest. See a picture of the
back of the heel and ankle.
- Achilles tendinitis or tendinosis (tendinopathy), which is the breakdown of soft tissues in and around the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone.
- Stress fracture, which is a hairline
crack in a bone. See a picture of
stress fractures of the foot.
- Plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a broad, flat
ligament on the bottom of the foot that extends from the front of the heel to
the base of the toes and helps maintain the arch of the foot. See a picture of
the plantar fascia.
- Metatarsalgia, which is pain in the front (ball) of
the foot. See a picture of
metatarsalgia.
Treatment
Treatment for your toe, foot, or ankle injury may include first aid measures (such as the application of a brace, splint, or cast), a special shoe (orthotic device), physical therapy, medicine, and in some cases surgery. Treatment depends on:
- The location, type, and severity of your injury.
- When the injury occurred.
- Your age, your overall health condition, and your activities (such as work, sports, or hobbies).
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to decide if and when you should see a doctor.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 13, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
