Broken Toe WILL NOT HEAL

[ShelbyMay]

I broke my toe (the one next to the big toe) over a year ago. I didn't go to the doctor because other people told me all the doctor would do is tape it to my other toe and send me on my way. It seemed to be all better after 2 or 3 weeks, but the next time I wore heels, it hurt again. I wore flats for a few weeks to give it more time to heal, but then tried wearing heels again and it hurt again. I gave it a few more weeks to rest, and then I found that sometimes I was fine in heels and other times it hurt. (Still, I only wear them a couple times a month.)

Here's the real problem: It is the middle of summer, I have worn nothing but flip flops for the past 2 months at least, and my toe hurts worse than ever! It has been well over a year since I broke the toe, and I don't recall doing anything to re-injure it. Now it hurts with every single step I take, regardless of whether I am wearing shoes or not, and I have been limping around the house for a few days. :(

What is the deal?????

[Ericka_Jarett]

I would head to the doctor, could have been a stress fracture. Do you know for sure it was broken and not just sprained? Sprains hurt long after the injury is done and reoccur whenever. (I thought I broke my ankle from getting hit by a car, they checked it at the doctors the next day and it was very badly sprained and I still have issues with it, happened 18 yrs ago)

[Sophia]

I agree--go see a doctor.

[keska]

I have the same experience as ericka. I sprained the muscles across the top of my foot while on vacation in 2002 and I still have pain on and off there, especially if I wear heals or do some intense exercise involving those muscles.

Maybe you should stop wearing flipflops. If you hurt the toe that the strap goes against, it may be putting more strain on that toe than you realize to wear flipflops.

Definitely go to the doctor and see if they'll give you one of those special shoes. I sprained my little toe in December (thought I broke it) and I had to wear the shoe for 6 weeks. It really helped me heal, though the toe does pain in some types of heels.

[ShelbyMay]

Man, I was hoping to avoid the cost of xrays...Sigh.

Is it possible to sprain something by catching it on the vacuum cleaner??? It hurt so bad, I just assumed it was broken.

[PG-rated]

If it hurt that much, you probably broke it, especially if you had really bad bruising afterwards.

I suspect it's the flipflops - I don't wear them at all because of the strain they put on my toes. My poor flat feet can't handle it. A shoe built like that not only rubs against your toe, it usually causes you to curl your toes ever so slightly when walking to keep the shoe on (you probably don't even notice you're doing it). Doing that all day, every day could easily aggravate on old injury.

[keska]

A bad strain can seem like a break. My little toe swelled up and turned purple all the way around. The bruising even spread up into my foot. I assumed it was broken but the xrays said otherwise.

[Ericka_Jarett]

I totally agree with keska, strains actually hurt sometimes worse than breaks do (I have broken a finger and sprained an ankle and it's a similar pain, but the sprains are reoccurring pain)

Shelby - you can definitely sprain it on anything, even just stubbing it against something. My dr never did x-rays on my ankles, just was able to fee them and knew they were both badly sprained.

[MLA]

Yup. Go to the doctor. My BFF lived w/foot pain for years after not going to the doctor after she was sure she'd broken her toe (her mom didn't believe her about breaking it). It never healed right. She ended up having surgery on the toe, which was a PITA, but she feels SOOO much better now -- no pain any more!

[andy's di]

Ditto that about seeing the doc. I broke my sesmoid bone almost 2 years ago now and it still give me problems. Although it was because the temp doc I was seeing didn't want to send me for a bone scan (which identifies stress fractures). I didn't get the process done until 4 months after the injury...long story short, they caught the stress fracture way to late and now that bone is permanently cracked :(

I have to wear orthotics with special cut-outs in them to relieve the pressure from that area, plus have my running shoes cut out too so that I can exercise pain free.

My sports med doc told me the only way to fix it is to see a special surgeon in NY and the surgery is crazy expensive...so I deal with my modified shoes...

[Hula1974]

I think I may have broken my toe.
I have stubbed my toe many times in my life but never has it still hurt like heck 2 days later. It is my little toe and has bruised now.

Like the OP - I didn't think a dr. would do anything. Now I'm thinking I should go. Yes?

[Ericka_Jarett]

Hula - sounds like you may have sprained it. I did that soon after moving into our new place last year, missed a step between the 2nd to last and the landing. Bent my big toe under and it hurt for about a week or 2. I didn't see a doctor as it wasn't throbbing pain and I could see I bruised it pretty good. (Didn't have a doctor in this area and with a newborn wasn't running back to NJ for an appt with my doc there)

It wouldn't hurt to get it checked out though if it bothers you.

[mamax2]

How timely, I broke my little toe last week! It's been 6 days and it's STILL purple/green/yellow and swollen if I'm on my feet for a couple of hours.

It was a very intense pain and I could tell it was either broken or dislocated because of the way it was separated and leaning away from all my other toes.

It was a bad break (the Dr. yelled out 'busted!' from the x-ray room) and I'm in an orthopedic shoe. In fact, I had to wear the shoe 24/7 for the first 48 hours and now when walking. When I sleep I can either ace bandage it or tape it to the neighboring toe. The Dr. estimated 4-6 weeks to heal.

Here's the real problem: It is the middle of summer, I have worn nothing but flip flops for the past 2 months at least, and my toe hurts worse than ever! It has been well over a year since I broke the toe, and I don't recall doing anything to re-injure it. Now it hurts with every single step I take, regardless of whether I am wearing shoes or not, and I have been limping around the house for a few days.

What is the deal?????

My Dr. told me the absolute WORST foot wear for a broken toe/foot is flip flops because they constantly mold around your foot essentially causing you to re-break with every step. You MUST wear a very hard soled shoe to immobolize the toe.

[Hula1974]

mamax2 - so sorry about your toe.

I did end up going to the dr. and yes, it's broken. He "taped" it to the toe next to it with some tape that is supposed to adhere only to itself. He said to keep it taped for 6 weeks so that it doesn't continue to break (I had never heard that concern before). Well, it lasted all of 6 steps I think. I just can't keep it taped. There isn't much to grab on to.

I've been wearing flip flops because it's the only thing I can fit into with the swelling.

How are you keeping it taped? Any advice or other options?

[Ericka_Jarett]

Hula - sorry to hear it is broken. I just used medical tape when I broke my finger. You can get it at any store in the band-aid section, not sure the exact name of it now. you would probably want the 1/2" size tape sice it's your baby toe that is broken.

I remember when I broke my finger the doctor taped my ring finger (that was the one broken in 2 places) to the pinky. I questioned him but he said it was ok. I went back a few days later and saw my normal doctor and he said what idiot taped those 2 fingers together. I told him the other doctor did, he said well that is not right, so he switched it that my ring and middle were taped together (since the middle is stronger) It was taped for so long that my ring finger has a curve toward the middle now.

Hope you heal up quick.

[meggers]

Hula--When I broke my toe I wore an orthopedic shoe. I wore it constantly just taking it off for bed and showers. I guess most people just tape their toes instead of wearing the shoe but the shoe worked well for me.

[Hula1974]

Thanks ladies.
It is my little toe so maybe that is why he didn't make me wear the shoe. He didn't tell me flip flops were bad though.

[meggers]

Thanks ladies.
It is my little toe so maybe that is why he didn't make me wear the shoe. He didn't tell me flip flops were bad though.

My broken toe was my little toe too and my doctor suggested the shoe.

[keska]

I was amazed how much the special shoe took the pressure off the little toe.