First Aid for a Broken Toe: Buddy Taping Step-by-Step

Materials

• Medical tape (1-inch)
• Gauze or cotton padding
• Scissors

Steps

1. Clean: Wash toe with soap/water; pat dry.
2. Pad: Place gauze between the broken toe and its neighbor (prevents maceration).
3. Buddy tape: Tape the injured toe to the adjacent healthy toe (anchor at base, wrap figure-8 around both).
4. Check: Toe should be aligned, not bent; capillary refill <3 sec; no numbness/tingling.
5. Shoe: Wear stiff-soled, wide-toe-box shoe or post-op shoe.

Follow-Up

• Keep tape clean/dry; change daily or if wet.
• Elevate, ice (20 min on/off), OTC pain relief as needed.
• See a doctor: X-ray confirms fracture; some need reduction, splint, or surgery (displaced, joint-involving, big toe).
• Healing: 4–6 weeks typically.