Let's talk turf toe...

What's turf toe?:
The formal definition of this painful ailment is "a hyperextension injury resulting in a sprain of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the great toe, either from a single trauma or from repetitive overuse." For those of us who don't do medical-speak, you sprained your big-toe joint.

How do I know if I have turf toe?:
Common signs and symptoms for turf toe include swelling and pain around the big toe joint. It also hurts more when you're pushing off to walk, run, jump, and skip.

What can I do about my turf toe?:
The most effective treatment method is simply amputation the big toe. (kidding!)
On a serious note, though you need to treat this like any other sprain- Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate (RICE) it. That is the key to a speedy recovery (and diminished pain) is to rest/immobilize the area that has been injured. Since the foot is complex and most people hate taking time off, this can be easier said than done. Athletic trainers turn to two things (which can be used separately or in conjunction with one another).
The first is to use a "turf toe insole" which is a thin piece of "spring steel" attached to a felt insole to help stiffen the shoe. Doing so lessens the flexibility of the shoe itself, which in turn, lessens the amount of stretch on the big to, which allows for the toe to heal...
The second is by taping the toe in such a way to lessen the amount of extension the big toe is allowed to have. A quick YouTube search will walk you through it.

Outside of the athletic trainer's circle, a post-operative shoe (sometimes referred to as a Reese shoe) will also do a great job immobilizing that joint, allowing for it to heal.

Disclaimer stuff: I would also like to point out (rather, our lawyers) that this blog entry, like any other information included on this website is not a substitute for actual medical care. Only an allied health care professional, not a silly website will be able to rule out other conditions, like a fractured toe, sesamoiditis, metarsalgia, or even an infected joint capsule.