The toes on my left foot are stiff and painful and i can't bend them past a certain point. no bruising or swelling. what could this be?

Arthritis: You might want to consider that this is arthritis or possibly a viral infection (inflammatory) that will pass.

A clinical exam: Along with an x-ray is a good idea so that the toes can be taken thru range of motion and the joints evaluated on x-ray. Often times these conditions may be secondary to prior trauma/surgery (whcih you don't mention) and sometimes secondary to arthritic conditions. An office visit would be helpful to pinpoint a diagnosis for you.

Couple of things: Could be arthritis, could be hammertoes that will restrict motion.