Turf toe is a condition of pain at the base of the big toe, located at the ball of the foot. Turf toe is caused by jamming your big toe, or pushing off of it while running and jumping.

Turf toe is really a bruise that occurs at the base of the big toe at the joint called the metatarsal phalangeal joint.

The name turf toe comes from the fact that this injury is especially common among athletes who play on artificial turf. The hard surface of artificial turf, combined with running and jumping in football and soccer, make turf toe a frequent consequence of artificial turn play.

When turf toe flares up, think of RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. The main thing is to prevent the injury from happening again by using your foot while it is injured.