Heal Your Broken Toe Fast! (Best tools and strategies)

How to manage a broken toe injury. The best tools and strategies to heal the injury including how to buddy tape, how to reduce the inflammation and pain, and how to walk without hurting your toe more.
If you sustained a toe fracture, make sure to get it checked out first to determine the best possible treatment. This video contains how I managed my own injury and things that have been helpful so far.
You can find all the tools mentioned in the video (walking boot, sticky tape, supplements) below.
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✮CHANNEL INFORMATION
Coach Sofia Fitness is a fitness channel focused on helping people fix lower back pain, piriformis syndrome and muscle pain through corrective strengthening exercise, nutrition and mindset. Coach Sofia is a certified strength coach, and someone who conquered chronic pain herself after being diagnosed in 2011 with piriformis syndrome, an L5/S1 herniation and ankylosing spondylitis. She shares everything that helped her heal and get her life back on her blog and this channel.


✮DISCLAIMER
All information presented on coach sofia fitness channel and blog are based on personal experience as a coach. While I design every workout, and fitness post with care, I am physically not present to coach you through the workout, fix your form, or assess your fitness level and health history.

Before acting on any information, exercise routine or nutrition advice, you should consult your physician first. If you have a medical condition, including physical injuries, and/or your physician advises against it, do not engage in any exercise routine or training advice on coach sofia fitness site.

If you agree to use, and act on any information on this website, you accept to use it at your own risk. Coach Sofia Fitness will not be liable for any injuries, damages, losses that can result from your use.

All information on Coach sofia fitness channel is general in nature. All posts, workouts and nutrition information are not intended to substitute medical and/or health advice, or to treat an illness or health condition.

[wallaceuntamed]

Recently broke my left big toe in three places;

Week 1: pain, swelling bruising
Week 2: less pain still a lot of swelling and bruising when foot not kept elevated
Week 3: Able to walk with full weight on foot with little discomfort or swelling
Week 4: Toe feels almost back to normal🥳

[victoriabernhard]

I fractured my big toe 1 week and 3 days ago. It is not displaced. I immediately elevated and iced it often for 3 days. Then did warm soaks with epsom salts for 15 to 20 minutes and immediately after ice cold soaks. I also coated it with cypress essential oil and turmeric oil. The bruising is pretty much gone. I just wear my hard soled Teva sandals all the time . I can walk on it without pain. It is super important to keep moving and absolutely stretch out.
Thank you for the video. Im thinking if your bone is displaced, the injury is worse, may be more painful and take longer to heal. I hope everyone heals fast 🙏💪

[GCPORTELL]

Thank you soooo much for posting this and mentioning the psychological aspects of going through this injury. It actually made me cry to hear that I wasn’t crazy. I fell in my tub and hit my face hard! But the most serious injury was to my big toe which fractured in three places. The most important thing I heard on your video was that my exhaustion was normal. I guess hobbling around takes a toll. I was told I could do all my normal activities, cooking, cleaning, going to work, etc. And I have been doing that and this thing isn’t getting any better. So, after watching this video, I, going on strike! I woke up this morning with a lot of pins and needles in my whole foot. So I’m putting myself on minimal activity and hopefully this will get better soon. Thanks again.

[vyaz-]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m going on week 2 with a broken toe. It’s still pretty much bruised and I was having the same exact thoughts that you mentioned. This is very helpful and to know that I can’t rush the healing process.

[alookinsideatlanta]

Thank you soooo much for posting this! As a Realtor, I do A LOT of walking! And with a broken toe, it's been very hard and I have been exhausted just as you mentioned. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[sophiadaly]

Hi all. The NHS doctors and nurses told me its not a big deal and to walk in a normal shoe after a few weeks. Ive broken 4th toe proximalphallange in a few places. I think their advice is wrong and inconsiderate. I've been in a walking boot but feel im overdoing it. Its been 2 weeks and I listened to their advice and tried walking on it in a normal shoe, just a few steps and now i have sharp pain and im worried ive broken the soft callus. SO ANGRY. Its ridiculous the bad advice supposed medical professionals will give us. I really rate the advice youre giving. Thank you!

[liberatedlioness]

This information is so helpful. Thank you so much. I broke my 4th toe on my left foot 3 days ago. I live on an island where medical care is less than optimal. I went to the ER and they did a horrible job with buddy taping and they put a back slab on using plaster of paris and a soft bandage. The bandage they used to buddy tape is slipping off and my toe is now starting to swell. All the videos I have looked at have said the surgical boot is what you need. Nothing said about plaster of paris. I am already experiencing the tight hips and back pain. I'm going to get the back slab removed and replace it with the boot and get the buddy tape done properly. I really hope your toe continues to heal fully and that you can bend it. That's my biggest concern is the return to normal movement post-healing🙏🏿

[Noveleffect]

I used a NIR (near infrared lamp) on my foot and I noticed the bruising going away by the 4th or 5th day. Mine is a hairline fracture in the pinky toe, so it's not too bad, and I can easily without the boot, but the boot is so soothing for me one I started using it. Made a huge difference in terms of pain, so I'll continue to use for the full 6 weeks. I'm already in week 2 of recovery, and along with my NIR lamp, and the new boot I have, I'm looking forward to getting back to my regular routine. I can still exercise, just no shoes 🤷🏻‍♀

[MichelleGrondine]

oh my gosh thank you so much for sharing your experience. i fractured my middle toe on my left foot 10 hours ago and this video was so much more helpful than both the urgent care and the ER combined. hope you're feeling incredible today 3 years later! going to sub and keep watching all your healing videos too to rebalance after the crutches and hopping around shifts my body. telling myself to stay patient and not rush the process!

[christinetomalin]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am at the end of week 2 of a broken toe. I am feeling very down today and your video is a great inspiration 🙏🙏😊

[jovanilic]

Hi, Sofia. I dislocated my distal joint at second toe. Doc relocated it, and put my leg in cast. Now I am at second week. As you say, it's more mental fight than physical. Since I am very active person, this is killing me, not been able to walk normal. I'm just hoping that it will heal faster than if it was broken. 😊

[kateboo]

Best video ever about a broken toe or foot!
I broke y big toe 6 days ago, immediately wore my boot (from braking my foot 15 months ago. I have adhd 🙈), even to sleep! Doctor said it wasn't needed, but the pain was horrible when i tried to put my foot down - pun intended 😅
Thank you so much!

[saracook]

This is INCREDIBLY helpful. I did not take the proper plan for the first 2 weeks of my toe fracture -- I "rested" but never got the right shoe and walked way too much! I was in denial about how much this would impact my routine. I went to some Pilates and yoga...just no. NO full weight on your affected foot, y'all! I had to start from scratch and got all the gear she listed. I think supplements, diet, and rest are most crucial. A nice bath might be a nice way to relax and clean up if showers pose a danger. I'm hoping for a miraculous amount of healing when I go back to my xray in 2.5 weeks.

[jobella]

Thank you for sharing your story, I broke my toe a week ago. Saw an orthopedic doctor and he put me on a boot this is week two for me. I’m sad because I have plans to fly to nyc to visit my brother in December I pray my toe heals by then.

[xxhynjo]

Thanks nearly lost my mind this is helpful

[harrybold]

Thanks for the advice...it helps educationally, practical approach

[luciasosa]

I broke my second toe after a industrial size Saran Wrap fell from above my fridge right on to my foot. I’ve been saying for the last 4 days I’m on week 3 and I realized this morning I’m actually only on day 14 😔 it has been a struggle and I fell a few times. I don’t think I hurt the toe but I had to put full weight on my heal and I let the loudest scream out. Thank you for telling me it gets better. I have another 4 weeks to go and I needed to find some sanity. 🙏🏽

[erinjacobs]

Hi Sofia, thank you for posting this video. I was searching for broken toe and came across your very useful video. I had a heavy can fall on my second toe and immediately the pain was crazy...also blood pooled under my toenail. This happened in the middle of May....the pain subsided after about two days....and did not think much about it....finally the bruise was not going away, but I managed to squeeze out the blood under the toenail....finally I made an appointment with my podiatrist (it took two weeks to get an appointment). She ordered x-rays, and to my surprised, she showed how I had fractured my toe....(my first broken bone). Since the toenail was loose anyway, she numbed and removed the toe and bandaged it and fitted me with a orthopedic fracture shoe....the one you showed....I agree, it is does not provide much support, so I ordered a short leg fracture boot....which arrived yesterday.... it is much better than the orthopedic fracture shoe. Hopefully, I should be back to normal...since it is approaching 6 weeks now. Thanks for the video and sharing your healing journey with all broken toe patients out there. Erin.

[moonwvr]

Thank you for this video! I broke my big, right toe on Tuesday. I was given a boot today by the orthopedic and am off balance. I have bursitis in my right hip and this has called it to flare up and it’s very painful. I ordered the stabilizer and hope it helps.
One thing the ortho recommended that I didn’t see in your video, was to wrap the foot where the toes connect down to the ankle to help with swelling. It maybe a coincidence, but just the ortho wrapping my foot helped my fracture blister to decrease immensely in just a few hours.

[JerzeyPrince]

I have walking boot since a 90ilb dumbbell slips out the package and crushed my big toe. I worked in UPS. Thanks for info!