Pain guide · Foot pain

Turf toe: a sprained big toe joint, from first aid to return to play

Turf toe is a sprain of the big toe's main joint, at the base of the toe. It happens when the toe is forced upwards while the heel is off the ground: pushing off into a sprint with the toe stuck to the ground, or a player landing on the back of your heel. The tissue under the joint is stretched (grade 1), partly torn (grade 2) or completely torn (grade 3). It is commonest in American football and rugby, especially on artificial turf, but it also happens in football (soccer), basketball and dance.

Most turf toes heal without surgery: protection in a stiff-soled shoe or boot, taping once the first few days have passed, and a gradual return through jogging, pushing off and cutting. A mild sprain can take days and a complete tear months, but these times come from expert reviews and case series rather than trials, and your physiotherapist or team decides when you're ready. This guide starts with when to get it checked, then explains the grades, what the evidence shows and a staged return-to-play plan with 3D demos.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 24 sourcesUpdated 21 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E: after an injury, you heard a crack, the foot or ankle has changed shape or points at an odd angle, a bone is sticking out, there is a bad cut over it, you're in severe pain, or the toes look blue or white, feel numb or are cold to touch. These can mean a broken bone. Don't drive yourself.
Go to A&E if you think you have broken your big toe, the toe is pointing at an odd angle, the bone is sticking out, you feel tingling in your toe or foot or it feels numb, or your child has hurt or broken their toe. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 for an ambulance.
Contact NHS 111 if you have badly hurt your big toe, you're in severe pain, you feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain, you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your foot, you heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of the injury, you have difficulty moving your toes or you cannot walk, or you have toe pain and feel hot, cold or shivery.
Same day: a sudden, very painful, hot, swollen, red joint, often the big toe, especially with a high temperature, feeling shivery or being unable to eat. It may be gout, but it could be a joint infection (septic arthritis), which is urgent.
Same day: you have diabetes and a new foot problem, such as an ulcer or wound, signs of infection, or a hot, swollen foot with a change in colour, even if it doesn't hurt. Contact your diabetes foot team or GP: NICE asks for these to reach a specialist foot service within 1 working day, and a suspected Charcot foot is kept off weight until it has been checked.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Pain that isn't better after 2 weeks of looking after it yourself, is getting worse, keeps coming back, or stops you doing normal things.
After a turf toe, a big toe joint that feels loose or unstable, weak push-off, or a big toe that starts drifting towards the other toes (a new or worsening bunion) or cocking up: see a GP or physiotherapist. These can mean a complete tear, a damaged sesamoid bone or a loose fragment, which may need a surgeon's opinion.
Pain under the ball of the big toe that carries on without a bending injury: possibly sesamoiditis or a stress fracture of one of the small sesamoid bones. Get it checked.
Still limping after about 2 weeks, or not back to sport in the time your physiotherapist expected: get it checked again.
Any foot pain if you have diabetes: foot problems can be more serious.

Understand it

What it is

The big toe's main joint, where the toe meets the foot (the first metatarsophalangeal joint), gets most of its stability from the soft tissue under and beside it: a thick pad of joint capsule called the plantar plate, ligaments on each side, and the short muscle that bends the big toe, with two small sesamoid bones inside its tendons. The joint takes 40% to 60% of body weight when you walk, 2 to 3 times body weight in sport and up to 8 times in a running jump.

Turf toe is an injury to that tissue when the toe is driven upwards beyond its range, usually with the front of the foot fixed on the ground and the heel raised. If the force also pushes the toe sideways, the inner side takes more damage and the toe can drift into what surgeons call a traumatic bunion.

The same pad under the smaller toes can tear too, usually at the second toe and usually gradually; our plantar plate tear guide covers it.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 22

The three gradesStrong evidence

Doctors grade turf toe from 1 to 3, and the grade guides the treatment:

Grade 1: the tissue is stretched. There's tenderness in one spot and slight swelling, with little bruising.
Grade 2: a partial tear. The tenderness is wider, with moderate swelling and bruising, and moving the toe is painful and limited.
Grade 3: a complete tear. Swelling and bruising are severe, push-off is weak, and the joint can be unstable or even dislocated, sometimes with a broken sesamoid bone or damage to the joint surface.

Sources 1, 2, 3

Who gets it, and the artificial turf questionMixed evidence

In five seasons of US college American football, there were 0.062 turf toe injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures (one player at one practice or game). They were about 14 times likelier in games than in practice, cost 10.1 days on average, and fewer than 2% needed an operation. In a survey of 80 professional players, 83% said their first turf toe happened on artificial turf. In a study of rugby players over four seasons, reported in a 2018 review, turf toe made up 11% of foot injuries and took 22 days on average to recover from. It also happens in football (soccer), basketball, tennis, volleyball, wrestling and dance.

The name comes from early artificial pitches: the first report saw it in players wearing flexible soccer-style boots on AstroTurf, not in stiffer boots or on grass. In US college football it was about twice as common on newer artificial turf as on natural grass (0.087 against 0.047 per 1,000 athlete-exposures), and in the National Football League (NFL), lower-limb injuries were 16% higher per play on synthetic turf.

But the picture isn't simple. A review of 53 studies found foot and ankle injuries more often higher on artificial turf, while overall injury rates on newer turf were usually similar. A review of football (soccer) studies found slightly fewer injuries overall on modern turf. And of 71 NFL turf toe injuries in one series, 29 happened on grass and 29 on turf.

Sources 4, 5, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

How it's recognised, and what X-rays and scans showEmerging evidence

A clinician asks how the toe was bent, then checks the swelling, the exact tender spot and how stable the joint is, comparing it with the other foot. Pain further back, behind the sesamoid bones, points to a strained muscle rather than an unstable joint.

X-rays are taken standing and are often normal. They matter when they show a small piece of bone pulled off, or sesamoid bones sitting 3 mm or more further back than on the other foot, which suggests a significant tear. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan helps with grade 2 and 3 injuries.

A sesamoid bone in two pieces is a normal variant: one study found it in 1.9% of 1,651 foot X-rays. It can be mistaken for a fracture, which is why the other foot is often X-rayed for comparison.

Sources 2, 3, 1, 12

What else it could be

A broken big toe: the NHS sends suspected big toe fractures to A&E. Gout: sudden severe pain with hot, red, swollen skin over the joint, usually without an injury. A joint infection: severe pain, difficulty moving the joint or putting weight on it, and often a high temperature, which is urgent.

Stiffness and pain pushing off that build up slowly, without an injury, are covered in the big toe arthritis guide, and a bony lump on the side of the joint in the bunions guide.

Sources 13, 14, 15

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

A grade 1 sprain usually settles in days, a grade 2 in weeks and a grade 3 in months. Leftover problems are common: in a series of 20 people followed for 5 years, reported in two reviews, half still had pain and stiffness in the joint, and professional players who had had turf toe had less movement in it. A missed or poorly managed injury can lead to a stiff, arthritic big toe, a toe that drifts sideways or cocks up, or a damaged tendon.

Performance can recover. In 71 NFL turf toe injuries, players' performance ratings afterwards were no different from before or from players without the injury.

Sources 2, 3, 5, 11

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

First aid and protection: consistent advice, not trial-testedStrong evidence

For the first few days, rest from sport, raise the foot, and hold an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the toe for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, as the NHS toe pain page advises. Walk in a stiff-soled shoe, or in a walking boot if you were given one. Grade 2 and 3 injuries are often protected in a boot for a while, and a grade 3 sometimes in a cast that holds the toe slightly pointed down.

The NHS says not to strap a hurt big toe to the next toe yourself: get it checked. Experts also advise against tight taping in the first few days, because it may cut off the circulation. This advice is consistent across NHS pages and orthopaedic reviews, but no trial has tested it.

Sources 16, 13, 1, 2, 3

Return times depend on the grade, and the sources differEmerging evidence

These ranges come from expert reviews and case series, not trials, so treat them as a rough guide. Your physiotherapist, doctor or team decides when you're ready.

Grade 1: often back to sport once the swelling settles, in about 3 to 5 days, with taping and a stiff-soled shoe. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says the pain is usually bearable and an athlete can carry on in a stiff-soled shoe.
Grade 2: the AAOS gives 3 to 14 days of rest before returning. One review says up to 2 weeks, and a 2023 review says players typically lose 2 to 4 weeks.
Grade 3: usually at least 4 to 6 weeks out, often 10 to 16 weeks depending on the sport and position, and up to 6 months for the symptoms to settle completely.

Sources 1, 2, 6, 3

Taping, stiff soles and turf toe platesEmerging evidence

Once the first few days have passed, taping the big toe in a slightly downward position limits how far it can bend back. A stiff-soled shoe, a thin carbon-fibre insert called a turf toe plate, or an insole with a firm extension under the big toe (a Morton's extension) does the same job inside the shoe. Experts recommend these during recovery and for the return to sport, and stiffer boots for players at risk, but no trial has compared them.

For a diagnosed grade 1 sprain, the AAOS also lists taping the big toe to the smaller toes to limit its movement. Expert reviews advise against cortisone or numbing injections to get back on the pitch.

Sources 2, 3, 6, 1

Early movement and a staged returnEmerging evidence

Experts start gentle movement early. From about 3 to 5 days, the toe is bent downwards by hand to stop the joint and the sesamoid bones stiffening, while nothing bends it back. Cycling, then a cross-trainer, and pool work keep you fit with the toe protected.

A 2023 review sets out three phases: weeks 0 to 2 for pain and swelling, limited weight-bearing and toe strengthening; weeks 2 to 6 for more weight-bearing, strength, movement and normal walking; and weeks 6 to 10 for balance, fitness, running and drills. Before running or explosive work, reviews look for 50 to 60 degrees of painless upward bend at the big toe joint and walking and jogging without a limp; before cutting, pain-free sprinting in a straight line. In that review, about 70% of athletes with the more severe grades kept their level of performance.

Sources 2, 3, 6

One small trial of exercise and kinesiology tapeEmerging evidence

In a single-centre trial, 60 people aged 25 to 30 with a grade 2 turf toe of more than a month did a supervised exercise programme, three 60-minute sessions a week for 12 weeks, with kinesiology tape, sham tape or no tape. Pain fell in all three groups: from about 6.4 to 2.4 out of 10 with exercise alone, 6.3 to 2.2 with sham tape and 6.4 to 0.9 with kinesiology tape, and walking improved most with the tape.

It's one small trial of a stretchy tape, applied differently from the firm sports taping that stops the toe bending back, so it supports a structured exercise programme more than any particular tape.

Source 17

Surgery: rare, and for unstable or displaced injuriesEmerging evidence

Fewer than 2% of US college football turf toes were operated on. Surgeons consider it for a severe tear, a broken or separated sesamoid bone, an unstable joint, a loose chip of bone, damage to the joint surface, a new or worsening bunion, or symptoms that don't settle with care without surgery.

The results come from case series only. In 15 competitive American football players with grade 3 tears, the average time out was 16.5 weeks and function scores were high 27.5 months later, though the toe bent upwards only 42 degrees on average. Of 21 athletes surveyed after a repair, 19 returned to their previous level, at an average of 20.4 weeks. A review of 12 low-level studies found a median return of 14.7 weeks after surgery. Every surgical team has its own rehabilitation plan, and it comes first.

Sources 4, 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 20

The evidence base is thinMixed evidence

A systematic review of treatment found 8 studies covering 16 turf toes, all case reports or case series of poor quality, and concluded there is no evidence-based treatment guideline. A review of return to sport pooled 121 injuries from 12 low-level studies. No trial has compared surgery with care without surgery, or one way of protecting the toe with another.

Sources 21, 20

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Protect the bend first, then mild discomfort that settlesEmerging evidence

In the first stage, nothing should force the big toe back. Walking in a stiff-soled shoe or boot should be comfortable, and the only toe movement is gentle bending downwards.

After that, this guide borrows the foot pain guide's rule: pain you would call mild to moderate, no more than about 5 out of 10, that settles within an hour, with no more swelling or stiffness the next morning. A 2023 review advises moving on as you can tolerate without making the pain worse, and not rushing if pain or swelling persists.

Before running, you should be walking without a limp, with a big toe that bends up about 50 to 60 degrees without pain (a physiotherapist can check). Before cutting and jumping, you should manage full-speed running in a straight line without pain.

No trial has tested a pain rule for turf toe. The 5 out of 10 figure is an editorial starting point that matches this site's other foot guides.

Sources 2, 3, 6

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Protect and calm it (about weeks 0 to 2 for a grade 2)

Rest from sport, ice and raise the foot, and walk in a stiff-soled shoe, or a boot with crutches if you were given them. No tight taping yet. Keep the rest of the leg working, and from about day 3 to 5 start bending the big toe gently downwards by hand (the steps are below the plan). A grade 1 moves through this in days; a grade 3 follows its team's timings. Doses are editorial unless marked.

Ankle CARs (controlled articular rotations) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoAnkle CARs (controlled articular rotations)Beginner · No equipment

5 circles each way, morning and evening · The move's own dose. Keep the toes relaxed

Easier: Ankle circles · Harder: Toes-tucked kneeling (toe squat)

Towel toe curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTowel toe curlBeginner · Other / check instructions + A bench or box

10 gentle curls, 2 to 3 times a day · Curling the toes downwards is safe for the joint; stop if it hurts. Toe strengthening is in the first phase of a 2023 protocol

Harder: Short foot + toe splay

Stationary cycling demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStationary cyclingBeginner · Cardio machine

10 to 20 min · Pedal with the arch or heel, in a stiff-soled shoe, so the big toe doesn't bend

Harder: Air bike intervals

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

2 sets of 10 · Strength for the rest of the leg without loading the toe

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Glute kickback (quadruped hip extension)

Move on when: You can walk around in a stiff-soled shoe with little pain and no limp, and the swelling is going down.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Restore movement and strength (about weeks 2 to 6)

More weight on the foot, normal walking, strength and the toe's bend, with low-impact fitness and the toe taped for activity, as a 2023 review describes. Doses are editorial unless marked.

3D demoTowel toe curlBeginner · Other / check instructions + A bench or box

3 sets of 10 to 20 · Add a light weight on the far end of the towel when it's easy

Harder: Short foot + toe splay

Slow calf raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall

2 sets of 10 to half height, building to 3 sets of 15 and then full height · Stop short of full tiptoe while the joint is sore, as the move's caution says

Easier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) · Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise

Single-leg stand demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wall

Build from 10 s with support to 30 s without, 3 times each leg · The move's progression

Easier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk · Harder: Single-leg reach matrix

Plantar fascia stretch (seated) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoPlantar fascia stretch (seated)Beginner · A bench or box

3 to 5 holds of 10 to 30 s, 2 to 3 times a day · Only once walking is comfortable: gently pull the toes back to win back the bend, never into sharp pain. The move's dose comes from heel pain trials

Harder: Toes-tucked kneeling (toe squat)

Elliptical trainer demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoElliptical trainerBeginner · Cardio machine

10 to 20 min · The next step up from cycling, as reviews describe

Harder: Stair-stepper machine

Move on when: You walk without a limp, full calf raises are comfortable, the big toe bends up close to 50 to 60 degrees without pain, and the toe isn't more swollen the next day.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Run, push off, cut and return (about weeks 4 to 10, later for a grade 3)

Straight-line jogging, then running, then pushing off and jumping, then cutting, keeping the stiff insert or taping for training and matches. Your physiotherapist or team decides when you're ready to play.

Treadmill jogging demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTreadmill joggingIntermediate · Cardio machine

Walk-jog intervals, building to continuous running · Treadmill running is in a 2023 review's last phase; the build-up is editorial

Easier: Treadmill walking · Harder: Sprint intervals

Single-leg calf raise from a step demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg calf raise from a stepIntermediate · A step + A wall

2 sets of 10, building over 6 weeks to 4 sets of 15 · Borrowed from the heel-raise progression in an ankle instability trial. Hold a rail

Easier: Slow calf raise · Harder: Single-leg pogo hops

Heel raise with a towel under the toes demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHeel raise with a towel under the toesIntermediate · A step + Other / check instructions

3 sets of about 12 slow raises, every other day · Only once the toe bends back comfortably: it trains push-off with the big toe bent. The move's own dose, from a heel pain trial

Easier: Slow calf raise · Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise

Ankle bounces (mini pogo) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoAnkle bounces (mini pogo)Beginner · No equipment

4 sets of 20 small bounces, a minute's rest between sets · The move's dose. Then pogo hops, 5 sets of 15, before cutting

Harder: Pogo hops

Single-leg hop and stick demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg hop and stickIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 5 hops each direction on each leg, holding each landing for 2 s · The move's dose. Start with small hops in one direction only, as the move's caution advises after an injury

Easier: Standing broad jump with stuck landing · Harder: Alternate-leg bounding

Shuttle runs demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoShuttle runsAdvanced · No equipment

4 to 6 rounds of 30 to 40 s at half to three-quarter pace · The move's dose. Wide turns first, and only after full-speed straight-line running is pain-free

Easier: Treadmill jogging

Move on when: You can walk and jog without a limp, sprint and cut with little pain, the toe bends 50 to 60 degrees without pain, and you've completed full training. Your physiotherapist or team makes the final call.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Protect the toe in your shoes

Wear stiff-soled shoes while it heals, indoors too; the NHS broken toe page also suggests wide, comfortable, flat shoes with stiff soles. A carbon-fibre turf toe plate or an insole with a Morton's extension under the big toe stops it bending back in sports shoes and boots. Avoid walking barefoot and wearing flip-flops for now (our suggestion).

Sources 2, 6, 1, 13

Taping, once the first few days have passed

Tape the big toe in a slightly downward position for activity, ideally as a physiotherapist shows you. Don't tape it tightly in the first few days, and the NHS says not to strap a hurt big toe to the next toe yourself.

Sources 2, 3, 16

Bending the big toe downwards by hand (no 3D demo)

Reviews advise starting gentle downward movement of the big toe from about 3 to 5 days after the injury, to stop the joint stiffening while the tissue underneath heals. The figure can't show a toe movement this small, so here are the steps. The repetitions are editorial.

Sit with the injured foot resting across the other knee, or on a stool in front of you.
Hold the foot just behind the big toe joint with one hand.
With the other hand, hold the big toe and gently bend it downwards, towards the sole, as far as is comfortable.
Hold for a couple of seconds, then let it come back to straight. Never push it upwards.
Repeat 5 to 10 times, 2 to 3 times a day, and stop if it hurts.

Sources 2, 3

Stay fit without bending the toe

Cycling with the pedal under the arch or heel, then a cross-trainer, and pool work keep you fit while the toe heals. Upper-body and core training can carry on as normal (our suggestion).

Sources 2, 3

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Playing on with a swollen, bruised big toe joint	Grade 2 and 3 injuries need protecting, and a review warns that the damage can get worse with activity.	Stop, ice it, wear a stiff-soled shoe or boot, and get it graded.
Taping it tightly straight away	Tight taping in the first few days may cut off the circulation, and the NHS says not to strap a hurt big toe yourself.	Get it checked, then tape it slightly downwards once the first few days have passed.
Flexible, soft-soled shoes or boots	They let the toe bend back; flexible boots on hard artificial turf were linked with the injury in the first report.	A stiff sole, a turf toe plate or a Morton's extension insert.
Kneeling with the toes tucked under	It forces the big toe back under your body weight.	Towel toe curls, which bend the toes the other way.Try: Towel toe curl
A cortisone or numbing injection to play on	Expert reviews advise against it.	Protect the toe and follow the stages.
Shuttle runs and cutting before straight-line running is easy	A 2023 review puts cutting last, after pain-free running at full speed.	Straight-line jogging and running first.Try: Treadmill jogging
Walking barefoot or in flip-flops while it heals	Nothing stops the toe bending back (our suggestion).	Stiff-soled shoes, indoors too.

Routines to follow

Foot and ankle strengthening routine: toes, arches, calves and balance

A 15-minute barefoot routine for stronger toes, arches, calves and ankles, finishing with balance. You need only a towel, a wall and a resistance band.

15 minBeginner11 movesA wall, Other / check instructions

Low-impact leg workout (no jumping)

A gentle leg strength routine with no jumping: sit-to-stands, step-ups, wall sits, bridges and calf raises.

20 minBeginner7 movesA bench or box, A step

FIFA 11+ warm-up

FIFA's 11+ injury prevention warm-up as its manual sets it out: running drills, strength, balance and jumping at three levels, then faster running.

20 minBeginner20 movesCardio machine, A wall

Plyometrics for runners

A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.

20 minIntermediate8 movesCardio machine

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

What is turf toe?

A sprain of the big toe's main joint, when the toe is forced upwards with the heel off the ground and the tissue underneath is stretched or torn. It's commonest in American football and rugby, but it happens in football (soccer), basketball and dance too.

How long does turf toe take to heal?

It depends on the grade. A mild grade 1 sprain often allows a return to sport within days, a grade 2 needs from a few days to about 4 weeks depending on the source, and a grade 3 needs at least 4 to 6 weeks and often 10 to 16, with symptoms sometimes lasting up to 6 months. These times come from expert reviews and case series, so your physiotherapist or team decides when you're ready.

Is my big toe sprained or broken?

You can't tell for sure without an examination, and X-rays are often normal in turf toe. The NHS says go to A&E if you think you've broken your big toe or it's pointing at an odd angle, and contact NHS 111 if you've badly hurt it, heard a snap, or can't walk.

Should I tape turf toe?

Not tightly in the first few days, because that can cut off the circulation. After that, taping the toe in a slightly downward position stops it bending back during activity, and a physiotherapist can show you how.

What shoes or inserts help?

A stiff-soled shoe, a thin carbon-fibre turf toe plate, or an insole with a Morton's extension under the big toe all stop the joint bending back. Experts recommend them, though no trial has compared them.

Can I play with turf toe?

With a mild grade 1 injury, often yes, with taping and a stiff sole. With a grade 2 or 3, not until you can walk and jog without a limp, bend the toe about 50 to 60 degrees without pain, and sprint in a straight line before cutting. Your physiotherapist or team decides.

Does turf toe need surgery?

Rarely: fewer than 2% of US college football turf toes were operated on. Surgery is for complete tears with an unstable joint, sesamoid problems, a toe drifting into a bunion, or a loose fragment. In case series, most athletes returned to sport, usually after about 15 to 20 weeks.

What's the difference between turf toe and gout?

Turf toe follows an injury that bends the toe back. Gout comes on suddenly, usually without an injury, with severe pain and hot, red, swollen skin over the joint. With a high temperature, get help the same day, because it could be an infection.

Is artificial turf to blame?

Partly. In US college football, turf toe was about twice as common on artificial turf as on grass, and harder surfaces and flexible boots are thought to let the toe bend further. But it also happens on grass, and in football (soccer), modern turf hasn't been shown to raise injuries overall.

What exercises help turf toe?

Early on, gentle downward bending of the toe by hand, toe curls and cycling with the toe protected. Then calf raises, balance work and gently winning back the toe's bend, and finally jogging, hops and cutting. The order follows expert protocols; no trial has tested the doses.

Will my toe be stiff afterwards?

Some stiffness is common: in one older series, half still had pain and stiffness 5 years later. Getting the grade right, protecting the toe and doing the rehabilitation lower the risk of a stiff or arthritic toe later.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.