Turf Toe Treatment and Prevention

Turf toe treatment consists of resting, icing and short rehabilitation of the affected big toe or toes.

The condition gets its name from the artificial turfs that seem to generate the majority of these injuries.

I recently suffered a turf toe injury (MARCH of 2009). And this story definitely confirms the fact that it is important to wear a sports specific shoe/cleat AND that it is important to wear a cleat specific to the playing field.

Of course, I suffered the turf toe injury while playing soccer (hey... I now live in Europe and have no choice) on an indoor and ARTIFICIAL playing field. I firmly believe that if I had been wearing the proper "indoor soccer shoes/cleats"... I would not have suffered this injury.

As it was, I was wearing Nike Tennis Shoes and I believe these shoes were too flexible around the bottom of the toes. I quickly changed directions and then felt a very bad, sharp, burning/numb pain around my big toe. It was really bad. I could not sleep that night even though I took Ibuprofen to reduce the pain.

The next day I could barely walk. My toe swelled to a very big size. I used ice when possible. Even after six months, my big toe is still slightly swollen and not completely back to normal.

So my above story confirms that, the ideal treatment is prevention, and we agree with many sports podiatrists who postulate that the injuries may be due to flexible game shoes worn on artificial turf.

The pain is often caused when players tear the capsules surrounding the joint at the base of the big toe when they push off on the ball snap in NFL football or make quick directional changes in soccer. This tearing may cause some inflammation so anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen may help alleviate discomfort.

Unlike many foot injuries, Turf Toe is a more traumatic type injury than say tendonitis, stress fractures, or other "wear and tear" type injuries. A player can acquire turf toe on a single down.

If an athlete responds immediately to a turf toe injury, three weeks rest may be enough to cure the condition. Unfortunately, many athletes attempt to play through the pain, and once the joint capsule is torn the player is subjected to other corresponding injuries to the foot, or an aggravated Turf Toe condition that may, in the worst case, require surgery, and months of rest to recuperate.

Player education on the condition is therefore, essential.

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