Broken toe - Runners help me

dsharpie
dsharpie Posts: 55
in Fitness and Exercise
So i am running the Chicago marathon in October and have been training since February. I have had several issues with a Neuroma in my right foot that have caused me to stay off it and not run. I have had a knee injury that has caused me to stop running and now I broke my pinki toe on my left foot. The most I have ever run is 10 miles a couple times. I AM going to run (walk if I have to some) the marathon so my question is ....

1. How long should I not run because of my broken toe?
2. What should my training plan look like if I only have 2 months or less left to train?

If you have run with a broken toe let me know.

Replies

  • yosemitegurl
    yosemitegurl Posts: 2
    I don't know the answer to your question about how long to wait, but Runners World (website) has lots of training plans that might be able to help guide you once you do get back on the road.
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
    Have you asked a doctor if you should even do something like a marathon? It isn't worth it if you're only putting yourself at risk for some serious injury.
  • Faintgreeneyes
    Faintgreeneyes Posts: 729 Member
    My suggestion would be give it a couple days, and then see how painful it is when you put your running shoes on and walk around/slight jog. I wouldn't go out and hit the pavement if you are having a lot of pain/discomfort. Also if its swollen, then wait until the swelling goes down to begin running on it as well.

    You could also consult with your DR if you really have questions- also you want to make sure that you just broke the toe and not any bones in the foot- which could cause other issues.

    Good luck.
  • Psychoanalytic
    Psychoanalytic Posts: 261
    I used to break my pinky toe frequently in ballet and just kept on going. I'd tape my toe to the next toe over to keep it from moving. Can you keep running? Absolutely. Do I recommend it? Eh, that depends on you and the type of break. It kinda hurts. There's not much you can do about a broken toe, especially that one.
  • jessicaj_824
    jessicaj_824 Posts: 114 Member
    I have run with my second toe broken. The pinky toe may be more of an issue though. For me it helped to put a tight bandaid on it and ice it after.
  • ZeroWoIf
    ZeroWoIf Posts: 588 Member
    So i am running the Chicago marathon in October and have been training since February. I have had several issues with a Neuroma in my right foot that have caused me to stay off it and not run. I have had a knee injury that has caused me to stop running and now I broke my pinki toe on my left foot. The most I have ever run is 10 miles a couple times. I AM going to run (walk if I have to some) the marathon so my question is ....

    1. How long should I not run because of my broken toe?
    2. What should my training plan look like if I only have 2 months or less left to train?

    If you have run with a broken toe let me know.

    You need to go to a doctor to find out the extent of the damage. Get the advice from the doctor after tests are done. Then take the information he gives you and formulate a recovery plan. I have run with a broken pinky toe before and it is not fun. I have no clue if you have a fracture or an actually broken pinky toe. A fracture can heal quicker of course.
  • amytag
    amytag Posts: 206 Member
    I broke my middle toe about 3 weeks ago. I took about 4 days off, time for the swelling to subside and pain to alleviate somewhat. I taped it with my 2nd toe and used extra-cushioned socks for the next week or so. This hasn't prolonged my healing time, in fact I feel about 90% better. Not sure if the pinky would be different, but I'd try taping it to the next toe first, and take it slowly the first couple days.
  • MelAb8709
    MelAb8709 Posts: 140 Member
    I agree, I think you should go see a doc that specializes in sports medicine. I know there's not much that can be done for a broken toe, but that's going to be a painful 26.2 miles even if you walk some of it. You don't want to cause more damage.

    If you stay off of it for a while and then are able to run on it again - it's possible to run a marathon under-trained. Especially if you are willing to walk part of it. It's another thing to talk to your doc about or perhaps reach out to a running coach that may be able to help you out.
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    I agree, I think you should go see a doc that specializes in sports medicine. I know there's not much that can be done for a broken toe, but that's going to be a painful 26.2 miles even if you walk some of it. You don't want to cause more damage.

    ^^^ This. I think I have broken about 5 toes over the course of my running career (20+ years) and nothing good ever came from running on a broken toe. Unless you get a shot to numb your toe (which I have done for competitions), your gait will be off to compensate for your injury. For me, this has always resulted in more serious injuries.

    I would see a doctor and see what he/she prescribes. You can tape it up, but if you still feel significant pain, you probably should avoid running. Typically, I bounced back in 2-4 weeks.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    I have played full seasons of soccer and rugby with different broken toes. It's uncomfortable, sure, but long term damage is unlikely. A good tape job and icing after training helps a lot!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    oh no.

    I had a stress fracture just below my big toe a couple of years ago - xrays couldn't' see it but I really felt it. I couldn't ; walk on it for 2-3 weeks at all and then it took another couple of weeks before I could start exercising again - and the only gently - I'm really sorry :-(. Perhaps you should see a doctor to see what they say about recovery times and the best way you can progress.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    I have played full seasons of soccer and rugby with different broken toes. It's uncomfortable, sure, but long term damage is unlikely. A good tape job and icing after training helps a lot!

    depends where it is broken of course. In a smaller toe you may be ok - in the big one near the joint with the foot you will be lucky to walk on it let alone exercise.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    sorry, I didn't read your question properly - I'm sure your pinky can heal quite quickly as long as its in the toe itself :-)
  • dsharpie
    dsharpie Posts: 55
    Thanks for the responses...

    I have had an x-ray, Dr. said it was a non displaced fracture in the pinky toe. The swelling has gone down, the bruising has started to fade. I have spent so much time with the podiatrist dealing with my Neuroma I hate to continue to spend money on this stuff. I think I will give it till next week then try a short run.

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