A bump in the road - any advice on an injured toe? 😟

[grumpyoldgirl]

I managed to kick a bed leg while I was changing the bed, and I bruised my middle toes (2&3). I kept my weight off it and iced it, saw a pharmacist who didn't think it's broken. But middle toe is still quite sore a week later. So no running for me ( in fact I'm not even walking very far). I can wriggle it but it's not as flexible as my other foot. And yes, it's on the same foot that I broke my ankle on, and the ligaments on my foot are now also a bit achey. I suppose that's what I get for changing a bed barefoot! I'm very cross with myself. I think my next move is to go to a physio. Any advice gratefully accepted! 🙏

[HeavyFoot Graduate]

No advice, but deepest sympathy 😢

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

Sympathy also very welcome 😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Ouch..I've banged and broken my little toe and another middle one few times ..once on an elephant..don't ask...and once the initial pain had lessened...buddied it up to the next toe. .? It did not hurt when I ran or walked though . .?

This one was in France

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Oh wow, I've just been transported to the Dordogne and back! Thank you Floss that was a lovely interlude 😊I buddied up my toe for a few days, might need to do it again. I keep rereading the NHS advice, trying to work out if I should get it looked at ( can't get near a GP for that, so might need to be the walk in centre).

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

The first time my little toe got hurt...on a bed leg..I got it checked..but they said unless there were issues, swelling etc..just strap to the next toe...so that's what I've always done..? I have a habit of moving around without lights on. And with barefoot...hence, a lot of stubbed toes..I wish I was in the Dordogne...warmth...!

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

🌞😎

[GrumpyOldJogger]

I imagine your sore ligaments are because you've been favouring those toes. So long as you're sure there's no fracture - even a crack - yes, go to a good physio and get some help on how not to transfer the problem from your toes to your ligaments or even higher up your leg. I injured one of my big toes many years ago and, without realising, started walking slightly on the side of my foot. And that, according to my physio, is why I have a problem hip now.

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to GrumpyOldJogger]

Ah thanks that's food for thought.. 🤔

[Beachcomber66 Graduate]

I crunched toes many times in my youth; the last occasion was when I missed the ball playing football on the beach and kicked a rock! I was pretty sure that it was broken, but I just taped it to the larger adjacent toe and got on with it. I get things checked out these days..🙂

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Beachcomber66]

Ouch! I've got mine taped again. Seems that they don't do anything even if it's broken. But I'm worried about causing further damage, so I'm going to take it easy for a second week, and if it hasn't improved I'll see someone.

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

Many years ago I broke a toe on a bed leg, went to hospital, had it xrayed, only to be told at the fracture clinic there was nothing they could do to help. I presume that if the fracture had been more severe there would have been a point in setting it. My toe remains slightly off straight but is not problematic.

It takes about 6 weeks for a bone to heal.

You might want to make sure you have calcium in your diet and have vitaminD if you are not already taking it.

I put on slippers as soon as I step out of bed now!

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

This is why I'm so cross with myself, I don't normally wander around barefoot, especially since I broke my ankle. In fact I was on my way to put my trainers on when I spotted the clean bedding stacked up on the bed in the spare room, and decided to deal with it straight away before I forgot. I'm also not very consistent with taking my supplements (memory like a sieve) so thank you for the reminder, I'll dig them out now!Pre covid when we still had a functioning NHS I wouldn't have thought twice about getting an x-ray, now I don't want to waste their time or finances if they can't do anything anyway 😬

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

These things do happen, at least it is annoying rather than serious but I do sympathise as it is painful nonetheless.

Agree with your thoughts about taking up valuable nhs time and resources, but if it gets worse do get it checked.

Hope you have a good Sunday, sore toe aside.

[Yesletsgo Graduate]

No practical help here, just sympathy. I smashed a middle toe on a bookshelf as I was getting ready for a friend's wedding. It hurt like hell but being a vain 20-something back then I put on my high heels and wore them all day. Not to be recommended. Take it easy and wear comfy shoes lol.

(Another time a wasp flew up my sleeve as I was about to catch a train to a different wedding but that's another story 😂)

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

😂 I remember high heels! (what is it with you and weddings?😅)

[Scruff55 Graduate]

O no. That is so painful. My sympathies are with you.

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Scruff55]

Thank you. My language was less than lady-like...

[Scruff55 Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

🤣🤣🤣

[Yesletsgo Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

It's a scientific fact that screaming obscenities reduces pain (providing you normally only swear occasionally) grumpyoldgirl 😂😂😂

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

🤫😇

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

I broke my little toe not long before starting couch to 5k. I caught it on a bedside table. The air was blue!

There’s some good advice on the NHS page but you can always call 111 and they’ll help you decide if you need it looking at.

nhs.uk/conditions/broken-toe/

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you, good advice 😊

[Frenc Graduate]

I think bed legs (and coffee table legs) should honestly come with a health warning! The amount of times I’ve done the same, and it’s not as though I don’t know they’re there. I’m sorry you’ve hurt your toe, the pain can be excruciating ouch 😓. I hope it feels better soon.

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Frenc]

I'm always bumping into door frames and stubbing my toe, or catching my shins. I've always got a bruise somewhere. You're right though, why do we all forget about the bed legs, after all there's one on each corner?! 🙄

[PeggySusi Graduate]

No advice, sorry.. but hope it’s better soon

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to PeggySusi]

Thanks lovely, nice to hear from you, how are you doing?

[PeggySusi Graduate]

Hi G-o-girl, I’m okay thanks, although it seems to have been a long, cold, tiring winter! No running for me, but lots of walking - a duty and a daily pleasure.. the benefit of having a dog.

I had the final fitting for an upgraded prosthesis last week, so I’m hoping to be able to pick it up in a couple of weeks and start running again soon.. It’s a slightly different type of fitting that should prevent soreness on my stump, and it has a foot and ankle with more movement.. I should literally have a spring in my step! My lovely new very young prosthetist says he is confident it will make all the difference.. I’ll post once I’ve tested it out a few times.

Hopefully your toe will improve with more rest.. maybe we will both be back to running around the same time

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to PeggySusi]

🤞

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

I like the sound of your new prosthetist, here's hoping he comes up trumps for you xx

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

He is such a lovely young man, very knowledgeable and keen to get the job right.. he was telling me how much he had enjoyed a prosthetics trade fair in Leipzig! So lovely to find someone who is enthusiastic, in a profession which has a shortage of entrants (the NHS centre I attend used to have eight prosthetists and now there are only four). Need has increased everywhere, but not availability of training, so I think I’ve been lucky to be allocated to him. Xx

[Crolla]

I broke two toes three and a half years ago (the end two) when I fell down the stairs. After a week it didn't hurt when I walked (I wore flat shoes and boots) but I couldn't run for around 12 weeks despite taping them up to my middle toe. There really wasn't anything I could do to speed up the healing process except wait it out. We all have different pain thresholds though and I was possibly too cautious, but once I got back out I hadn't lost that much fitness. Hope it stops hurting soon.

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Crolla]

Thanks for this, that sounds painful! I'm getting more confident that mine will recover a lot sooner than that. It feels much improved today, although I can't wear anything that's too close on the toes. My main worry now is that I may have re-injured a couple of ligaments that I damaged when I broke my ankle. But they may just need stretching out again 🤞