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A short toe injury is painful but not usually serious. It occurs when a toe is caught in a solid object, damaging ligaments, muscles, or cartilage. RICE treatment (rest, ice, compression, elevation) can help with healing, and immobilizing the toe with a splint is important to prevent further injury. Fractures are more serious and may require medical attention.
A short toe is usually not a serious injury, but it can be painful. It occurs when one of the toes is caught in a solid object, thus putting a strain or sprain on the tissues of that toe. Your toes generally have high concentrations of nerve endings, meaning the pain will be quite significant. It is best to treat the affected area with the RICE treatment: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Minor cases of a severed toe will heal quickly, usually lasting no more than a few days.
Each joint in the foot is connected by tissues called ligaments. Muscles may also be concentrated near joints, and cartilage is present between each set of bones. Any of these tissues can be damaged when a severed toe occurs, although the level of damage is usually fairly minor. If the bit is jammed hard enough, more serious injury, such as a fracture, can occur. This is different from a severed toe because a fracture means the bone inside the toe has broken. This will be more painful and that pain will last much longer. Most fractures will heal on their own given enough time and rest, although more serious fractures may need to be treated by a doctor.
It is important to immobilize the toe if you have pain in your severed toe. When the toe is severed and the ligaments or muscles are sprained or strained, excessive movement can worsen the injury and prevent proper healing. Immobilizing the toe with a splint will prevent movement and allow the tissues to heal on their own; this splint is usually done by using medical tape to tape a finger to the finger next to it. If that’s not possible, special splints may be available to immobilize just that big toe.
RICE treatment also promotes faster healing. Resting the injury allows the tissues to repair themselves, and ice on the affected area can dull the pain and help reduce painful swelling. Compression can also help reduce swelling and inflammation, and can also help stimulate blood flow to the affected area, which will in turn promote faster healing. Elevation also helps reduce swelling and pain. RICE treatment is first aid appropriate for the injury; over the next few days or weeks it will be important to continue to rest the affected area. Ice may be continued periodically if swelling and pain persist.
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