Kansas Podiatrist Explains What Turf Toe Is and How It’s Diagnosed and Treated
Turf toe is a painful hyperextension of the big toe joint caused by overuse or sudden trauma. If you think you may have turf toe, it’s important to see a foot doctor right away for diagnosis and treatment. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Benjamin Weaver at Central Kansas Podiatry in Wichita as soon as you notice pain, swelling, or bruising for an individualized evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plan.
What Is Turf Toe?
Turf toe is a painful injury that occurs when the ligaments, tendons, and tissue in the big toe joint hyperextend, stretching further than they are meant to. It is caused when the big toe remains on the ground while the heel lifts, causing the toe to hyperextend. This motion causes the soft tissue, ligaments, and tendons surrounding the joint in the big toe to stretch or tear.
Turf toe is often seen in football players who play their sport on artificial turf, which is a harder surface than real grass, hence the name. However, this painful podiatric condition is not limited to football players. It commonly affects athletes who sprint or jump, such as football players, track athletes, and dancers.
Turf Toe Symptoms
Turf toe symptoms include pain, swelling, and a limited range of motion. People with turf toe often also feel like they have a loose, unstable, or stiff joint.
Levels of Severity
There are three grades of turf toe injuries, varying based on whether soft tissue in the toe is hyperextended, partially torn, or completely torn. Symptoms vary with each grade of turf toe injury.
- Grade 1. Soft tissue is hyperextended (stretched) but not torn. The area is sensitive to the touch and slightly swollen, leading to some mobility limitations.
- Grade 2. Soft tissue is partially torn, leading to widespread tenderness, more swelling and bruising than with a lesser case, and a limited range of motion.
- Grade 3. Soft tissue is completely torn, and the joint may be dislocated. This grade involves severe pain and swelling paired with an inability to move the big toe.
Gradual vs. Sudden Onset
The onset of turf toe may happen gradually or all at once, depending on what caused the condition.
- If turf tone is caused by repetitive movements, such as a dancer's plies, it will likely happen gradually.
- If the turf toe is caused by hyperextension, such as a sprinter pushing off from their starting position, it will likely happen in one motion.
- Likewise, it can be caused by sudden trauma, such as a football player making a sudden movement while their toe is jammed into the ground.
Diagnosing Turf Toe
Whether turf toe symptoms develop gradually or come on suddenly, it’s important to see a podiatrist as soon as you begin to experience pain, swelling, bruising, or discomfort that you think may be symptoms of turf toe. Your foot doctor will be able to provide you with a definitive diagnosis and provide you with an appropriate treatment and pain management plan for your injury.
Dr. Benjamin Weaver of Central Kansas Podiatry has experience diagnosing and treating Kansas City, Missouri, patients with turf toe and other podiatric conditions. The sooner your condition is diagnosed, the sooner you can begin treatment, so we encourage you to request an appointment with Dr. Weaver today. Please complete our new patient questionnaire once your appointment is booked.
At your appointment, Dr. Benjamin will discuss your symptoms and health history with you and then conduct a thorough physical evaluation. He will look at any swelling, bruising, or dislocation on your foot and ask you questions about your activity, such as whether you are an athlete or a dancer. X-rays or other diagnostic tests may be needed to confirm your diagnosis.
How Turf Toe Is Treated
Once your foot pain has been properly diagnosed, Dr. Benjamin will explain the severity of your turf toe, explain your treatment options, and recommend a plan of action to treat your condition. It’s important that you follow through with your treatment plan to prevent long-term pain and mobility impairment.
- For mild cases of turf toe, at-home treatments such as rest, ice, elevation, and compression bandages may be effective at reducing swelling and pain.
- Physical therapy is often recommended for moderate cases, as certain exercises can help you build your foot muscles back up to strengthen the damaged ligaments and tissue.
- Stabilization and orthotics may also be recommended. Tape, supportive footwear, orthotic inserts, or rocker bottom shoes can help support your big toe and advance your recovery.
- In severe cases, surgery may be the best path for recovery.
With proper treatment and follow-up, turf toe can heal with little to no long-term effects. However, without proper treatment, it can lead to long-term extreme pain and stiffness that will limit one's ability to do things like run and jump.