Toe injuries

Toe injuries are common in sports where athletes frequently compete on hard surfaces like tennis or running, meaning their toes have to absorb greater impact. Martial arts and other sports where toes are left exposed also see a lot of toe injuries occur.

The most frequent toe injuries are toe blisters, in-grown toe nails, turf toe and broken toes. Although the majority of toe injuries aren’t particularly serious, they can still hamper an athlete’s performance and in the worst cases, leave them sidelined.

To avoid toe injuries an athlete should ensure they have the correct footwear that offers sufficient support. Unfortunately, in sports like martial arts where athletes compete with bare feet, toe injuries are much harder to avoid.

Toe injuries should be treated with ice and strapped up to eliminate discomfort. With more serious toe injuries where bones have been fractured or broken, a doctor may advise using crutches to take the weight off the toe.

Recovering from toe injuries is often just a case of resting until an athlete feels confident enough to put weight on the affected area. Some athletes will also strap up the toe in order to return to training and competition faster.

We have more information on toe injuries listed in the articles below with lots of useful help and advice.