What is it with broken toes?

[snowsprite]

About 3 months ago I was walking down the hall at full stride in my house and I kicked the fucking cat scratching post. I hit that bugger straight on with my left pinky toe. When I tell you there was no pain like this, I mean it. I fell to the ground clutching my foot screaming "OH MY FUCKING GOD! KILL ME NOW!" and some other things that I don't even remember.

My toe swelled up 3x its normal size and turned a beautiful spectrum of green, purple, and blue. It looked like the most fearsome pimp in Jersey City decided to administer his worst cane-beating on that little toe. I mean, it was pretty bad.

So I dealt with this personal horror by limping on it until I could no longer deny the possibility that it was damaged beyond repair. I trudged (well, limped) my ass to the walk-in medican center and had this little wrecked fucker x-rayed. They told me it was not flat out broken but "it might be fractured," and "we can't do anything." "Thank you very much," and "please pay your co-pay before you go." Harumph.

So here we are, 3 god-damned months later and let me tell you I have my pink strappy sandals on and that little toe is bulging out and I don't like this one bit. This thing has had 3 months to heal, but it is still semi-inflamed. It's not painful...well at least until it gets crammed into one of my high heeled shoes. Since I pretty much only wear high heels most of the time, this is problematic. I don't even want to think about what will happen when I attempt to put my ski boots on.

Soooo....what is the deal here? Anyone here broken a toe and had it remain swollen and/or mis-shappen after like three freakin' months? Jeebus. I can't afford new ski boots and this really sucks. Especially because I have (or rather had) nice toes and now I have this pudgy little pinky toe that interferes w/ wearing shoes.

I still have not killed the cats by the way, or removed the scratching post. I'm just more careful to look where I'm going. If I stub it one more time though I can't say the post or the cats will be safe...

And yes, Gimp Central, bitch.


Sprite

[Nathan Explosion]

I broke my pinky toe three years ago. It no longer bends at the knuckle, and kind of sticks out a little. It'll eventually stop bothering you. Oh yeah, and the nail quit growing. Doctors told me what they told you and still say the same thing, nothing they can do.

[Parvo]

An employee of mine a few years ago broke her big toe kicking her son (in a play fight, he's a stout and solid 14 year old kid). She didn't know it was broken until she went to the doc over a week later.

She missed out on a season of skiing, and had to have surgery.

Bottom line, blame your cat.

[FrankZappa]

Maybe take all your high heels down to the (ski)boot doctor/fitter and have them all punched out to make room. I bet they're in need of some work these days anyway.

[Trashcan]

After 3 broken toes, 2 fingers, both ankles,kneecap, rib and 2 monthe ago my fucking sternum I feel your pain.

Bad x-ray? The thing should still not be swollen after this long. Slightly dislocated? Don't know but I would go to a different op to see.

[snowsprite]

Yeah, I don't want to be a big baby about this but I did wonder if it was somehow out of whack...like still disjointed. I think I'll do that

Sprite

[Trashcan]

Is the color back to normal?

[Cyber Cop]

Cut it off.... seriously.

[Art Shirk]

I wouldn't worry too much. I have broken all my toes due to college tennis. I rarely wear shoes if not at work, and have also had numerous broken toes due to jamming and stubbing as well (and one ski-tuning accident). They take a long time to fully heal. I would just keep them as straight as possible and set them if they actually snapped and let time take its course. Unless its growing sideways, I bet you are fine.

I stayed at a Holiday Inn (Express!) and played a doctor in a college dormroom 2 am play the night of the Alpha Phi mixer, so I know of what I speak.

[snowsprite]

Is the color back to normal?

Yeah, at least it is normal colored. But it's got a bend to it sort of now. Like an elbow macaroni. WTF! I do want to cut it off in a way.

lol.. makes me think of that Dirty Hand poem:

My hand is dirty.
I must cut it off.
To wash it is pointless.
The water is putrid.
The soap is bad.
It won't lather.
The hand is dirty.
It's been dirty for years.

I used to keep it
out of sight
in my pants pocket.
No one suspected a thing.
People came up to me,
wanting to shake hands.
I would refuse,
and the hidden hand
would leave its imprint
on my thigh.
And I saw
it was the same
if I used it or not.
Disgust was the same. . .

[BeanDip4All]

the night of the Alpha Phi mixer

I was a-phi in college. Is that you, Trout?

Sprite, I think this toe thing is rightly-deserved punishment for having one of those ugly cat-structures in your house!

why can't they design some cat furniture that isn't heeedious?! i have veto-d any sort of cat structure in our apartment until they can design something that doesn't look like ass.

[Art Shirk]

I was a-phi in college. Is that you, Trout?

Depends on how big the trout was.

[cramer]

toes take forever to heal. Mainly because your walking on the fuckers and they arent in a cast. ive had a couple bad 'stubbed" toes that lasted like a week or 2 that didnt change color. I have no doubt that thing will probably bug you for 6 months if you fractured it.

Your only option is surgery on toes if it doesnt eventually go away. But ive jammed fingers playing hoops that took months to heal. My pinky is permanantly fuxored unless i wanted to get surgery on it. if its bugging you that much, cut it off.

[wandering, not lost]

If it makes you feel any better, my toenails on my big toes have finally fallen off from being clamped into my ski boots all winter. After the second year of this, I was thrilled when they finally came off and couldn't wait to show people. My mom was horrified by my half-detached nails. Now I'm just hoping they'll grow back before snow falls.

[Elle Be]

That's a pretty fancy cat condo there, BeanDip. A swing and everything!

Sorry about the toe, Sprite. I bet it's fine by the time you put on ski boots.

[Chemical Ali' The Wax Master]

play a ransome, send the pinky toe to show you are serial, and get rid of the cat to make sure you protect the remaining 9.

[liv2ski]

Yeah, at least it is normal colored. But it's got a bend to it sort of now. Like an elbow macaroni. WTF!

Yep, pretty sure I broke or at least fractured my 2nd toe 4 weeks ago. It was discolored for a few weeks and hurt to walk on. But now all is good, but it is bent like an elbow macaroni. Fuck!!!

[4matic]

Sprite: Take care of that thing.. You can end up with ligament and nerve damage. Happened to my brother but it WAS his big toe.

[Neurodoc]

Breaking a toe sucks because you get no sympathy and it hurts like hell. I broke my little toe many years ago. Couldn't wear closed-toe shoes for six months.

Anyway - ow.

[willywhit]

my big toe got taken out surfing northern cali over 10 years ago, got dropped in on by a buddy. it's still tweaked and "goes out" if I load it up too hard, weirdest feeling.
Maybe I should get it fused. No prob in ski boots so I don't really sweat it.

[TBS]

Ya have another three months before you are back in boots (unless you are SA-bound) so you still have lots more time to heal.

BTW, this thread is worthless without pics

[This End Up]

It looked like the most fearsome pimp in Jersey City decided to administer his worst cane-beating on that little toe.

funnyness.


If you like broken toes, you ough to come dancing with me.

[jepilot]

"Hell I can get you a toe by 3 0'clock this afternoon--with nail polish. These fucking amateurs."

I had a "might be fractured" wrist in 8th grade and it still bothers me when it's going to rain.

[Blatant]

lol, that's a great story. I broke or seriously jammed my left pinky finger at the first joint behind the nail. It's still sort jacked, i did this on Thanksgiving....o7, yep. Long time ago...still bugs me a bit.

[LongShortLong]

Any new knowledge on broken toe? I snapped right foot number 2 toe on Wednesday. It bent over to the side 45 degrees. I straightened it. It flopped over a few more times before I buddy splinted it and drove to Urgent Care.

They removed my splint and x-rayed it. It flopped over again hopping back to the exam room and I straightened it (maybe I should have waited for the doc see the flop). They did a bad buddy tape job and sent me home with a walking boot and referral to DPM.

I've seen one doc who says I need immediate surgery and he can get me in Tuesday. He looked at x-ray only and says the broken end has no blood supply and is dying. Dr Google, and another DPM seen since says buddy taping is the usual answer, and if I decide for surgery, there's no rush. 2nd DPM says bone on bone means it's making new blood supply.

"Closed displaced fracture of proximal phalanx of lesser toe of right foot." Crack runs a few mm before the distal end, and there's a small bone chip to the side. Will upload x-ray if useful.

My concern is that it heals well and provides 40 years of trouble-free heavy use. Skiing, hiking, running, etc. Also I feel like this toe was helping to support my bunion. This old thread I've bumped doesn't say much. I'm less than gruntled with professional care so far. Any insights?