, more properly known as a '''
Metatarsalphalangeal Joint sprain''', is an injury to the joint and connective tissue between the foot and one of the toes, usually the
Great Toe . Turf toe is named from the injury being associated with playing sports on rigid surfaces such as
Artificial Turf and is a fairly common injury among professional
Football players.
Often, the injury occurs when the someone or something falls on the back of the calf while that leg's knee and tips of the toes are touching the ground. The toe is hyperextended and thus the joint is injured.
The injury can be very debilitating for athletes who need to accelerate or 'cut' quickly. Use of the toes is not possible during the healing process. Since the toes are necessary for proper push-off when accelerating, those sorts of athletic activities can be almost completely curtailed. A healing period of one or more months is often required.
Because of the anatomy of the distal foot and the unique use of foot, it is often impossible to properly tape or brace the joint.
Turf toe can often progress into a chronic problem, in which the joint(s) never really heals or heals too slowly to return to usual physical activities. American football players have been known to have toes amputated to solve the problem (although not the great toe, since it is integral to proper acceleration and even walking).
