# I sit at home, with a busted toe. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829 "2013-08-09T19:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/1 "2013-08-09T19:54:12Z")
Thursday, in the Wee Hours (3 AM-ish), I got up, to Wee. Instead of Doing God’s Work, as planned, a solid oak dresser leaped out of the night at me. Brandishing a snickersnee, howling imprecations in Gutter Orcish, whilst simultaneously swearing eternal loyalty to the Reich and/or Viet Kong, it broke my toe. Little one. Right foot. It hurts. Been to the Doc (whom I gave some [Comic Strip Collections](http://docrat.com.au.temp.realssl.com/) ), & he had me X-rayed. Yup. Busted. #$^\*(%, and that goes for my Dresser’s Mother, too! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/2 "2013-08-09T19:58:21Z")
What’s the treatment? Buddy tape and a vicodin? How much did the x-ray cost? Did you get a copy? Did you need the x-ray, or did you know already? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/3 "2013-08-09T20:12:04Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > What’s the treatment? Buddy tape and a vicodin? > How much did the x-ray cost? Did you get a copy? Did you need the x-ray, or did you know already? My Insurance covers the x-rays. No tape, but a scrip that I haven’t filled. My Doc says that he recommends staying off the foot, wearing sweat socks or non-restrictive shoes. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/4 "2013-08-09T20:21:48Z")
How long do you need to stay off it? I hurt my knee three weeks ago, and it took xrays and an MRI to figure out it’s sprained, nothing torn or broken. I don’t even have an interesting furniture out of the darkness story. I was just running to catch the train, and pop. So, I’m curious. I got a note for three days but nothing was broken. Yeah, it’s a toe, but that’s your walking foundation. How bad is the swelling, can you even get a shoe on? Owee! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/5 "2013-08-09T20:29:33Z")
I’ve broken my little right toe more times then I can count. Dressers I can handle It’s doors, that are supposed to be fully open, that get caught by a breeze and wander out toward the middle of the room that are my sworn enemy. Depending on stride timing, and specific angle, I have broken a toe, torn up my knee skin, Bruised my shoulder, and bloodied my nose. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/6 "2013-08-09T22:11:35Z")
For me , my left littlest toe is a crunchy shadow of it’s former self. And you have my sympathies. Stupid dresser. My instructions were to cut a hole in a sneaker. I hope nothing you’ve been looking forward to will be less fun without the participation of all ten toes. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/7 "2013-08-09T22:14:32Z")
Ouch! A couple months ago I tripped over the cat and slammed my foot against something (still not sure what, happened so fast) on my way down. Broke the middle, fourth, and pinkie toe on my right foot. My foot turned all sorts of interesting colors and I could only wear a house slipper for awhile. Oh and the cat, he was fine of course. Now I know the little bastard really is trying to kill me. ---
**Author:** ![Fluke54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@Fluke54](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluke54)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/8 "2013-08-09T22:14:39Z")
You have my sympathies, Bosda. I broke my pinkie toe more than once and every time it was excruciating. I bought a pair of Adidas slides and I wear them when the toe hurts. Fill your prescription, trust me on that. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/9 "2013-08-09T22:35:21Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > How long do you need to stay off it? I hurt my knee three weeks ago, and it took xrays and an MRI to figure out it’s sprained, nothing torn or broken. I don’t even have an interesting furniture out of the darkness story. I was just running to catch the train, and pop. So, I’m curious. I got a note for three days but nothing was broken. Yeah, it’s a toe, but that’s your walking foundation. How bad is the swelling, can you even get a shoe on? Owee! It should be able to support weight in 5 to 7 days, but not completely healed. I’m using sandals. I can sleep without painkilling drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/10 "2013-08-10T03:18:53Z")
Thing about a busted pinky toe…hurts like mad but you don’t get much sympathy because it isn’t a long bone or a vertebra or something. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/11 "2013-08-10T14:28:29Z")
I had the same thing happen a few months ago, with the part of the dresser played by my work laptop. Hop Hop, Yell, Yell, look down at toe and say “That shouldn’t be pointing that direction.” Pushed the toe back in place. It was a holiday, so I couldn’t get in to see my podiatrist until the next day. He was impressed with how swollen and discolored it was. I did the buddy tape thing for something like four weeks. Follow-up x-rays showed it was healing well, and I was cleared to walk normally. Promptly developed a nasty case of shin splints. But I’m back to normal now, running and everything. Hope your healing is quicker and easier than mine was! ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/12 "2013-08-10T16:02:53Z")
That really sucks and you do have my sympathies but your thread title sounded like the beginnings of bad outhouse doggerel. > [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I sit at home, with a busted toe. Wife done left, so I called my ho. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/13 "2013-08-10T19:22:10Z")
One can walk just fine without the pinky toe, just have them cut it off! 😃 (Too soon?) Really, I’m sorry to hear you’re hurt. I broke my big toe walking home, barefoot, while reading a newspaper. Yes, my own damn fault, but it hurt so bad. I got no sympathy. I was in college, so I ended up going to school barefoot for three weeks. I had a doctor’s note, so even the mean profs had to allow it. I doubt this would happen today. That was, wow, 44 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/14 "2013-08-12T22:46:35Z")
Oddly, my toe doesn’t hurn much, but the muscles in my leg are tense, & ache. Went to work today. Light duty. ---
**Author:** ![NotDeadYet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotDeadYet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotDeadYet)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/15 "2013-08-13T01:21:49Z")
Be very careful to keep a close eye on your foot. You have all these tiny bones in your foot that break very easily if when you stubbed your toe the joint locked up. Watch for bruising on the top of your foot above the toes. I had a broken toe that turned out to be 6 broken bones in my foot and five months of a series of casts and walking boots – all because when they took the X-ray in the ER they didn’t do the lower foot. Hope your situation is simple and straight forward with a short recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/16 "2013-08-13T17:29:08Z")
I [broke my little toe](http://followthemanrules.blogspot.com/2012/12/man-rule-never-lie.html)when I was in college in 1986. The doc buddy-taped it to the next toe and told me to use crutches to get around. Do you have any idea how ridiculous it sounds when people ask you why you’re on crutches and you say “I broke my little toe”? The thing is, you never realize how much pressure you put on your little toe when you walk until it hurts every time you do that. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/17 "2013-08-13T18:45:05Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Oddly, my toe doesn’t hurn much, but the muscles in my leg are tense, & ache. > > Went to work today. > > **Light duty**. Wall switch or a string? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/18 "2013-08-13T18:56:42Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Oddly, my toe doesn’t hurn much, but the muscles in my leg are tense, & ache. That might be because you are - consciously or not - walking differently. Using existing muscles in new and exciting ways! ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/19 "2013-08-13T19:17:09Z")
Busted little toes hurt waaaaaaaaay out of proportion to their size relative to the rest of the human body. I speak as someone who has broken every one of my toes save for the 2 bigguns. I recommend a trip to the local medical supply place for one of those flat shoes. They look goofy for sure, but they don’t put any pressure on the littlest piggie. Short of that, buy a very cheap pair of sneakers about 2 sizes bigger than usual. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829/20 "2013-08-13T20:04:52Z")
Don’t worry. Your toe will heal and then you still may walk funny for the next 6 years and possibly have a game leg for the rest of your life. Though my problem wasn’t caused by an encounter with a dresser, a piece of furniture which with I’ve usually dealt fairly well. I jumped off a building because I was frightened by a thunderstorm.:smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sit-at-home-with-a-busted-toe/665829.md?page=2)