Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Bandaging an injured toe with a neighbor
• Part 2 of 2: Possible Complications
• Tips
• Warnings

Bandaging an injured toe with an adjacent one is a useful yet simple way to treat sprains, displacements, and fractures of the toes and hands. This method is often practiced by sports therapists, physical therapists, orthopedists and chiropractors and is easy to learn to apply at home. Done correctly, it will provide support and protection and help align affected joints. However, some complications are sometimes possible, such as poor blood supply, infection and loss of joint mobility.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Bandaging an injured toe with a neighbor

1. 1 Determine which finger is injured. Toes are susceptible to injury and can be damaged even by tripping over furniture or bumping into sports equipment. As a rule, it is immediately clear which toe is injured, although sometimes it is necessary to carefully examine the foot to better figure out what happened. For mild to moderate injuries, symptoms such as redness, swelling, inflammation, local pain, bruising, decreased mobility, and sometimes slight curvature of the finger if it is dislocated or broken, are characteristic. Injuries and fractures are more common in the little toe and thumb than in the rest of the toes.
   • Bandaging an injured toe with an adjacent toe is appropriate for most toe injuries, even for stress or fatigue fractures, although more severe fractures may require plaster cast or surgery.
   • A minor fatigue fracture, a splintered bone, a bruised bruise, or a sprained joint is not considered a serious injury, but crushed (crushed and bleeding) toes or complex displaced fractures (bleeding and open fracture) require immediate medical attention, especially if the big toe is affected ...
2. 2 Decide which toe to bandage. After you have found out which finger is injured, you need to decide which adjacent finger to bandage it to. As a rule, they try to bandage together those fingers that are close in length and thickness - for example, if the middle toe is damaged, it is better to attach it to the third rather than the big toe, since they are similar in size. In addition, the thumb does a lot of work when walking, so it is not very suitable for bandaging together. Also make sure that the adjacent finger is not injured, otherwise bandaging two injured fingers together may worsen the situation. If multiple toes are injured, it may be better to use a plaster cast or special compression shoes.
   • If your ring toe is injured, tape it not to the little toe, but to the third toe, as they are similar in size and length.
   • Do not bandage an injured toe to an adjacent toe if you have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease, as too tight a bandage can impair circulation and greatly increase the risk of necrosis (tissue death).
3. 3 Loosely attach your fingers to each other. After you decide which finger to attach the injured finger to, take a medical or surgical bandage and bandage the injured finger loosely enough to the adjacent undamaged one (for greater reliability, you can tie the fingers with a figure "8"). Be careful not to wrap your fingers too tightly, as this can cause additional swelling and even stop blood circulation in the injured toe. Try placing a cotton bandage between your toes to avoid chafing and / or blistering. Rubbing the skin and blistering will greatly increase the risk of bacterial infection.
   • Do not use too much bandage or the foot will not fit into the shoe. In addition, excess bandage contributes to overheating and sweating.
   • The toes can be wrapped with materials such as medical / surgical paper, adhesive tape, duct tape, tape, or rubber bandage.
   • A wooden or metal splint can be used with the bandage to provide additional support that is helpful when dislodging an injured toe. You can use a regular ice cream stick for your toes, but make sure there are no sharp edges or chips on it that could pierce your skin.
4. 4 Change the dressing after washing. If your doctor put on the original bandage, he probably used a waterproof bandage so you can shower or bathe at least once. After that, however, be prepared to change the dressing after each bath and check for signs of skin irritation or infection. Abrasions, blisters, and calluses increase the chance of skin infection, so wash and dry your fingers thoroughly before re-bandaging. You can also wipe your fingers with alcohol-dampened wipes to disinfect them.
   • Signs of a skin infection include localized edema, redness, throbbing pain, and purulent discharge.
   • If you have injured your toe, you may need to wear a bandage for up to 4 weeks to heal the injury, so you will have a lot of experience with bandaging it.
   • If your toe hurts more after re-bandaging, remove the bandage and try bandaging again, but a little more loosely.

Part 2 of 2: Possible Complications

1. 1 Watch for signs of necrosis. As noted above, necrosis is tissue death due to a lack of blood supply and oxygen. In an injured toe, especially with a dislocation or fracture, blood vessels may already be damaged, so it is necessary to very carefully bandage it to the adjacent toe so as not to disturb blood circulation. If you bandage your fingers too tight, you will probably feel throbbing pain, after which they will turn dark red and then dark blue. Most body tissues can survive without oxygen for more than a couple of hours, and toes should be closely monitored for about half an hour after bandaging to make sure they are getting enough blood.
   • Diabetic patients feel much worse toes and feet, their circulation is impaired, so they should not bandage an injured toe together with a neighboring one.
   • If necrosis develops in the tissues of the toes, they will need to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the foot or leg.
   • For an open compound fracture, your doctor may recommend taking oral antibiotics for two weeks to prevent bacterial infection.
2. 2 Do not bandage your finger for a severe fracture. While dressing is helpful for most injuries, in some cases it will not work. If your toes are crushed and completely shattered (called a fragmentation fracture) or broken so that the bones are highly displaced and penetrate the skin (open compound fracture), bandaging will not help. In this case, you should immediately seek medical help - most likely, surgical intervention will be required.
   • Typical symptoms of a toe fracture include severe, sharp pain, swelling, stiffness, and usually rapid bruising due to internal bleeding. At the same time, it is difficult to walk, and it is almost impossible to run or jump because of the excruciating pain.
   • Toe fractures can be caused by diseases that weaken bones, such as bone cancer, bone infections, osteoporosis, or chronic diabetes.
3. 3 Protect your toes from further damage. After injury, the finger is even more susceptible to injury. To avoid them, wear comfortable, secure shoes and continue to wrap your toes for 2-6 weeks. Choose covering toes and shoes that are large enough to accommodate the bandage and possible swelling of the toe. It is better to use stiff and stable shoes rather than soft, thin-soled shoes. Do not wear high-heeled shoes for at least several months after an injury, as they constrict the toes severely and interfere with their normal blood supply.
   • Open-toe supportive sandals can be worn for severe toe swelling, but remember that they provide no protection, so wear them with care.
   • If you are a construction worker, fire brigade, police, or landscaping worker, consider using steel-toed boots for added protection until your toe heals completely.

Tips

• The bandage works well for most toe injuries, but remember to also lift your foot and apply ice packs. This will help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
• Although complete rest is not necessary after an injury to your toe, try to limit the stress on your foot and switch to gentle sports such as swimming, cycling, or lifting weights.

Warnings

• If you suspect you have a broken toe, see your doctor. Bandaging is a good short-term measure for most toe injuries, but a fracture requires medical attention.