Foot and toe fractures

7-minute read

Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance or go to hospital immediately if: bone is visible through the skin, there is heavy bleeding or the injured area is an unusual colour or shape.

Key facts

Foot and toe fractures are when you have a crack or break in your bone.
You may have a broken foot or toe if it's red, bruised, painful, swollen or difficult to walk on.
See your doctor if the pain and swelling are not improving 2 to 3 days after you injure your foot or toe.
In most cases, a fracture will heal with rest and a change in activities.

What are foot and toe fractures?

Foot and toe fractures are when you have a crack or break in your bone. A fracture is a term used to describe a broken bone.

The severity of your fracture depends on:

which bone you've hurt
the cause of your injury
your age and general health

What symptoms are related to foot and toe fractures?

You may have broken your foot or toe if it's:

red
bruised
painful or swollen
difficult to walk on

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes foot and toe fractures?

You may also fracture your foot by hitting the side of your foot. This could be on furniture or the ground. This can pull your toes sideways or in an awkward direction.

Stress fractures are typically caused by taking part in high-impact sports like running, soccer and basketball.

Fractures to the bones in the middle of your foot are uncommon. They are usually caused by motor vehicle accidents or crush injuries.

Broken toes are usually caused by an accident. This might be from stubbing your toe or dropping a heavy object on your foot.

How are foot and toe fractures diagnosed?

Your doctor will examine your foot and ask about your symptoms. They may compare your injured foot to your other foot.

Sometimes your doctor will arrange for you to have imaging. This can help to diagnose the fracture, such as:

When should I see my doctor?

You should see your doctor if:

after 2 to 3 days your pain and swelling are not improving
it still hurts to walk 6 weeks after hurting your foot or toe
you have diabetes and have injured your foot or toe

If you need to see your doctor but cannot wait for an appointment, you may be able to get treatment at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Use the Service Finder to find your nearest one.

Broken toes can often be treated at home if:

the bone is not sticking out of your foot
your toe is not pointing at an odd angle
it's not your big toe
there's no wound on your toe or foot

When to seek urgent care

Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance or go to hospital immediately if bone is visible through the skin, if there is heavy bleeding or if the injured area is an unusual colour or shape.

Go to the emergency department if:

the bone is sticking out of your toe
your toe is pointing out at an odd angle
you think you have broken your big toe
there was a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of injury
you feel tingling or numbness in your toe or foot

Ask someone to drive you to hospital or call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How are foot and toe fractures treated?

In most cases, a fracture will heal with rest and a change in your activities.

Do not worry if you're not sure if your toe is broken or bruised. The treatment is usually the same for both.

Broken toes usually heal within 4 to 6 weeks. But they can sometimes take several months to heal.

Self-care at home

Follow the ‘RICE' guidelines to help with your pain and swelling.

Rest — try to rest your foot. Avoid walking around as much as possible.
Ice — ice your toe for 20 minutes every 1-2 hours. Use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in tea-towel. Continue this for 3 to 10 days after your injury.
Compression — wear a compression bandage or elastic stocking. This can help to reduce swelling. Loosen the compression bandage if you get:
- pins and needles
- numbness
- your toes change colour
Elevate — raise your foot above the level of your heart.

You may want to strap your broken toe. Place a small piece of cotton wool or gauze between your sore toe and the toe next to it. Then tape them together to support your sore toe.

While you are recovering, wear wide, comfortable shoes with a low heel.

You can drive once your pain is under control. You should also feel confident to do an emergency stop.

Medicines for foot and toe fractures

You can take ibuprofen or paracetamol for any pain or swelling.

Speak with your doctor or pharmacist about which medicine is best for you.

Other treatment options

If you have fractured your foot or big toe, you may be given a special shoe or boot to wear. You can remove this boot to shower and sleep.

Most foot and toe fractures do not need surgery.

If you have an open fracture (the bone sticks through the skin) you will need to see an orthopaedic surgeon. An orthopaedic surgeon is a doctor who specialises in bones.

If after 6 weeks you are still having trouble walking, you may benefit from physiotherapy.

What are the complications of foot and toe fractures?

Complications from foot fractures are:

arthritis
infection
the bone healing in a strange position
the bone not healing
compartment syndrome

Up to 1 in 10 stress fractures can fail to heal. If this happens, you may need surgery.

Research shows that smoking makes it harder for your body to heal. Quitting smoking or vaping will improve your chance of a good outcome.

Can foot and toe fractures be prevented?

These tips may help prevent a broken foot or toe bone:

Wear shoes that support your feet. Wear the right athletic shoes for your sport. Use hiking shoes on rough ground.
Get rid of clutter in your home — this can help stop trips and falls.
Use night lights.
Build your bone strength — get enough calcium and vitamin D.
Start any new fitness programs slowly.

Read more about things you can do to prevent falls.

If you are at risk of osteoporosis, it's important to get tested. Getting treated for osteoporosis can lower your risk of fractures in the future.

Resources and support

Learn more about healthy bones.
Accidents can cause fractures. Visit Kidsafe Australia to find out how to prevent accidents involving children.
For first aid information, visit St John Ambulance Australia. You can also call this service on 1300 ST JOHN.
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: February 2025

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Decreasing the risk of falls and fractures | Fact Sheet | Australasian Menopause Society Hub

Download: Decreasing the risk of falls and fractures | Fact Sheet MAIN POINTSFalls and fractures can happen at any age, but the risk increases as women age.Falls in older people are more likely to cause more severe injuries.Low bone density, low muscle strength and poor balance are more likely as women age and increase the risk of falls.Improving your bone health can also help decrease the risk of falls and decrease the severity of any injuries or other consequences if you do fall.Appropriate physical activity can help decrease several fall risk factors.Speak with your doctor, assess your overall health and make changes to decrease your risk of a fall.You can reduce your risk of having a fall. The years before, during and after menopause are great times to speak with your doctor, assess your overall health and make changes to decrease your risk of a fall.By the numbers – falls and fractures in women after the age of 40Between the ages of 40 and 60 years, women begin to experience a decrease in the ability to balance and a decrease in bone density. Both of these changes contribute to the likelihood of both a fall and more severe outcomes after a fall. Here are some statistics showing the increase in the risk of falls as women age:After the age of 50, one in two women will break a bone at some stage during the rest of her life because of a fall.One in five women will fall each year before she reaches the age of 60.One in three women will fall each year after the age of 65.One in two women will fall each year after the age of 80.In older people, 30 per cent of falls result in more severe injuries such as head trauma, hip fracture, other fractures and dislocations. Of the hip fractures in older people, more than 90 per cent are caused by a fall – 25 per cent of people with hip fractures die within 12 months and 25 per cent never regain full mobility. After a fall, older people can also lose confidence and become less physically and socially active.Factors increasing the risk of falls and fracturesA proper review of your risk of falls and bone fractures can be performed by healthcare professionals. Self-assessment tools are also available to help you to uncover any risk factors. Your risk of having a fall increases if you have:low bone density / osteoporosis – women 60 years or older with osteoporosis have twice the risk of fallingdecreased strength in your lower bodydecreased balance, reaction time and postural stabilitya history of previous fallsother medical conditions including (but not limited to) – hearing and vision problems, heart disease, incontinence or dementia.Decreasing your risk of falls and fracturesYour doctor can suggest steps you can take to decrease your risk of falls. These include:increasing muscle strength through physical activitymaintaining or improving your bone density (see section below)improving your mobility through physical activityimproving balance through physical activityhaving your vision and hearing checkedmaking sure your footwear is appropriatereviewing your environment for tripping hazardsspeaking with your doctor if you have a fear of falling or feel physically or socially restricted.Maintaining or improving your bone health decreases the risk of falls and fractures and may decrease the severity of injuries or other consequences if you do fall.You can improve your bone health with:physical activity to improve bone density, muscle strength, mobility and balance – weight-bearing activities or strength training can improve your muscle strength, bone density and mobility, while activities such as Tai Chi, yoga or Pilates can improve balanceadequate calcium intake – a minimum of 1200g per day, preferably from dietary sourcesVitamin D – helps calcium absorption and maintains bones. Low vitamin D blood levels are common in Australia and you may need supplements if your blood levels are lowanti-osteoporosis medications, including menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), can reduce the risk of a first fracture and especially further fractures by up to 70%.Where can I find more information?Lifestyle and behaviour changes for menopausal symptoms (See AMS fact sheet Lifestyle and behaviour changes for menopausal symptoms)Osteoporosis (healthybonesaustralia.org.au)Calcium Supplements (See AMS information sheet Calcium supplements)Self-assessment tool: Are you at risk of osteoporotic fracture?Self-assessment tool: Know your bonesIf you have any concerns or questions about options to manage your menopausal symptoms, visit your doctor or go to the Find an AMS Doctor service on the AMS website.

Read more on Australasian Menopause Society website

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