What’s a Turf toe and how to prevent it

A turf toe is an injury stemming from a soft tissue trauma  (ligament, tendon, joint capsule) surrounding the big toe joint when it is bent too far up. In other words, hyperextending your big toe or applying sharp pressure to the area might lead to the famous sprain. Pain, stiffness, and swelling around the joint are common symptoms to be aware of. 

This injury is often seen on soccer, rugby, and football players. Bending toes repetitively while running on a slippery artificial turf is indeed a recurrent case. However, yogis and dancers are also at risk by regularly keeping their balance and vigorously switching positions on a rigid surface. Practicing one of these sports may lead to an overextension inducing pain under the toe when not careful. 

Don’t wait!

Waiting for the toe pain to disappear by itself is not something we recommend. In fact, it can easily increase due to the pressure caused by doing normal activities such as walking. This can generate changes to your foot’s point of support and negatively affect your posture. Therefore, these small unconscious changes may harm your ankles, knees, pelvis, etc. Underusing the muscles surrounding the injury can also generate stress to different parts of the foot. Consequences range from postural sway and muscle fatigue to tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.

Giving your foot a rest is a great way to start the healing process. Scheduling an appointment with your podiatrist as soon as possible to prevent collateral damages is just as important. A clinical assessment by your podiatrist will rule out the possibility of a fracture and determine the nature of your injury which will help orient the recovery strategy. Your specialist knows the proven methods suited for your needs.

What’s next

To prevent this injury from occurring, especially if you have encountered it in the past, taking care of your joints is a must. Adding a targeted warm-up to your routine will increase limb mobility and reinforce the feet muscles. Wearing the proper shoes for each activity and making sure they fit correctly are tips everyone should consider. A stiff shoe will for example prevent any toe hyperextension from happening. 

Finally, contact your podiatrist for proactive advice or a tailored treatment plan!