5. Tenderness
Bones that have too much force applied to them will break under the pressure. Broken toes are caused by many different factors, but in almost every instance they become too tender to touch. In most instances, the nerves, blood vessels, joints, and muscles in the surrounding area of a broken toe are also affected. When the area around the injury is damaged, it will lead to tenderness and pain.
Many types of soft tissue damage can cause swelling. When the area around a broken toe is swollen, it can become extremely tender. Bruising may also be evident which can further increase the tenderness in the injury site. The bones in your body are also surrounded by nerve endings.
These nerves get irritated when a bone breaks and can cause tenderness until the wound heals. The toes adjacent to the one broken may also become tender, along with the ball of the foot.