in a word, FUCK!!! it hurts like hell, I’ve got it wrapped in ice, and I sure hope I didn’t break it. I’m in terrific shape for the first time in years, and I’ve been running several miles (like 15-20) per week, and doing all sorts of physical stuff that I won’t be able to continue with a broken toe.
what happened was, I was cleaning out my fridge, and I always find some old, moldy jars of sauce, broth, leftover juice that I’d cooked something in, that I always save until it gets moldy, and then I throw it out. It’s a habit I wish I could break, because it’s a pain collectiing the stuff, rendering the fat, storing it, when I end up throwing it out anyway. So this time I triple-wrap the moldy jar, and hang it on the door so I remember to throw it in the trash on my way to work, and the plastic bag rips and it falls right on my toe, a big glass jar filled to the top with old liquid.
Any reliable tests for whether it’s broken or just bruised? If I can walk on it in less than agony, is that definitive? If it’s not too swollen to put into my shoe, does that mean it’s not broken? If I can wiggle it, is that a sign of no breakage? Or do I need to have it x-rayed to know for sure? It hurts a lot less now than when I began typing this, but I’m not sure if that’s just the ice having a numbing effect or a positive sign.
I had a broken bone in my foot once (broke for no apparent reason; just stepped the wrong way on an uneven sidewalk is the supposition), and I couldn’t put my weight on it if I wanted to. If you try to walk on it and the ends of the break grinding together make you gasp and immediately take your weight off, it’s probably broken. If it swells up and bruises immediately, it’s probably broken.
Get it checked. Yes ------- even if its broken its probably no big deal and they will just buddy-tape it. However there is that one in a thousand where all kinds of things (even fatal ones) can happen.
And whatever, my sympathies. I’ve been there a few times myself.
I’ve broken toes a few times. As has been said, there is little a doc can do. Basically rest, ice, and elevate it for a while. In my experience, it will quickly start feeling better daily. If you feel a cane helps you walk today, within a couple of days you’ll likely find it unnecessary. But at least thru the weekend take it easy and sit with it elevated when possible. How is your pain threshold? Because if you take it easy, you’ll likely be able to get away w/ extra-strength acet or somesuch. If you HAVE to walk, try to wear sturdy shoes instead of sneaks or sandals.
I wouldn’t go to a doc myself. Of course this is from the idiot who admitted having broken toes several times, and is currently typing 1-handed with his L thumb in a cast!
Get yourself to the doctor. Although it is usually true that a broken toe mends on its own, that is not always true for the big toe. Trust me, I broke my big toe, and after months of pain, made it to the doctor who promptly prescribed surgery to break it again and set it right.
