Buzz
A bruised toenail can make walking difficult and cause pain for several days. Those who run or participate in high-impact sports like soccer or dancing are at a higher risk of bruising their toenails. It can also occur if you accidentally stub your toe, trip over something hard, or drop something heavy on your foot. While bruised toenails will eventually heal on their own, there are steps you can take to speed up the recovery process and ease discomfort. If your toe is swollen, stiff, and extremely painful, it may be broken, in which case you should see a doctor immediately.
Steps to Follow
Alleviate Pain and Swelling
Apply ice to the injured toe for 10-20 minutes per session. Do this at least three times a day to reduce swelling. Wrap the ice in a cloth to prevent direct contact with the skin.
Cold compresses are one of the most effective ways to reduce swelling immediately after an injury, as they help reduce blood flow to the affected area.
Alternatively, you can soak your toe in cold ice water if you prefer to treat the whole area.
Elevate your foot above the level of your heart while lying down. Use pillows or a footrest to prop up your foot when sitting or lying down. Make sure your toes are raised above heart level to reduce swelling more quickly.
Elevating your foot reduces blood flow to the injured area, which helps alleviate pain and swelling.
Try to elevate your foot for at least 2-3 hours daily to speed up recovery.
Rest as much as possible to reduce pain and prevent further injury to your toe. Stop exercising temporarily and only walk when absolutely necessary. If you need to go outside, wear shoes that provide support and don’t squeeze your toes or pinch the top of your foot.
Shoes with arch support, such as sandals, are a good choice. Be careful when putting shoes on and taking them off.
Avoid wearing flip-flops if your toe is injured.
Apply heat for 15 minutes per session after 48-72 hours. Use a warm compress or heating pad on your toe only after the swelling has gone down, typically 2-3 days after the injury. Limit the heat treatment to 15 minutes per session, three times a day.
Do not apply heat before the swelling reduces; only use ice. Heat increases blood flow, which may worsen swelling.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers to soothe the pain. Take 1-2 tablets (200-400 mg) of acetaminophen or ibuprofen with 240 ml of water every 4-6 hours to relieve pain. Ibuprofen is especially effective if the toe or surrounding area is swollen due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
If you are pregnant, avoid ibuprofen as it may cause complications during pregnancy.
Do not take high doses of ibuprofen or use it daily for more than a week, as this can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The maximum daily dose is 800–1,200 mg for mild pain.
Each acetaminophen tablet contains about 325 mg—do not exceed 4,000 mg in a 24-hour period.
Avoid touching the injury and refrain from wearing tight shoes. Do not poke or touch the injured toe, and avoid wearing tight socks or shoes, as this can irritate and apply pressure to the injury. Our bodies can naturally heal bruises, so it’s best to leave it alone and allow it to heal on its own.
If you often run or engage in foot-intensive sports, take at least 5-7 days off to allow your toenail to heal.
Tip: If you cannot avoid wearing closed-toe shoes for a while, consider using toe protectors inside your shoes. Make sure they are not too tight and do not rub against your skin or nails as you walk.
Clean and bandage your toe if it's bleeding. If blood is coming from beneath the nail, rinse your toe under cold water. Use a clean towel to dry the area around your toe and let it dry naturally. Once dry, wrap a clean bandage around your toe.
- Elastic bandages might be more comfortable and provide better support than regular adhesive bandages. Place a small piece of gauze on the toe and wrap the bandage around, making it snug but not too tight to cause discomfort.
- Once the bleeding has stopped, you can remove the bandage to let the wound breathe.
- Apply antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to your toe before bandaging to help speed up the healing process.
Speed up your natural healing process
Drink at least 2.8 liters of water daily to stay hydrated. Water aids in the healing of wounds, so drink plenty of it! If you are female, aim for at least 2.8 liters of water each day. For males, aim for 3.1 liters.
- An alternative way to calculate your ideal water intake is to divide your body weight (in pounds) by 2. The result will be the number of ounces of water you should drink daily. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds (64 kg), you should drink 70 ounces (2.1 liters) of water per day.
- Avoid alcoholic and highly caffeinated beverages such as coffee and black tea while your toe is healing, as these drinks can dehydrate your body and slow down recovery.
Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C to aid in recovery. Snack on healthy foods such as citrus fruits, pineapple, bell peppers, leafy greens, and plums to help your bruised toe heal faster. Aim to consume 65-90 mg of vitamin C daily.
- Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are also rich sources of this essential nutrient.
- If your doctor approves, you can also take vitamin C supplements to boost your intake.
- The maximum daily dosage of vitamin C is 2,000 mg. Taking more won't harm you, but it might cause stomach discomfort if you take the maximum dose in one sitting.
Apply aloe vera to quickly reduce bruising. Gently rub a small amount of aloe vera gel, about the size of a pea, onto the bruised toe 3-4 times daily. Check the ingredient list on the packaging to ensure it is 100% aloe vera. Additives will dilute the aloe vera content, making the gel less effective.
- Aloe vera can help soothe the inflamed skin on and around the toe. It also aids in repairing the blood vessels broken just beneath the skin.
Apply arnica gel to the bruise 3 times a day. Squeeze a small amount of gel, about the size of a pea, onto a clean finger or cotton swab and gently apply it to the bruised toe. Repeat this 3 times daily to accelerate healing.
- You can also take arnica by dissolving 2 tablets under your tongue every 6 hours or drinking 2-3 cups of arnica tea daily.
- Keep in mind that arnica is a homeopathic remedy, and not all scientific studies support its ability to heal bruises quickly.
Seek medical attention
Evaluate the pain to determine if your toe might be broken. If you are unable to straighten or move your toe, if it feels numb, or if it is visibly bent, your toe might be broken. Additionally, if the swelling persists or increases, or if the pain intensifies, it is best to see a doctor (preferably a podiatrist) as soon as possible.
- Dropping a heavy object on your toe or stubbing it against something hard are common accidents that can cause a broken toe.
- A broken toe typically takes 4-6 weeks to heal fully.
- If the broken toe is not the big toe, your doctor may suggest home treatment initially.
Ask your doctor to drain the blood under the nail to relieve pressure. If the pain is severe enough to interfere with sleep, ask your doctor to drain the blood under the nail. The doctor will use a small, sterile needle to make a hole in the nail and drain out the blood, reducing the pressure and hopefully significantly relieving the pain.
- This procedure can be done at home, but it’s best to have it performed by a doctor (especially if you’re squeamish about blood or needles).
Ask your doctor to remove the nail if it is cracked or loose. If your toenail is cracked or nearly falling off, it’s best to have a doctor remove it to allow proper healing and regrowth without complications. After the nail is removed, you’ll need to apply antibiotic ointment twice a day and cover it with a sterile bandage. Change the bandage if you see any discharge or blood.
- Keep your toe wrapped for a week after nail removal and consult your doctor if you notice excessive bleeding, swelling, or pain.
- Rest for two weeks following the nail removal—avoid running, jumping, or engaging in sports during this time.
- It can take 6 to 18 months for the toenail to fully regrow.
Visit the emergency room or seek urgent medical care if you notice signs of infection. Watch out for red streaks or pus coming from the toenail. You should also call emergency services if you have a fever or if the toenail feels hot to the touch.
- If there’s a lot of pus and the wound is infected, surgery may be required. A wedge resection is the most common procedure in this case (also for ingrown nails).
Prevent toenail bruising
Trim your toenails regularly, leaving only a small white strip at the tip of the nail. Cut your toenails once every 1-2 weeks to prevent them from growing beyond the edge of your toes. Avoid cutting the corners of the nails too close, as this could lead to the nails growing into the surrounding skin.
- You can also file the nails shorter, but it might take a bit more time.
- For your little toenail, consider using a smaller nail clipper if available.
Wear shoes that aren’t too tight or too loose around the toe box. A shoe that is too tight in the toe area can squeeze your toes against the top, front, and sides of the shoe. Ensure there’s a minimum space of about 1.3 cm between your big toe and the front of the shoe. This space shouldn’t exceed 2.5 cm, as shoes that are too loose will cause your feet to slide forward, pushing your toenails toward the front of the shoe.
- Make sure there’s enough room in the toe box so your toes can move comfortably.
- If you’ve experienced toenail bruising from running in the past, consider purchasing shoes that are half a size or a full size larger than your regular shoe size. Don’t forget to wear cushioned socks and check the distance from your big toe to the shoe’s tip.
- It’s best to shop for new shoes at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen.
Tip: Experiment with different shoelacing techniques to avoid bruising your toes. For instance, lacing your shoes in a large "X" pattern from the last hole to the first hole before crisscrossing can lift the shoe’s toe, giving your big toe more room to move freely.
Wear socks that fit well and are made from synthetic materials. Choose socks that aren’t too tight or too loose around your toes to prevent pressure when walking or running. Opt for socks made from synthetic fibers like acrylic or polyester instead of cotton to reduce moisture buildup.
- It's important to choose moisture-wicking socks because moisture can cause the socks to slip on your feet or the insole of your shoe, applying pressure on your toes and causing unnecessary friction.
- When you put on your socks, the seam should lie horizontally across your toes. If your socks tend to slip inside your shoes and the seam moves down to your toenails or the tips of your toes, it's time to buy a pair that fits better.
- The heel part of the sock should stretch snugly around your heel without bunching or sagging.
- If you often wear hiking boots, go for medium to thick socks made from blended materials like wool, nylon, lycra, or elastane.
Land on the middle of your foot when walking or running downhill. Keep your body upright and land on the middle of your foot—avoid landing on your heels or toes. Remember to keep your knees relaxed and never lock them while stepping.
- While it may seem natural to land on the balls of your feet, this actually causes your foot to shift inside the shoe, pushing your toes toward the front of the shoe.
Tip
- Adjust your shoelaces so they’re a bit tighter to prevent your feet from sliding inside the shoes and pushing forward toward the toe box (but not too tight to create excess pressure on the top of your feet).
Warning
- Avoid attempting to break blood vessels under your nails or pulling off your toenails – see a doctor to reduce the risk of infection.
