Toe Pain in BJJ, Wrestling & Muay Thai: Causes, Diagnoses & Treatment Strategies

Combat athletes rely on their feet—don’t let toe pain take you off the mat

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and wrestling are high-intensity sports that demand agility, pressure tolerance, and constant foot engagement. Your toes, especially your big toe, provide a large amount of your dynamic stability and as such, they are under constant load, especially in situations like a scramble, par-terre or shooting. Toe pain is a common complaint among grapplers, and if left untreated, it can lead to chronic dysfunction or time off the mats.

Muay Thai athletes also commonly complain of toe pain after a checked kick, mis-placed teep or overuse from pivoting on one foot. Despite being fundamentally different sports, they commonly present similarly to BJJ/grappling athletes, albeit with different mechanisms of injury.

At SportsFit Health and Rehab, we regularly assess and treat combat athletes dealing with toe-related injuries; all whilst trying our very best to minimise your time off mats. 

Common Causes of Toe Pain in Grappling Sports

Toe pain can stem from a variety of mechanisms, including but not limited to:

• Mat Impact & Jamming: Sudden force during takedowns or scrambles can cause bruising, sprains, or fractures.

• Joint Cranking & Twisting: Getting caught in a gi, awkward pivots, and defensive movements can overstretch ligaments or dislocate joints.

• Overuse & Fatigue: High training volume without appropriate recovery, as well as general health factors such as nutrition, can lead to stress reactions or tendon overload.

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Potential Diagnoses to Consider

Here are some of the most common toe-related conditions we see in grapplers and kicking sport athletes:

Condition	What happens
Turf Toe	Sprain of the big toe joint due to hyperextension—common in explosive movements and sprawls.
Toe Fracture	Break in the phalanges (toe bones) from direct impact or repetitive stress. May present with lots of swelling, bruising, and an inability to bear weight.
Dislocation	Joint displacement often caused by twisting, cranking or getting caught in a gi. Requires immediate reduction and immobilisation. If the joint does not relocate itself immediately, you should take yourself to hospital or call an ambulance immediately to have it relocated. Having a joint out of socket for sustained periods of time can cause further damage, and as such it is a priority to relocate the joint as soon as possible.
Ligament Sprain	Stretching or tearing of toe ligaments, like during defensive pivots, scrambles, or getting caught in a gi
Sesamoiditis	Inflammation of the small floating bone under the big toe—often linked to overuse and/or poor foot mechanics.
Flexor Tendonitis	Irritation of the tendons that curl the toes, especially in athletes who excessively grip the mat with their feet.

 Treatment & Recovery Strategies

There is no one size fits all treatment for anything, but there are some fundamentals that will often make up our first line of defence against mat downtime. Managing toe pain effectively requires a tailored approach based on the diagnosis, training demands, and severity of symptoms.

This means that the most important thing you can do for your pain is to take the first step in getting an assessment from a qualified professional; like a physiotherapist! A good practitioner will always go one step further and provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan, taking into account your own unique training load, biomechanics, technique, and most importantly: your goals.

Acute Management

Initial care often includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) to reduce inflammation and protect the joint. Taping or splinting may be used to stabilise the toe and prevent further injury during early recovery.

We may also consider getting further imaging or specialist referral to help guide treatment further, or to get an expert opinion for complex cases.

Condition-Specific Rehabilitation

Here is what you can generically expect for any given condition: keeping in mind that the best treatment will be individualised to you.

• Turf Toe is managed with joint protection (e.g. taping or bracing), activity modification (e.g. positional sparring to limit how much you have to pivot off your big toe), and gradual return to load-bearing activities. Severe cases may require a period of immobilisation.

• Toe Fractures require immediate offloading and immobilisation (e.g. buddy taping or stiff-soled footwear), followed by physio to progressively restore mobility and strength once healing is confirmed.

• Dislocations need prompt reduction and stabilisation, with follow-up rehab focused on joint control and proprioception.

• Ligament Sprains benefit from compression, progressive loading, and targeted rehab to restore joint stability and prevent compensatory movement patterns.

• Sesamoiditis is treated with activity modification, offloading techniques (e.g. padding), and strengthening of the foot intrinsics and calf complex.

• Flexor Tendonitis responds well to load management and progressive strengthening of the toe flexors and stabilisers.

  
  

A comprehensive rehab plan may also include activity modification, positional limitations in grappling, intrinsic foot strengthening, and biomechanical retraining to address underlying movement inefficiencies and reduce reinjury risk.

We always prefer to keep you training as much as possible, which is where our expert knowledge of the sports and positions plays to our advantage. 

When to Seek Help

If toe pain persists beyond a few days, worsens with activity, or affects your ability to train, it’s time for a professional assessment.

Early intervention can prevent long-term damage and keep you on the mats, instead of complaining of toe pain for years to come.

Book Your Assessment Today

At SportsFit Health and Rehab, we understand the demands of combat sports. Our team specialises in sports physiotherapy and injury management for grapplers, offering:

• Detailed musculoskeletal & biomechanical assessments

• Return-to-sport planning

• Custom rehab programs for BJJ and wrestling athletes

Clinics in Five Dock and Gladesville

Appointments available within 48 hours 

Call us on 02 8054 3775 or book online!

Don’t let toe pain derail your training: get assessed, get treated, and get back on the mat.