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Traveling with an injury: one traveler’s lessons.

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Your trip is booked, outfits are planned, all you need to do now is pack your bags and you are ready to go. Then the unthinkable happens… you get injured.

Whether that be a sprained ankle, broken bones, or torn ligament, what do you do?

Nobody wants to cancel their holiday – you’ve put a lot of time and effort into planning it, you’ve spent money that you probably won’t be able to get back, and you’re excited to travel to a new destination. 

I reached out to the Her Packing List community to see if anyone had any experience traveling with an injury. Chaia volunteered to share her experience and some tips she picked up when she was flying with a fractured ankle to Hawaii.

Chaia’s insights into traveling with an injury

In the fall of 2015, I was at the tail end of planning a trip to Hawaii for that upcoming New Years. It was my first time going to the Big Island and I had my spreadsheet and packing list ready!

It would be a full 2 weeks of visiting with my husband’s family, star gazing, snorkeling, and drinking all the coffee.

In October, I broke my ankle during a roller derby practice. I had a trimalleolar fracture with a dislocation and needed surgery (and some hardware) to put everything back together.

After surgery, I spent 4 weeks in a cast, 4 weeks partial weight bearing in a walking boot, and had just started walking with my full weight in an air cast when we were leaving on our trip. My bones were healed but I was far from being back to my full function. 

I had minimal range of motion, swelling, and pain every time I walked.

Despite this, I was stubbornly determined to have a good time in Hawaii. Here are some things I learned while traveling with an injury .

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. These suggestions are based purely on personal experience. Before traveling while injured, always get clearance from your doctor.

1. Expect everything to take more time than you think.

Plan on extra time to get to the airport , to get to your plane, to get on and off the plane. Being injured doesn’t mean you can’t do things, but it does mean you have to take your time.

Don’t stress out about it, everything will still be there when you get there. I had a hard time coming to terms with this because I am usually up and going all the time.

2. Get the right gear, aka walking assistants.

Everyone who has ever used crutches knows that they are evil. If you are able to be at least partially weight-bearing, travel with a foldable cane instead of crutches. I bought this cane from Amazon (and they come in fun colors).

A foldable cane can be carried with you everywhere and can fit under your seat on planes. Going through airport security with it was simple. They traded my cane for a wooden cane so they could send mine through the x-ray machine and I could still walk through the metal detector.

Everyone was really understanding about the whole process.

Bonus Tip: If you’re not able to be full weight bearing, a knee scooter is more compact and manageable than a wheelchair and most of them can fold down to fit in an overhead compartment. A lot of places have knee scooters that you can rent, or they’re available online.

When I was in a cast, I tried to find one to rent locally but winters in Alaska are slippery and leg injuries are common so they had all been lent out already. In my opinion, they are worth the money to avoid the aforementioned evil crutches.

Disclaimer #2: Traveling in a cast is generally NOT recommended, especially if you’re going to fly because of the increased pressure and swelling. If you are thinking about flying in a cast, definitely talk to your healthcare professional first.

3. Ask for help.

Being injured is hard enough. Don’t make things harder on yourself by insisting you can do everything on your own. There are people all over the place that are open and willing to be your support if they know you need it.

Have you always wanted to ride in one of those airport golf carts? This is the perfect excuse to take advantage of it.

4. Pack differently.

I am going to suggest something that goes against everything this website stands for: Check your bag .

A backpack is extra weight on your already stressed body; dragging a wheeled bag behind you takes effort and a hand that you might not have with an injury. 

When we went to Hawaii, I was just beginning my minimalist packing methods so I just transferred everything I was planning on putting in my backpack into a small roller bag and checked it.

Checking your bag means having to wait for it, but the trade-off is that those long walks through the airport don’t feel even longer.

Here at HPL, we love a carry-on-only bag. If you do too, but you’re worried about carrying one through the airport with your injury, there are some great carry-on options with wheels. Some of our favs are:

• Samsonite Freeform 21-Inch Carry-On
• Travelpro Maxlite 21-Inch Carry-On
• Amazon Basics 20-Inch Carry-On

My Handbag Packing Masterclass is the perfect tool to simplify your packing process and fit everything into your carry-on.

5. Remember to loosen or take off any support devices when you’re on the plane.

Walking boots, air casts, and braces of any kind, will all start to feel way too tight when you reach 30,000ft and the air pressure drops. I found out the hard way how painful it is if you forget.

The feeling of my air cast expanding and squeezing the life out of my ankle had me in tears before I realized what was happening. Be smarter than I was.

6. Compression socks.

I cannot express how important compression socks are for traveling if you have a lower leg injury. The way extremities swell on planes becomes much worse if that extremity is recently injured. Compression socks are the best way to combat that.

Do yourself a favor and get at least one pair for your trip. I am a big fan of Pro Compression socks . They’re spendy, but they have regular sales on their official site.

>> Check out our travel socks guide for more info on compression socks.

7. Make peace with the idea that you won’t be able to do everything.

There are going to be “must-do” items on your list that your injury will not allow you to do. I was bummed I couldn’t hike and camp in Volcano National Park. But instead, we drove Chain of Craters Road and spent time in Volcano town, which ended up being one of my favorite days of the trip.

8. Remember to enjoy things!

It’s easy to focus on the suck, all the things you can’t do, or all the things you’re missing out on. But you’re still on vacation! Have fun and enjoy the things you can do.  

And add the things you couldn’t do to your list for your next visit.

Navigating the airport with a sprained ankle

Like Chaia said, a top tip for navigating the airport with an injury is to give yourself TIME . 

You are going to take longer than usual to get around and you won’t be able to run to catch a last-minute plane . Rather, save yourself the stress and get to the airport half an hour earlier than usual.

Once at the airport, make a stop at the airline desk and let them know that you have an injury. In most cases, the airline will be happy to help you. They’ll organize a wheelchair and a wheelchair assistant for you and will be able to take you (and in some cases your travel companions too) through a fast line for security. 

You’ll also be able to board the plane first.

If you don’t take the wheelchair option and you’re wearing a boot, you may have to remove your boot to walk through security. This is difficult to do standing up and holds up the line meaning lots of dirty looks from other passengers.

When you report your injury, the airline will also make a note and have someone waiting for you at your destination or layover to help you get where you need to be. This is especially helpful if you have a tight layover and are worried about missing it with your decreased mobility. 

Once the airline knows about your injury, they will be able to look out for you, offer you guidance, and make the process a whole lot easier.

It doesn’t matter how severe your injury is, if you are offered a wheelchair service, take it. Standing for long periods of time on your injury will only make it worse. 

To ensure there is a wheelchair available for you to use, you can call the airline ahead of your flight to let them know about your injury, and that you will be needing a wheelchair service.

Flying with an injury

Flying with a sprained ankle or injury may be uncomfortable. There is already swelling and now with the increase in altitude, that swelling is only going to get worse.

If you have a long flight try to get some elevation for your injury and use an ice pack on the injured area. You can bring an ice pack on a plane if it is frozen solid at the security checkpoint.

This isn’t always feasible. 

To be safe, make sure your ice pack is only 100mls in volume and follows the airport’s restrictions for liquids. You can bring multiple ice packs if you need them as long as they all fit into your clear quart-sized liquids bag . However, this may limit the amount of other toiletries you can bring.

Like Chaia mentioned, compression socks are going to be your best friend . They are great for an injury in general and will really help with comfort on a flight.

P.S. You might also enjoy our posts on packing for Hawaii in summer and actual injuries from heavy luggage .

About Chaia: Chaia lives in Fairbanks, Alaska with her husband and furry pack of dogs and cats. She is a non-creative and doesn’t have a blog or social media page to follow .

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Reader Interactions

July 8, 2021 at 1:36 pm

This page was fantastic! I recently broke my ankle and have a birthday trip planned out of the country. I have been so anxious about it but your words have given me a little peace ♥️

December 6, 2021 at 1:48 pm

What was yours and your Doctors concern for blood clots? I broke my Tibia by my ankle 4 1/2 weeks ago i will be in a boot when i fly and think about getting a battery operated leg compressing machine.

October 14, 2023 at 10:30 am

I broke my leg and the PT said I need a letter from the doctor saying I have hardware in my ankle for TSA. I noted this wasn’t mentioned; however, the other tips are quite helpful and I look forward to using them.

October 15, 2023 at 4:59 pm

Good point, CR. And it’s really making me think right now… because I have screws in my knee but have never had any stoppages or issues at any screenings from it.

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Traveling with a Leg Injury: What Everyone Needs to Know

You may have seen my facebook live video and heard that I had to reschedule my O2 climb . Well, it got worse after seeing a specialist.  I was told to wear a full leg brace for four weeks! Just my luck, I had a trip scheduled to visit the US during that time.  While I seriously debated canceling (rescheduling) my trip, in the end, I just couldn’t.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but in this day and age accessible travel should be a reality.

I wanted to share my experience traveling injured so that you can make an educated decision on whether to travel if you or a loved one ever find yourself in that position.  Additionally, I wanted to share the small insight I got into what disabled, or injured passengers have to put up with every time they travel. It was a real eye-opener and it’s something we should all take an interest in because a lot more needs to be done to make travel accessible to everyone.

It’s up to you whether to travel with an injury or not.  Whatever you decide, I strongly recommend that you consult your doctor before flying with a knee injury – or any injury for that matter!  You should also check your travel insurance to see if your injury has any impact.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.  Please see disclosure for more information.

My Knee Injury

Accessible travel services, wheelchair assistance, return to heathrow, exceptional wheelchair service, going through airport security with a knee brace, #1 call the airline, #2 don’t be afraid to ask for help, #3 pack light, #4 be sure to hydrate, #5 allow extra time, #6 check your travel insurance, traveling injured is not easy, expert tips for traveling with an injury.

I slipped in the snow and ice in February.  Once I found out I broke my kneecap, I had to wear a full-leg brace that forced my leg to always stay straight.  Luckily, I could still walk, but not without a serious limp. Even when I was sitting, I needed my full leg to be supported to be comfortable.  

I know many people have injuries that are much worse, but mine was bad enough that I was able to see what injured or disabled passengers have to deal with.  For the most part, it wasn’t pretty.

Note: Part of my trip to the US, I traveled alone and part of the trip I was traveling with my husband, Russell.

One thing I noticed throughout my travels was inconsistency.  In some places, staff took great care of me and people went out of their way to help.  In others, I was disgusted by the way I was treated and thankful my injury was not any worse.

Since I had no idea what to expect when I was traveling and I was so dependent on others to help me, I developed serious travel anxiety.  I never had issues with anxiety like that before and it gave me a new appreciation for those that have to deal with it on a regular basis.

When I arranged the wheelchairs for my flights, I asked where I was supposed to go to get the wheelchair.  I was told when I get to the airport, go straight to wheelchair assistance, special assistance, or whatever the airport calls it.  

Unfortunately, I learned that they will not help you unless you are already checked in and have a boarding pass. Additionally, in some cases, these areas were not clearly marked and I had to ask.  I felt lucky that I could walk if I had to. I am not sure how I would have managed otherwise.

It seemed you got one attendant to take you to the gate and then someone else later to help you board.  I understand they can’t have someone just wait there with you, but several times I was worried that no one would come to help me board.   

The wheelchair attendant came to help me board at Newark, put me in the wheelchair and then said I will be right back. After 15 minutes of waiting, he was nowhere to be found.  Luckily I was able to flag down another wheelchair attendant that waited with me and helped me board the plane.

In one case, I had a gate change.  I was lucky that the flight just moved to the next gate over and it was a short distance so I could walk, but again I worried about those who can’t walk at all. The staff at the gate seemed unaware that there was a person that needed assistance and was about to move to the other gate before Russell mentioned it to her!

I had a slight issue when I landed in Houston.  While I waited for most people to get off the plane, another passenger took my wheelchair.  The flight attendant explained that sometimes if there an elderly person on the flight, they decide they need a wheelchair when they see it.  She made a call and another wheelchair arrived to pick me up a few minutes later.

Heathrow Airport Special Assistance

The special assistance provided at Heathrow Airport was, frankly, appalling, and I am not the only one that has had issues.  Just recently, a BBC reporter’s wheelchair was lost and he was stuck on an empty plane for 90 minutes.  While Heathrow has apologized for that incident, this was not an isolated case as the news reports confirm. They still need to work on improving the services that they provide for disabled passengers.

When I arrived at the Heathrow terminal for my flight, I saw the special assistance area and went straight there.  They asked me if I had checked in and I told them no I was told to come straight to the special assistance. They told me I would need to check in before they would be able to help.

I limped over to the check-in desk to check my bag and get my boarding pass, then headed back to the special assistance area.  There were three employees at the desk and lots of people standing around and sitting in the waiting area. I handed over my boarding pass and they told me to sit down.

At this point, I was getting a little nervous about my flight as the boarding time was approaching so I asked how long it would be. They told me 30 minutes! I looked around wondering how long all these other people had been waiting and wondering would it really be 30 minutes or longer.  

If it was longer, then I could miss my flight.  If I had to walk to my gate, it would take time.  I tried to tell them nicely that my flight was leaving soon.  They lectured me and others about getting to the airport earlier if I needed a wheelchair.  It would have been nice if someone would have told me that before I got to the airport.  

I didn’t want a lecture and I didn’t have time for one either. I grabbed my boarding pass back and said I guess I will have to walk, I can’t risk missing my flight.  

Heathrow Special Assistance completely ignored the fact that I had made arrangements for a wheelchair in advance to make sure the process went as smoothly as possible. It’s a reasonable expectation that the wheelchair would be available when I got there since I had booked it beforehand. 

Apparently I was wrong. This, it turns out, was a completely pointless exercise. I might as well have saved myself the effort. They didn’t even seem to think this was their problem.

I looked at the screen to find my gate, crossing my fingers and hoping it wasn’t going to be a long walk.  Just my luck, my gate was a 15 minute walk away. There were moving sidewalks along part of the way that helped, but that trip to the gate was long and painful.

I spotted a cart that transports disabled passengers at one point, but the driver wasn’t looking my way.  By the time I got to the gate I was tired, sore and stressed. They were already boarding! I was relieved to get on the plane and find my seat.

After my red eye flight landed in Heathrow , I also had issues.  The wheelchair was there when we landed and he took me into the hall.  I would have to wait there for a cart to take me to immigration. Russell decided to go ahead since he needed to change his clothes.  A few minutes after Russell left, the attendant asked me if my husband could push me to immigration.

My initial reaction was that it would have been better if he had said something before Russell left, but in reality, Russell would not have been able to manage the wheelchair, two suitcases and two backpacks!

The attendant told me that because I couldn’t bend my knee I might not fit on the cart.  Waiting and worrying about whether I could fit on the cart and what would happen if not, was very stressful. I knew it was a long walk to immigration. Luckily there was an empty seat next to me on the cart so I could put my leg across the seat.

I did have some lovely wheelchair attendants who I can’t thank enough.  They went above and beyond what is expected for wheelchair accessible travel. 

At Newark Airport , the lady that escorted me to my gate also took me to a food shop so that I could get myself something to eat.  I gave her my credit card so that she could stand in line and pay for my food. She actually used her airport employee discount on my lunch.  I know she did not have to do that, and the gesture was appreciated. 

We also had a great wheelchair attendant in Phoenix.  He was so helpful when we went through security. For various reasons, all our bags got selected for an additional search.  He helped put everything back together! We need to make everything single thing accessible to every single person with a disability. - Stevie Wonder Click to Tweet

Going through security with an injury is not easy.  Luckily, in most cases, I was in a wheelchair so that helped.  I was given the option to stay in the wheelchair or walk through the scanning machine.  At first, I thought I can walk so I should go through the scan, but every time I did the brace would set the scan off.  I always required additional screening which would include a pat down, hand wand, and a swab of the brace.

If I am going to have to have additional screening anyway, maybe I should just stay in the wheelchair? I tried that once and I had to have additional screening over my whole body.  I don’t think it saved me any time or screening, so if you are able to stand and walk through the scan I think that is the best approach.

Tips for Traveling While Injured

If you do decide to travel with your injury, I think you will find these tips helpful:  

Since I was visiting several cities on my trip, I had several flights, including two overnight ones. Given the current state of legroom on most planes, I wasn’t exactly sure how I would be able to manage with my leg brace.  I had booked window seats in economy because I usually like to sleep as much as possible without being asked to get up for my neighbors.

My friend, Artee, suggested I call the airline. (Get the airline accessiblity desk info here .) It was only a few days before my flight when I called United.  The agent I spoke to was so helpful. He upgraded me to Economy Plus without any additional charge for all my flights.  He also upgraded my husband who was flying under a different reservation, without any hesitation. Lastly, he ordered wheelchairs to get me to and from each gate since I was traveling through some large airports.

I had some flights with another airline and my call to ask for assistance did not go as smoothly.  I explained that I had a leg brace that required my leg to stay straight and asked if it would be possible to get more legroom.  The agent then told me that it would cost $18 per person for the short flight from Houston to Dallas. I explained that United upgraded me on international flights for free and told her I was surprised they weren’t able to do the same.  Then she told me that just because I have a brace doesn’t mean I am disabled, it’s not like I have my “knee fused together.”

After a few more minutes of arguing and explaining again that I could not bend my knee, she transferred me to another department that was able to help.  I guess some airlines do a thorough screening before transferring you to the special assistance department. Do some people try to manipulate the system by saying they have a disability just to get more legroom?  Luckily in the end, I got upgraded to bulkhead seats free of charge and they ordered wheelchairs for me.

I don’t normally like to ask for assistance, but being injured there are a lot of things I just can’t do.  I also think that people are more likely to help you when they see that you are injured. Plus, the worst thing that could happen is that they say no.  For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised that many strangers were willing to offer a hand.

Before I hurt myself, I bought tickets for a specific train from Norwich to London.  Now that I was injured, I wanted to have a little extra time. I went to the customer service desk and explained the situation and they allowed me to switch trains at no additional cost.  Normally, you would have to buy a whole new ticket.

I would also need help with my bags going up and down stairs.  In some cases, I had people offer to help before I even asked. When I did ask, I always got the response “sure.”

When I took the tube from Liverpool Street Station to Heathrow airport, I tried to make sure I was the first person to board so I would be able to get a seat.  In one case, I had a woman jump in front of me to grab the last seat. Luckily there was a gentleman close by and I asked if I could sit down and he graciously gave up his seat.  The women who took the last seat actually got off at the next stop.

We have talked about packing light , in general, to make travel easier and save on baggage fees , but it is even more important when you are injured.  It is hard enough just getting yourself places and every bit of baggage makes it more difficult.  Wheelchairs have limited storage space too.

It’s always important when you are flying to drink lots of water and stay hydrated.  For me, this was even more important when I had to wear my brace. If I get dehydrated my leg would swell, which would make my brace even more uncomfortable.  It’s worth it to either bring an empty travel water bottle (like this one ) or purchase one once you go through security.

I had a hard time balancing my need to stay hydrated with having to use the bathroom on the plane.  The bathroom on the plane was narrow and had little leg room. I struggled using it with my leg brace.  All planes should have a handicap accessible bathroom.

I can’t stress this enough.  Not everything will go smoothly.  Everything takes longer and you will be thankful for the extra time. Traveling with an injury like a broken leg is stressful enough, you don’t want to be worrying about missing your flight.  It’s not like you can run to the gate.

It’s always a good idea to have travel insurance on your trip.  Make sure you understand what is covered and what is not, so that the policy you get is right for you.  You can check out different options through Travel Insurance Master here .

I hope that you never need to use this advice. Traveling with an injury is not easy.  

It’s important for everyone to understand what it is like though because I feel like more needs to be done to make traveling with an injury easier.  I know in the future I will try to keep an eye out for those in a wheelchair to make sure they are ok and see if they need help.

Airports and airlines should also take a hard look and see what they can do to improve to make travel accessible for everyone.  Unfortunately, we still have a ways to go until we have truly accessible aviation.

While I originally wrote this blog post back in 2018, I still hear about disabled passengers facing issues.  I wish I could say things have gotten better, but I don’t think they have.  It is quite upsetting that more hasn’t been done.

Have you ever had to travel with an injury? I would love to hear about your experience.

– Anisa

Pin for Later

• Call the airline to see if you can get extra legroom and wheelchair.  You might not get it on your first request, so you may need to escalate.
• Allow extra time.  Things will not go as planned and you will need it!
• Check in online if you can.  You will need to show your boarding pass before you get a wheelchair.
• Think about whether you should reschedule your travel, especially if you are not able to walk at all.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means we will receive a small commission for some purchases made using links in our blog with no additional cost to you.  Please be assured we would not promote any product unless we believe that our readers will also benefit.  The commission does not influence the editorial content of this site.

Two Traveling Texans is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Last Updated on December 19, 2022

About the Author

Anisa  

Anisa is an experienced international traveler with extra pages in her passport and stamps from 41 different countries across 5 continents (and counting). She was born and raised in Texas. After a 13 year stint in NYC, she moved to England to live with her husband.

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• Patient Care & Health Information
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• Broken foot

A fall or blow or heavy object dropped on the foot can break one or more of the bones in the foot.

A broken foot, also called a fractured foot, is an injury to one or more bones in the foot. A bone might break from a sports injury, a car crash, a heavy object dropped on the foot, or a misstep or fall.

Fractures can range from tiny cracks in the bones to breaks in more than one bone and breaks that come through the skin.

Treatment for a broken foot bone depends on where the bone breaks and how bad the break is. A badly broken foot bone may need surgery to put plates, rods or screws into the broken bone pieces to hold them in place while they heal.

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A broken foot bone might cause some of these symptoms:

• Instant throbbing pain.
• Pain that gets worse with activity and gets better with rest.
• Tenderness.
• Change in the typical shape of the foot, called deformity.
• Trouble or pain with walking or putting weight on the foot.
• Bone sticking through the skin, called an open fracture.

When to see a doctor

See a healthcare professional if your foot has lost its shape, if the pain and swelling don't get better with self-care, or if the pain and swelling get worse over time. It's possible to walk on some fractures, so don't assume you don't need medical care if you can put weight on your foot.

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The most common causes of a broken foot include:

• Car accidents. The crushing injuries that can happen in car accidents may cause breaks that need surgery to be fixed.
• Falls. Tripping and falling can break bones in the feet. So can landing on the feet after jumping down from a height.
• Impact from a heavy weight. Dropping something heavy on the foot is a common cause of fractures.
• Missteps. Sometimes a stumble can result in a twisting injury that can cause a broken bone. A toe can break from stubbing it on furniture.
• Overuse. Stress fractures are common in the weight-bearing bones of the feet. Repeated force or overuse over time, such as running long distances, most often is the cause of these tiny cracks. But they also can happen with regular use of a bone that's been weakened by a condition such as osteoporosis.

Risk factors

You may be at higher risk of a broken foot or ankle if you:

• Play high-impact sports. The stresses, direct blows and twisting injuries that happen in sports such as basketball, football, gymnastics, tennis and soccer can cause foot bone breaks.
• Use poor technique or sports equipment. Poor training techniques, such as not warming up, can raise the risk of foot injuries. Bad equipment, such as shoes that are too worn or don't fit right, also can increase the risk of stress fractures and falls.
• Suddenly increase your activity level. Whether you're a trained athlete or someone who's just started exercising, suddenly boosting how long, hard or often you exercise can increase your risk of a stress fracture.
• Work in certain jobs. Certain workplaces, such as construction sites, put you at risk of falling from a height or dropping something heavy on your foot.
• Keep your home cluttered or poorly lit. Walking around in a house with too much clutter or too little light may lead to falls and foot injuries.
• Have certain conditions. Having decreased bone density, called osteoporosis, can put you at risk of injuries to your foot bones.
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of getting osteoporosis. Studies also show that healing after a break may take longer in people who smoke.

Complications

Complications of a broken foot bone aren't common but may include:

• Arthritis. Fractures that extend into a joint can cause arthritis years later. If your foot starts to hurt long after a break, see your healthcare professional.
• Bone infection, called osteomyelitis. If you have an open fracture in which one end of the bone pokes through the skin, your bone may be exposed to bacteria that cause infection.
• Nerve or blood vessel damage. Trauma to the foot can injure or tear nerves and blood vessels. Seek medical help right away if you notice numbness or feel like your foot isn't getting enough blood. Lack of blood flow can cause a bone to die, called avascular necrosis.
• Compartment syndrome. This condition rarely occurs with foot fractures. It causes pain, swelling, numbness and sometimes being unable to use the affected muscles of the foot.

These sports and safety tips may help prevent a broken foot bone:

• Wear proper shoes. Use hiking shoes on rough terrain. Choose the right athletic shoes for your sport.
• Replace athletic shoes when needed. Get rid of shoes as soon as the tread or heel wears out or if the wear on the shoes isn't even. If you're a runner, replace your shoes every 300 to 400 miles.
• Start slowly. That applies to a new fitness program and to every workout you do.
• Have a balanced fitness program. A balanced fitness program includes aerobic fitness to work your heart, strength training to build muscles and movements that put your joints through their full range of motion, called flexibility.
• Build bone strength. Get enough calcium and vitamin D. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, leafy greens and tofu. Ask your healthcare professional if you need to take vitamin D supplements.
• Use night lights. Many broken toes are the result of walking in the dark.
• Get rid of clutter in your home. Keeping clutter off the floor can help you not trip and fall.
• Clinical overview. Stress fractures of the foot. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Hatch RL, et al. Metatarsal shaft fractures. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Fowler GC, et al., eds. Fracture care. In: Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 23, 2023.
• Toe and forefoot fractures. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures/. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Broken foot or toes (forefoot and toe fractures). American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. https://www.footcaremd.org/conditions-treatments/toes/broken-foot-toes. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Gravlee JR, et al. Toe fractures in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Preventing another broken bone. National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/preventing-another-broken-bone. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.
• Sprains, strains and fractures. American Podiatric Medical Association. https://www.apma.org/Patients/FootHealth.cfm?ItemNumber=982. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023
• Safe exercise. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/safe-exercise. Accessed Oct. 24, 2023.

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