Professional Foot Health and Care

Ouch! That Hurts

How many times have you cracked that little toe not paying attention to where you're walking? What time of the night or early morning do you stump your toe on the nightstand, dresser or doorframe and feel like wetting your pants? Then it's off to the refrigerator for some ice to pack that toe in until it goes numb on its way to getting frostbite before the pain stops.

Several types of damage can occur from a simple contusion to the skin and soft tissue to a tear of ligaments or capsule at the joint where the toe bends. Sometimes, much worse is the case where a fracture occurs to that baby toe that's so small and sensitive. Yes, all your body weight being applied during your normal gait cycle (walking stride) to the next step, with that foot and leg in its full swing phase and all that pressure is directed to the bottom leg of the nightstand instead of the floor. Upon impact, you hear a snap, crackle and a pop and off you go hopping around, shouting (or thinking) any variety of words like darn it, shucks, or sometimes worse, with the injured foot in hand looking for a quick place to sit down hoping ...