Bit of an embarrassing question...

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Strawblackcat
Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
edited October 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I don't know of this is the right forum for this or not, but it affects my workouts in a roundabout way, so I guessed that here was as good as anything else.

Anyway, last night I was getting up to use the bathroom. Being too lazy to turn on the bedroom light, I ended up stubbing my little toe on one of my bedposts badly. Like, really, really badly. Badly as in, I heard a crunch (which isn't really unusual when I stub my toes) and now it hurts to walk on it and it's turned bright red and somewhat swollen compared to the other toes.

Should I see a doctor over this? I honestly hate the doctor and don't want to go unless I have to. For now, I guess I'll hobble through the workday and hope it's just a bad bruise or something and rest it when I get home...

Replies

  • sallygroundhog
    sallygroundhog Posts: 133 Member
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    Could be broken. Go to a doctor.
  • rtp_slg52181
    rtp_slg52181 Posts: 73 Member
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    Dr can't do anything about a broken toe. Just tape it and take some ibuprofen. I broke both my pinkie toes within 24hrs of each other. As soon as I could get them in a shoe I was lifting again (~2days). Running and other aerobic activities took longer, but I was fully back in 2weeks with only slight pain once in a while when I would pivot wrong.
  • 100df
    100df Posts: 668 Member
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    sallygroundhog wrote: »
    Could be broken. Go to a doctor.

  • rtp_slg52181
    rtp_slg52181 Posts: 73 Member
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    susan100df wrote: »
    sallygroundhog wrote: »
    Could be broken. Go to a doctor.
    Only if they want to waste money! The dr really won't do anything but tape it and give 800mg Motrin.
  • scottver2
    scottver2 Posts: 53 Member
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    Yup. I broke my big toe in June and all the doctor did was tape it and give me 800mg motrin. I could have bought some advil and tape for 100th of price of the doctor visit.
  • lmlilly
    lmlilly Posts: 22 Member
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    My DH broke his toe. We paid 1000.00 for a crappy shoe. When I dropped a 45 plate on my foot not too long after I just kept off it for a while and it healed fine. I did continue cycling because I wear spin shoes and didn't have pain, but I stopped running for at least a month.
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
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    Tape it. Just get athletic tape and gauze from the drug store. Fold the gauze in half and place between the toes. (This helps prevent fungal growth) Then tape the pinky toe to the next toe. Elevate your foot as much as possible to reduce edema and use ice as needed. Take 800mg ibuprofen every six hours as needed.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    Having broken 4 toes, I'll tell you what the doctor will do: NOTHING. Even if an x-ray confirms that it's broken here's what the treatment will be:
    1. "Buddy Tape" the toe to the one one next to it or to a popsicle stick (may take some experimenting to get the tension right, but you'll know when you've got it right)
    2. RICE- rest, ice, compression (that's the taping) and elevation
    3. find a pair of shoes you can wear without it hurting and live in those shoes for the next 6 - 8 weeks;
    4. try to stay as active as you can (helps keep fluids from building up)
    5. Save the copay on your doctor visit unless you see signs of infection (e.g., puss or rapid swelling)
  • pootle1972
    pootle1972 Posts: 579 Member
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    ^^^^& broke my little toes more often than I care to remember. ...just tape and rest
  • Curtruns
    Curtruns Posts: 510 Member
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    do you have any other medical conditions? If you have diabetes.....then definitely go to the doctor!!!
  • Fit4LifeAR
    Fit4LifeAR Posts: 233 Member
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    I would normally just say tape it, but last time I did that, my toe bone shifted and I had to have the little sucker set. If it looks out of place, go to a doctor. If it's not, tape it.
  • zumbaforever
    zumbaforever Posts: 6,877 Member
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    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    I would normally just say tape it, but last time I did that, my toe bone shifted and I had to have the little sucker set. If it looks out of place, go to a doctor. If it's not, tape it.

    Yep, my daughter broke hers. I laughed when she called me to take her to the doctor. Then I saw it. Tape would normally work. But not when it is pointing the wrong direction. Yuch! You need to decide.

    Shelley
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
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    If you ever find the need to ask on an online forum, "Should I go to the doctor?" GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
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    Strawblackcat wrote: »
    I don't know of this is the right forum for this or not, but it affects my workouts in a roundabout way, so I guessed that here was as good as anything else.

    Anyway, last night I was getting up to use the bathroom. Being too lazy to turn on the bedroom light, I ended up stubbing my little toe on one of my bedposts badly. Like, really, really badly. Badly as in, I heard a crunch (which isn't really unusual when I stub my toes) and now it hurts to walk on it and it's turned bright red and somewhat swollen compared to the other toes.

    Should I see a doctor over this? I honestly hate the doctor and don't want to go unless I have to. For now, I guess I'll hobble through the workday and hope it's just a bad bruise or something and rest it when I get home...

    I had this happen before, jammed my toes in between a doorway. I literally couldn't walk at all for about 2 days, was hopping around on 1 foot inside my house if I really needed to go somewhere. I got scared so hopped my way into a car and went to Dr but it turned out to be nothing but a very bruised toe. Felt pain/uncomfortable walking for about month I think. I think always good idea to have a Dr check it out just in case.
  • armylife
    armylife Posts: 196 Member
    edited November 2015
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    ZeroDelta wrote: »
    If you ever find the need to ask on an online forum, "Should I go to the doctor?" GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

    This. Fractured bones in the toe can impinge or sever the arteries in the toe, causing a tourniquet like effect. Additionally, the risk of DVT, embolism, or SVT is increased with broken bones. I understand that modern medicine is expensive, but your health is... Your health. What is more important than that?
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
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    Update: I went to work today and just kinda did the more sedentary things. Processed coupon invoices (they really built up over the past month! We're due to get over $1400 back from companies!), handed out toys to trick-or-treaters, and ran the register and stuff. My coworkers were kind enough to give me a stool to sit on and take over sweeping/mopping duty for me tonight. :)

    I taped my toe and tried to stay off of it most of the day. It's still swollen and red and looks pretty bad, but it feels much better now. It really only hurts if u try to press on it or if I try to flex the muscles in it too much. I don't think I need to see the doctor at this point. I just really tend to worry, I guess.

    Thanks for the advice everyone! Have a happy Halloween!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I'm dying laughing at all the suggestions to see a doctor. Do you see a doctor when you get a splinter too?
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,036 Member
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    Amusing story ... well, I can look back and think it's amusing now ...

    I cracked a toe in my left foot against a piece of furniture when I was getting ready for work one morning. A quick change of mind regarding what I was wearing, and I was into a comfortable flat pair of shoes with stiff soles.

    I limped around all day, but didn't feel too bad, so I went for a bicycle ride in the evening. My cycling partner at the time, came to a sudden stop in front of me. We were riding really slowly so in any other circumstance, I would have simply put my left foot down to balance myself when I ran into him, but my brain vetoed that idea. "No you are not putting that foot down, it will hurt terribly!"

    So I fell over and landed right on my left ribcage.

    Now that hurt! And I was having trouble breathing. So I went to a walk-in clinic. I had cracked a rib. While I was there, I decided to ask about the toe too. Sure enough, I had broken the toe.

    Then the Dr noticed a fleck of blood on the toe and asked, "When was your last tetanus shot?" "Ummm" I said. Wrong answer!

    Next thing I knew, I had a tetanus shot in my left arm completing the disablement of the left side of my body. Left arm, left ribs, left foot.

    I took the next day off work to try to recover from it all.

    All because of a broken toe.

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