I think I broke my toe

[Kaylyn]

Or perhaps fractured is a better term. Slammed my pinky toe on my left foot into the corner of the couch. Heard a crack or a pop and then intense pain for a few seconds that had me rolling around on the floor swearing. Not entirely sure the crack was from my toe or the cheap couch, but now I have a bruise on the side of my toe and it's a little swollen. Took two Aleve immediately so it's actually not hurting much yet and I can even walk pretty well, though putting too much strain on that toe is painful.

Could be a sprain or a jammed toe as well, but I've slammed my toe several times in the past and never had a bruise or particular pain like this before, so I'm just assuming that's what it is unless it heals up more quickly than a fracture would. I don't plan to go to a doctor unless complications arise because I know there's very little they can do for a fractured toe that I don't already know how to do (keep it as immobile as I can, elevated, iced, take OTC pain meds) even if they diagnose it as such, and I can't even take the good painkillers they might prescribe because of my job.

Hopefully it won't affect work for me. I should still be able to climb in and out of a truck, and half our trucks are automatics so I shouldn't have to deal with a clutch if it will stress the injury further.

Not looking for advice, just whining about it since everyone knows how bad a stubbed toe can hurt, even without a fracture or sprain behind it. Ow.

[dalesys]

My mother broke her big toe trying to punt me across the living room...

[KatherineB]

I stepped into a pool filter and did my little toe. Luckily the swelling went down after a couple of months, but I can remember how much it hurts. *hugs*

[Aethian]

I did that once...I feel for you. Thankfully mine was just jammed and my chiropractor put me back together.

[EvilEmpryss]

I hope you feel better soon. I've broken more toes than I want to count. So many that I just ice it, tape it to the next one over, pop some pain meds, and go on my way. If things are still all lining up in the right direction and nothing is crunching too terribly loud, I don't even go to the doc.

That freaked the kids out the first time they realized I wasn't going to go to the doctor and get x-rays and all that. They actually had me call Sapphire Silk (the RN in our family) over to ask her if I was doing the right thing.

[TawnyMyst]

It may sound odd, but based on experience (I tend to break at least 1 toes almost every year, somehow) wear a pair of steel toed boots for the next little while at work. They will protect your foot from something bumping the toe and also support the toe in it.

[Aethian]

Tawny I think OP did this at home.

[Sapphire Silk]

I've broken my 5th toes on multiple occasions as well. They hurt. Usually they heal fine, but of course whenever in doubt go to the doctor. See the guidelines for clues on when to seek medical attention

[Kaylyn]

It may sound odd, but based on experience (I tend to break at least 1 toes almost every year, somehow) wear a pair of steel toed boots for the next little while at work. They will protect your foot from something bumping the toe and also support the toe in it.

I would, if I had some steel-toes or could afford them at this point in time. Finding proper steel-toes in my tiny foot size is so difficult; women apparently aren't supposed to be working in fields where they would be required to wear such shoes, and a men's US size would be 5 for me, which is also difficult to find. I do have plans to go to our Red Wing store and get some, or possibly order from Bass Pro Shops (went there in person a couple of days ago but they didn't have them in the store itself) since I have a gift card that would cover most of the cost. I did get a really sturdy pair of hiking boots at the store that day on clearance that should help though.

Bruise and swelling are darker and more swollen but still not much more than an occasional nagging jolt of pain if I step wrong. So I'm still not sure if it's really broken or not. At least it appears it will heal up pretty quickly either way.

[Seshat]

It sounds like if you're not planning to go to a doctor, you should at least buy a proper splint from the pharmacy. The solid boots should be a nice defence, too.

As always, 'see your doctor if pain persists'... or at least talk to a pharmacist, or an RN or nurse practitioner with some experience in the appropriate field.

I think showing a pharmacist and getting the right splinting bandaging (& instructions on its use if necessary) would be wise. 'Tape to the next toe over' is fine for a sprain or a strain, but might leave you with permanent damage if it's a break. Both of my little toes are odd shapes, and neither will bend at what should be the joint even if I try to bend them with my hands rather than their own muscles.

[raudf]

Ouch. I chipped the bone on my pinkie toe by dropping a light aluminum type tray on it. Seriously, I've dropped heavy objects on that poor toe without even bruising it, but something that light chipped the bone.

Anywho, it swelled up just a little, with a little bump on the side. I didn't think much of it, because it didn't really hurt. It twinged, but nothing that raised alarms. So.. I didn't think too much about it beyond immobilizing the toe with a toe splint (which is kept around as part of my home medical kit). Took it off when the twinging stopped, but the bump remained. Huh. Well, a week later, I look down and see a small piece of white had worked itself up to the surface of the bump. Yep a piece of the bone. Well, that explained the bump, which went away after I removed the splinter of bone.

For the record, if I'd seen sign of an infection, I would have gone to the doctor. It behaved like a wart, didn't feel hot to the touch and wasn't red or the bruised color.

[Kaylyn]

I'm still having very minor localized pain when my foot gets cold or when I put weight on the outer half of the foot (like over the course of a night working and getting in and out of the truck, especially when I forget that my foot was hurt). It's extremely minor, just noticeable in the above circumstances. So it's likely a tiny fracture. Definitely could have been worse!

[Primer]

I would, if I had some steel-toes or could afford them at this point in time. Finding proper steel-toes in my tiny foot size is so difficult; women apparently aren't supposed to be working in fields where they would be required to wear such shoes, and a men's US size would be 5 for me, which is also difficult to find.

https://www.shoesforcrews.com/ Men's sizes start at 4, women's at 5. I've not gotten any steel toed boots from them, but I do have a few pairs of "sneakers" and some clogs. I love the non-slip soles! I won't wear anything else in the rain any more.

[Kaylyn]

Ok, guess what? I broke my OTHER pinky toe. And this time it felt serious enough to go to the doctor. I accidentally kicked the bathroom scale and managed to catch my toe underneath it and twist it in the process.

Definitely broken, spiral fracture, got the x-rays to prove it though I don't know what I'm looking at when I try to see the fracture. Can't wear a shoe on that foot so I'm wearing one of those post-op velcro shoes, and using crutches to keep weight off it. I went to urgent care and he said I should consider following up with an orthopedist to make sure it will heal right and not need to be set (the toe is a little displaced this time) or need any surgery. I've got good pain meds and luckily tomorrow was to be the start of my vacation (took tonight off, obviously) so I'll have plenty of time to rest and reassess if I'll be able to manage work in a week and a half.

[BlaqueKatt]

I would, if I had some steel-toes or could afford them at this point in time. Finding proper steel-toes in my tiny foot size is so difficult; women apparently aren't supposed to be working in fields where they would be required to wear such shoes, and a men's US size would be 5 for me, which is also difficult to find.

I found TONS, unfortunately they were all the wrong color, I have to have black, I wear kid's size 3, women's 5 will work but they're big by about 3/4" to a full inch. I ended up ordering industrial doc marten's for $110. and my company only offers $50.