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Turf toe is a bruise that occurs at the big toe's joint with the foot. It usually occurs when the toe is jammed forcibly into the ground or, more commonly, when the toe is bent backward too far.

Linemen are particularly vulnerable to suffering turf toe, since the injury is aggravated every time a player pushes off or plants his feet. This can be worsened by playing on artificial turf, which has less "give" than natural grass and subjects joints to more stress.

Conditioning

Because it is a high-impact activity, football places heavy demands on the legs and feet. Maintaining proper body weight and overall physical conditioning can help alleviate some of the stress, and help reduce the occurrence of injuries such as turf toe.

Gear

Turf toe generally results from the lack of adequate support in football cleats. Stiffer soles, such as the ones found on cleats designed specifically for football players, provide more protection through the toe box than soccer-style turf shoes.

When purchasing football cleats, look for models that have soles that are reinforced with plastic. This reinforcement helps limit the amount your toes bend each time you push off.

To guard against turf toe, trainers sometimes insert steel plates inside a player's shoes and tape the toe in a position that will keep it from bending too far backward.

For more information on common injuries of the active individual, visit ActivePain.com. Check out Active Pain Council's Diagnostic Tool. This tool allows the active individual to further analyze injuries and take strides to prevent such pain in the future.