Definition
In most cases a capsule rupture is caused by traumatic external force. It is often a case of rapid and severe overstretching of the joint, which the capsule cannot withstand. The capsule can also rupture in the context of a fracture near the joint. The rupture of the joint capsule can in turn lead to bone splintering near the joint.
Causes
The cause of the capsule tear in the toe is almost always an external force. These can be blows and impacts on the joint, but above all extreme pressure and tensile loads. On the foot, the cause is often overstretching of a toe.
When the bare foot is kicked against an object, the joint can be overstretched and the bone can be hit simultaneously. This violent impact must result in a rupture of the strong connective tissue structures that form the outer capsule shell. The rupture of the capsule can be favored by various pre-existing diseases. Long immobilization of the feet and extreme lack of movement can lead to weakness of the connective tissue and the muscles of the foot. Certain pre-existing conditions or genetic diseases can also lead to weakness of the connective tissue, which can cause capsule ruptures throughout the body.
Associated symptoms
The main symptom of capsule rupture is pain. This can be very strong and sharp and occurs mainly when the toes are moved. Depending on the exact location of the rupture, the occurrence and walking become difficult or even impossible.
The opening of the joint capsule and the injury of smaller blood vessels causes swelling, redness and overheating a short time after the rupture of the capsule. The function of the joint itself is severely restricted. The redness is caused by the bruising under the skin.
This is slowly reabsorbed within days to weeks, causing the joint effusion to take on a blue, green and yellowish color. Rarely, a rupture of the capsule in the toe is accompanied by a fracture of the bone. This in turn can result in a significantly longer healing time, stronger pain and a possible malpositioning of the toe.
The pain is the main symptom and primary problem of the toe capsule rupture. Shortly after the injury, a throbbing, dull pain appears on the foot, which indicates the injury of smaller blood vessels and heralds the development of a bruise. After a few days, the dull pain changes into a strong, stabbing pain during all movements in the affected joint.
The pain is primarily responsible for the functional impairment of the joint during the healing phase and can persist throughout the entire healing period. The pain can and should be treated with sufficiently dosed painkillers to allow for easy movement. Especially in the case of capsule tears in the toe, sufficient pain relief should allow normal walking to prevent incorrect posture when walking.
The swelling is caused by the joint effusion that can occur in the course of the injury. The synovial fluid can spread around the joint and promote local inflammatory reactions. The injury also always results in injury to smaller blood vessels, which can bleed into the joint capsule and are responsible for the redness, swelling and pain.
The restriction of movement is also largely due to the painful swelling. Shortly after the injury, the leg should be cooled and elevated as soon as possible, as this can reduce the extent of the swelling. The total healing time can also be greatly reduced by the acute measures and the size of the joint effusion.
- Joint swelling and
- Articular effusion
The outer shell of the joint capsule consists of ligaments, muscles and taut connective tissues that firmly surround the joint, cushion it outwards, move it and stabilize it. To achieve stability, the connective tissues are closely anchored to the bone. An enormously strong pull on the capsule can cause not only a rupture of the capsule but also bone splinters at the site of the anchorage.
Bone involvement makes the disease even more difficult and can lead to increased pain, a longer healing period and additional instability in the joint. The treatment may also change due to bone involvement. Depending on the extent of the damage to the bone, surgery may be necessary to fix the bone fragment to the toe.You can find more about bone splintering on our Bone Splintering page