Below are two images of toe injuries involving sprains to the toe joints. Sprains can occur at different joints and there are three joints involved with the lesser toes and two in the great toe that can be injured. The bruising is a result of bleeding from the injured ligaments.
Toe sprains are rare injuries. The big toe is the most common site. Hyperextension is the most common cause although the fifth toe can be sprained by side-to-side injury. Management with taping and strapping combined with Cam Walker immobilization allows these injuries to heal often uneventfully after 3 to 4 weeks to maintain alignment until satisfactory healing and stability of the joint are present.