Surgical treatment for turf toe and conservative treatment are two methods of treatment. Splinting or taping the great toe to minimize motion and relieve jamming and pain is a common conservative therapy for turf toe. Another option is to use a thin carbon-steel insole in the shoes. While this restricts movement around the joint, it does not affect activity. It can be utilized with a custom orthotic to help manage general lower extremity mechanics while simultaneously supporting the problematic joint.
If conservative methods fail, surgery is considered. A cheilectomy is the most basic technique for treating this arthritic, painful great toe joint. This technique “cleans out” the joint by removing the bone spurs from around it and remodeling it to help restore motion. To decompress the joint, the metatarsal bone must be surgically shattered in more severe cases.
