Turf toe, the inflammation and or tearing of the ligaments surrounding the MTP joint (big toe joint), occurs frequently when the big toe is over extended or hyper extended. The joint that connects the big toe to the foot is critical in activities such as walking, running and jumping. Often this type of injury can be avoided by strengthening the toes and wearing appropriate footwear.
The cause of turf toe is usually due to hyperextending of the big toe joint. This can occur in sports that involve a lot of changes of direction, such as football, soccer, and basketball. Many of these sports involve quick sprints and sudden deceleration. Players use their big toes to push off the ground during these movements and can place a lot of stress on the MTP joint. This stress can cause injury, especially on hard artificial surfaces that do not provide the same amount of cushioning and support as natural grass. “Turf toe is caused by a hyperextension of the MTP joint during sudden deceleration. The injury is often associated with sport played on artificial turf, and can be due to poor warm-up techniques or playing techniques” (Coughlin et al. 2010, p. 761).
Turf toe can also affect the way an athlete performs in sports. Turf toe is an extremely painful injury and can keep an athlete out of action for weeks or even months, which can ruin an athlete’s season. If an athlete with turf toe does go back to action to soon they are also at risk for reinjuring the toe, which can take even longer to heal. In order to prevent this type of injury athletes must make sure to receive the proper treatment and also to go through the right amount of rehabilitation in order to come back to sports 100% and to be able to perform at the highest level of sports (Rihab El Yousef, 2020).
In terms of prevention, athletes must pay close attention to their footwear when engaging in sports. Proper shoes can play a significant role in reducing the risk of turf toe by providing adequate support to the big toe and foot. Footwear that is specifically designed for the sport can help absorb impact and prevent undue stress on the toe joint. Shoes with a stiff sole can also limit excessive movement of the toe, helping to keep it in a safer position during intense physical activity. Wearing shoes that fit correctly and offer adequate arch support is equally important. Athletes should consult with sports professionals or podiatrists to choose the right footwear for their particular sport and playing surface. Taking these preventive measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of sustaining turf toe injuries, allowing athletes to perform at their best without the fear of injury., Turf toe is an injury that is common among athletes, especially those who play on artificial turf. Understanding the symptoms and how to diagnose and treat this injury is crucial for anyone involved in sports.
Turf toe affects athletes differently, but the most common first sign of injury is pain in the toe and swelling around the joint. Some athletes report feeling a sharp pain when they push off their big toe while running or jumping. In severe cases, athletes report feeling pain while walking. Inflammation can cause bruising to occur around the affected joint. It is important to note the symptoms as they occur and treat the area accordingly (Najefi et al., 2018).
Diagnosing turf toe typically begins with a physical evaluation by a healthcare professional. The doctor or sports medicine specialist can usually diagnose turf toe based on the symptoms of pain and swelling at the base of the big toe after an injury. In addition to asking questions about how the injury occurred, the healthcare provider will perform a physical examination to assess any signs of injury to the big toe, including swelling, bruising, and pain. Sometimes the healthcare provider may recommend imaging studies, such as X-rays or an MRI, to confirm the severity of the injury and rule out any other possible causes of pain (Wedmore and Charette, 2000).
Treatment for turf toe usually begins with rest. Activities that cause pain to the toe must be ceased. In order to reduce swelling and numb pain to the area, ice can be applied. Compression of the toe using bandages and tape can also decrease swelling. In order to reduce swelling of the toe by keeping it elevated, the foot should be put above the level of the heart (Rihab El Yousef, 2020).
For more serious injuries, your doctor may recommend that you wear a splint. The purpose of the splint is to keep your toe in the correct position to allow for proper healing. You may need physical therapy. Physical therapy will help your toe to regain its full range of motion, as well as regain strength in the toe. Custom foot orthotics can also be used to provide support for the toes and to relieve stress on the toe joint. These are specially designed shoe inserts. In addition to healing the current injury, custom foot orthotics can also help to prevent future instances of turf toe by allowing for proper alignment of the foot (Henry and Cohen, 2000).
Preventing turf toe injuries is very important for the athletes. Including stretches and strengthening exercises into athletes’ training can help preventing them from getting this injury. Increasing flexibility of the muscles and tendons around the toes and feet of the athletes can prepare their feet for physical activities. In addition, strengthening the muscles of the feet and legs of the athletes can provide the necessary support to the toes during physical activities, thus preventing them from hyperextending backwards and getting turf toe injuries. According to a study conducted by Najefi et al. (2018), implementing proactive approaches for preventing injuries during sports can be very beneficial for the athletes in the long run. This is similar to the case of incorporating stretches and strengthening exercises into athletes’ training in order to prevent them from getting turf toe injuries.
Proper shoes are very important for preventing turf toe. They need to have good toe protection and support for the toe. There are many different shoes on the market today and not all of them are created equal. It is very important to have the right shoes for the specific sport that you are playing. Different surfaces have different demands on the foot and the way that an athlete moves on the surface. For example, a runner would wear different shoes than a football player because of the way that they move on the surface. Pajaczkowski (2003) stated that there are different types of shoes and they need to be worn for specific sports in order to avoid injury and to achieve optimal performance.
In addition to choosing the appropriate athletic footwear, an athlete must also pay close attention to the fit of their shoes. If an athlete’s athletic shoes are too tight they can put excessive pressure on an athlete’s toes. This can be especially a problem for individuals who suffer from turf toe as excessive pressure on the toes can cause additional discomfort and or injury. On the other hand, an athlete’s athletic shoes can be too loose. These types of athletic shoes do not provide the support that an athlete needs while participating in physical activity. It is of the utmost importance for an athlete to try on several different models of athletic shoes before making a final purchase. The athletic shoes that an athlete chooses to wear must fit them correctly in order to ensure that they are receiving the proper support and protection that they need to prevent injury to their toes.
Knowledge of the injury of turf toe and its prevention are very important for the sports person who wants to carry on his or her sporting activities for long. Each injury not only keeps the sports person out of action for a period but also can affect his or her mental make up and causes them concern and depression. By incorporating into a training program exercises that are of benefit in preventing the injury of turf toe, and wearing appropriate footwear when playing sport on artificial surfaces the sports person can continue to carry on his or her desired sporting activities without any problems.
Citations:
Coughlin, M.J., Kemp, T.J. and Hirose, C.B., 2010. Turf toe: soft tissue and osteocartilaginous injury to the first metatarsophalangeal joint. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 38(1), pp.91-100. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3810/psm.2010.04.1766
Rihab El Yousef, B.S., Turf Toe Injuries in Athletes: Mechanisms and Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches. Extremitas Journal of Lower Limb Medicine, p.81. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andre-Aabedi-2/publication/390460476_Preoperative_and_Postoperative_Considerations_of_Micro-_arteriovenous_Fistulas_in_Patients_with_Lower_Limb_Lymphedema/links/67eea75de8041142a1612173/Preoperative-and-Postoperative-Considerations-of-Micro-arteriovenous-Fistulas-in-Patients-with-Lower-Limb-Lymphedema.pdf#page=91
Najefi, A.A., Jeyaseelan, L. and Welck, M., 2018. Turf toe: a clinical update. EFORT open reviews, 3(9), p.501. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6174855/
Pajaczkowski, J.A., 2003. Mimicking turf-toe: myofasopathy of the first dorsal interosseous muscle treated with ART®. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 47(1), p.28. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2504918/
Henry, T.J. and Cohen, L., 2000. Fabricating Foot Orthotics. Athletic Therapy Today, 5(1), p.22. https://openurl.ebsco.com/contentitem/gcd:6203626?sid=ebsco:plink:crawler-gcd&id=ebsco:gcd:6203626&crl=c&jrnl=10787895
Wedmore, I.S. and Charette, J., 2000. Emergency department evaluation and treatment of ankle and foot injuries. Emergency Medicine Clinics, 18(1), pp.85-113. https://www.emed.theclinics.com/article/S0733-8627(05)70109-7/abstract
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