Have I broken my toe?

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NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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House alarm went off early this morning - ran downstairs whilst half asleep to turn it off and somehow caught left big toe on bottom step and I think folded it under my foot somehow.

Absolute agony, nearly threw up from the pain. Managed to pull myself together and get to work, but driving was an experience (doing as few gearchanges as possible as using the clutch bloody hurts!). Walking is tough too, serious limp.

It's basically pretty much dark purple/black, and hurting permanently. I can move it, but I'm not sure that proves anything.

I understand the treatment for a broken toe is pretty much the same as that for a badly bruised one - stay off it, keep it elevated, plenty of ice, arnica, etc.

No way can I stay off it - too much work on at the moment frown

Is it worth going to A&E tomorrow or will it be a waste of time?

Marf

22,907 posts

248 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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Worth getting checked out, esp with that level of bruising, but there is little that they can do aside from strapping it to the adjacent toe.

I broke my little toe, was running to answer the phone and caught it on the coffee table full swing. Hurt like hell and I could feel the two halves of the bone grating against each other. hurl

Didn't bruise up like yours but went to A&E, x-ray confirmed the break and they just strapped it to the adjacent toe.

Shaw Tarse

31,672 posts

210 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
NiceCupOfTea said:
House alarm went off early this morning - ran downstairs whilst half asleep to turn it off and somehow caught left big toe on bottom step and I think folded it under my foot somehow.

Absolute agony, nearly threw up from the pain. Managed to pull myself together and get to work, but driving was an experience (doing as few gearchanges as possible as using the clutch bloody hurts!). Walking is tough too, serious limp.

It's basically pretty much dark purple/black, and hurting permanently. I can move it, but I'm not sure that proves anything.

I understand the treatment for a broken toe is pretty much the same as that for a badly bruised one - stay off it, keep it elevated, plenty of ice, arnica, etc.

No way can I stay off it - too much work on at the moment frown

Is it worth going to A&E tomorrow or will it be a waste of time?
I've done the slip on a step, land on toe frown Not as badly as you describe.
As for being able to move a broken digit, this means nowt, I could move my right pinky (very bruised) later found out it was broken.
Yes you should visit A&E.
To be honest I wouldn't

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Hmmmm, I could strap it myself but would be good at least to be able to say "I broke my toe" rather than "I stubbed my toe" rolleyes

How long did it take to sort itself out? Driving is not pleasant at all (and probably not safe) - came right round the M25 and up the A20 rather than coming through town this evening as I knew it was going to hurt changing gear...

Have spent the last hour on the classifieds looking at cheap auto barges hehe

Marf

22,907 posts

248 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
In my case about a week before the pain fully subsided.

Shaw Tarse

31,672 posts

210 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Toe wasn't broke (I think) just bruised.
Little finger on right hand was (seperate incidents) bruised to size of a squash ball, as I could move it, a bit I claimed it wasn't broke. A later x-ray proved me wrong.

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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Toe ugliness follows.......................



































yuck

Shaw Tarse

31,672 posts

210 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Sensible advice, get up to A&E, first thing yes
Honest advice, if it was me I wouldn't bother frown
This is internet advice, if you follow it it is at you're own risk, donught blame me if the tow drop's of

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Will see how I feel tomorrow. Don't really see the point in spending the whole of a day off (when I could be resting my toe!) in A&E. Especially when there's no treatment.

On the other hand, if there's some weird compound fracture or something that's going to need pinning...

V8TVR1978

895 posts

197 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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Where is Emsman when you need him ??? Maybe Emma could answer if it is broken or not as she must have a lot of experience being married to Emsman.thumbup

Edited by V8TVR1978 on Sunday 21st March 03:38

zax

1,031 posts

270 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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I broke a toe a year or so ago, no exciting story, just another another coffee table kicker smile

Symptoms sound just like yours. very bruised and extreme pain. I did hop off hospital, mainly just to confirm it was broken and to borrow a walking stick. It wasn't a break across the bone, it was almost the full length. All they did was tape it to it's neighbour. A few weeks later and it was fine, although it's not the same shape as it was and doesn't bend properly any more...

Worth a visit I would say, just to confirm. But if they're anything like mine they won't bother with anything exotic in the way of treatment. After all it's only a toe and we have 9 others wink

Marf

22,907 posts

248 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
zax said:
doesn't bend properly any more...
Yours too eh? If I stretch my toes out the little toe that was broken will now mount its neighbour instead of spreading out as normal laugh

Ritchie335is

1,879 posts

209 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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zax said:
I broke a toe a year or so ago, no exciting story, just another another coffee table kicker smile

Symptoms sound just like yours. very bruised and extreme pain. I did hop off hospital, mainly just to confirm it was broken and to borrow a walking stick. It wasn't a break across the bone, it was almost the full length. All they did was tape it to it's neighbour. A few weeks later and it was fine, although it's not the same shape as it was and doesn't bend properly any more...

Worth a visit I would say, just to confirm. But if they're anything like mine they won't bother with anything exotic in the way of treatment. After all it's only a toe and we have 9 others wink
I did the very same and likewise can`t bend it properly and its a different shape. This was about 8 years ago and even now if I stub my toe gently on something I have to be peeled from the ceiling, it is seriously painful!

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Just back from an exciting morning at the local Minor Injuries Unit.

X-ray confirms it's broken, not supposed to drive or work, have a consultation at a fractures clinic in a week or so.

bkS.

Of course it's a lovely day, I want to go for a drive with the hood down, do some car cleaning and potter in the garage. Instead I am stuck on the fking sofa with the telly on and will probably spend the afternoon rebuilding my wife's laptop.

weeping

spikeyhead

17,954 posts

204 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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I once saw a bloke break most of his toes in a pub fight.

The moral is never kick someone in the side of the head when wearing slip on shoes that fall off before the foot makes impact.

Twenty of us watching were rolling on the floor laughing at the kicker hopping round in agony. That included the two cops who'd just turned up.

y2blade

56,203 posts

222 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
NiceCupOfTea said:
Just back from an exciting morning at the local Minor Injuries Unit.

X-ray confirms it's broken, not supposed to drive or work, have a consultation at a fractures clinic in a week or so.

bkS.

Of course it's a lovely day, I want to go for a drive with the hood down, do some car cleaning and potter in the garage. Instead I am stuck on the fking sofa with the telly on and will probably spend the afternoon rebuilding my wife's laptop.

weeping
frown heal fast


NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Cheers - it's just starting to hit me how useless I am now. Can't carry anything when I'm using the crutches. Not even a cup of tea! yikes

y2blade

56,203 posts

222 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
tell me about it, I had my first break in 2008...I did my 5th metatarsal on my right foot, so couldn't even drive my car (auto)

I was completely bloody useless with it frown

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

262 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
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I'm pretty handy with a hacksaw...would you like it off?

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,310 posts

258 months

Sunday 21st March 2010
quotequote all
Seriously thinking about getting a cheap auto. Any idea how long until I'll be able to use my left foot on a clutch? Won't know anything until I see the fractures guy...