3. Bruising
Blood that is released or escapes the capillaries indicate tissue damage. This frequently happens around the site of an injury. Any type of tissue damage can result in bruising, however, it is a typical sign of a broken toe. Broken bones can also leak blood, which will cause bruising in the skin over the injury. The worse the break, the deeper the bruise in most instances. Even though you may only see the surface of a bruise, it can go as deep as the bone itself.
Anyone that experiences trauma that results in a bruise should be checked for a broken toe, but especially children and elderly people. Even minor injuries that involve the foot or toes can result in bruising.
However, when the bruise is paired with other symptoms it may be a result of a break. Bruising that covers the entire toe, or those that cover a large portion are usually due to a broken bone.