Beware ‘sausage toe’: Foot injury that’s more common in summer can get much worse if left untreated

It’s nan wurst-case scenario.

People are prone to toed injuries large and mini successful nan summertime because they’re playing extracurricular more, wearing less-protective footwear, specified arsenic sandals and flip-flops, and stepping barefoot connected basking surfaces for illustration pavement and sand.

A surgery toed mightiness look for illustration a insignificant inconvenience, but dismissing it intends you’re near pinch nan dreaded, reddish and swollen “sausage toe” — and must banish those toe-tally tiny kitten heels and wedges to nan backmost of nan closet for now.

In nan agelong term, you look nan consequence of persistent aches and pains, problem walking, arthritis and moreover deformity.

“Broken toes are a communal wounded successful my agency during those lukewarm months, but unfortunately, nan patients travel to maine aft reasoning that nan rumor would resoluteness connected its own,” podiatrist and author Dr. Rock G. Positano told The Post.

“Too often,” he added, “patients show maine successful my office, ‘I was told there’s thing you tin do for a surgery toe, truthful I didn’t do anything!’ Wrong.”

Positano and his son, Dr. Rock CJay Positano, are co-directors of nan Non-Surgical Foot and Ankle Service astatine nan Hospital for Special Surgery successful NYC.

The Positanos attraction connected treating ft and ankle disorders without surgery.

They person their activity trim retired for them erstwhile 1 of nan smaller toes gets injured.

Even a insignificant effect connected these small piggies tin origin large symptom because they incorporate galore delicate nerves and small earthy cushioning.

“Small toes don’t equate to a mini magnitude of pain,” Dr. Rock CJay Positano said. “In fact, it’s rather nan opposite.”

The Positanos urge seeing a expert arsenic soon arsenic nan wounded occurs to acquisition aesculapian imaging.

An X-ray tin thief diagnose a surgery aliases fractured toe, while an ultrasound introspection of nan forefoot tin uncover a soft tissue, tendon aliases ligament injury.

A short, removable stepping formed (aka a boot) aliases a stiff-soled surgical footwear is simply a communal curen for a swollen, achy aliases fractured toe.

These whitethorn beryllium worn for up to 3 aliases 4 weeks, depending connected nan severity of symptoms.

“Most patients statement a sizeable alteration successful symptom and discomfort erstwhile they immobilize nan ft pinch 1 of these devices,” Dr. Rock G. Positano said.

“Some patients whitethorn deliberation flip-flops are a safe curen option, but they tin make symptom and swelling of nan toed much severe.”

The Positanos be aware that frank-en ft tin hap year-round, not conscionable successful nan summertime.

There are galore hazards astir nan location — it’s easy to fracture a toed by slamming it into nan separator of furnishings successful nan mediate of nan nighttime aliases by dropping a tin of soda connected it astatine dinnertime.

“People don’t admit really important their feet are until they prolong an wounded for illustration this, 1 that seems mini successful scale, but arsenic clip passes, it becomes only much achy and tin inhibit one’s lifestyle,” Dr. Rock CJay Positano said.

“It’s important to retrieve that a toed wounded isn’t life-threatening, but it tin surely beryllium lifestyle-threatening.”