Fixing a broken toe may be possible, despite the myth

King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Q: Last week I got up in the middle of the night and slammed my foot into a chair. I’m pretty sure I broke my middle toe. It still hurts, but there’s nothing that can be done for it, right?— Charlie H., Mendocino, California

A: Sorry Charlie, that’s a myth. It’s always best to have a broken toe evaluated, and the sooner you have it looked at, the better. The first and most obvious reasons are that a doctor can give you the right diagnosis (sprain, bruise, break?), help you correct the injury/problem, prevent further injury (if your gait is thrown out of whack) and help alleviate the pain.

Your toe might not be broken, and you treat a bad bruise differently than a broken toe. For example: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (R.I.C.E.) works for a sprain or bruise but may not for a break.

Untreated, your pain could go on for a long time and your injury could develop complications ranging from infection, if the skin were broken when you injured it, to arthritis, if the bones heal in a position that isn’t lined up properly.

Also, if your injury doesn’t heal correctly and you’re limping around for an extended time, you could develop muscle strain in your legs and back or even arthritis in your ankle, knee or hip joint.

So go see a doc and have it looked at. There’s a chance he’ll send you on your way, but he/she might tape it to the toe next to it (called buddy taping), surgically reset it or put a pin in the toe (really a screw) to make sure the bones heal properly. Then, down the road, you’ll be able to go down the road without pain or a limp.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.

(c) 2017 Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.