Toe pain is characterized by an uncomfortable sensation in the toes. The toes are comprised of bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels that are prone to injury, infection or other conditions.
The pain might be brief or continuous. The individual might feel a piercing, throbbing or tingling sensation. The toe pain might be a simple annoyance or debilitating that the individual could not wear a shoe or place any pressure on the foot.
In some instances, the pain might be an indication of a serious condition such as infection or peripheral artery disease. If the individual experiences toe pain with redness, swelling and warmth, seek immediate medical care.
What are the causes of toe pain?
There are various causes of toe pain, mostly linked to injury to age-related wear and tear on the skin, bones, muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments in the toe.
The common causes of toe pain include arthritis, calluses and bunions. Nevertheless, infectious, neurological or even abnormal conditions can affect the toe.
Injury-related causes
Toe pain might be triggered by various injuries including:
- Burns
- Amputation
- Avulsion
- Dislocation
- Fractured or broken toe
- Splinter
- Frostbite
- Strain or sprain
Infection-related causes
- Cellulitis
- Athlete’s foot
- Osteomyelitis
- Infected wound or sore
- Septic arthritis
Inflammatory, degenerative and neurological causes
- Bursitis
- Bunion
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Hallux rigidus
- Nerve impingement
- Morton’s neuroma
- Hammer toe
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Tendinitis
Disclaimer / More Information
The information posted on this page on pain in the toes is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to deal with toe conditions and injuries, register for first aid training at one of our training centers located throughout Canada. The training centers are in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Surrey, Winnipeg, Toronto, Saskatoon, Ottawa and Halifax.