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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think I've broken a toe?

28 replies

whatyadoing · 18/08/2018 15:24

It happened this day last week. I literally just stubbed it off the leg of a chair. It went purple within hours (or was purple when I looked at it a couple of hours after). It has been very painful, but it's still massively swollen, so I wonder is it broken and whether I need to do anything about it? It's the toe next to my little pinky toe on my right foot.

OP posts:

Original poster

whatyadoing · 18/08/2018 15:33

NOBODY CARES ABOUT MY TOE!!

Bastards.

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ineedwine99 · 18/08/2018 15:37

Ouch! I broke my little toe about 10 weeks ago, sounds the same as mine, unfortunately mine still twinges now, nothing to be done other than try and strap it to the toe next to it (easier said than done, bloody hurts!)

Ta1kinpeace · 18/08/2018 15:41

Yup, sounds broken.
Buy a roll of Micropore - strap it to the next biggest toe
take plenty of ibuprofen
rest with it raised
should be healed in a couple of weeks

mistermagpie · 18/08/2018 15:42

I broke mine about six weeks ago (stubbed it off the kids swing). It was definitely broken, SIL is an A&E Dr and she had a look, and it sounds like yours is the same as mine was. Mine was very sore for a week ish, I didn't strap it up because I couldn't be arsed. I ran a 10k race about two weeks later though and it was fine.

There's nothing much to do about it, painkillers and keep it elevated. Strap it up if you feel the need.

Ta1kinpeace · 18/08/2018 15:44

The only reason for strapping is to make sure that it heals straight

Original poster

whatyadoing · 18/08/2018 15:50

Thanks.

Ye, I can walk in trainers but can't do burpies above all things (can't do them on a good day but that's another story lol).
Only concern is that it's still swollen and red??

OP posts:

Ta1kinpeace · 18/08/2018 15:52

Last time I broke a toe it took about three weeks to stop hurting

and Burpees are best avoided until its fully better as they put lots of pressure on the joint when you jump back

Pythonesque · 18/08/2018 15:55

I did something very similar to the exact same toe a couple of days before yours. The bruising has cleared but it's still swollen, and a little tender to touch. Even so the thought of underlying injury has crossed my mind. If yours is still very painful as well then yes sounds like it could be broken. Strapping it could help with the pain; you might be able to get some help from a pharmacy in the first instance?

Bumbledop · 18/08/2018 16:35

Yes, sounds broken to me. I think the only thing you can do is strap it. Hope you’re pain free soon

GreenShadow · 18/08/2018 16:44

Yeah. Mine went purple too.

I did mine in May and didn't think to strap it to the next one and although it looks straight, there is a little knobbly bit at the top just beneath the nail which irritates me when I wear solid shoes (summer sandals have been great). Presume I'm stuck with this for life now

Whereismumhiding2 · 18/08/2018 16:48

You can go to walk in centre at your local.hospital. 111 will tell you where.
Little.toes they don't do.much about but second to little toes, I don't know.
Wouldn't you rather know?

Frankly you're at risk of arthritis and walking problems later in life, so I'd get it looked at and fixed as best as possible now, even if they just recommend strapping. And that's from a woman whose broken several of her toes including both pinkies!

It's 2-3 hours out of your day. But if you don't get best of care to fix it, whilst it's fresh(ish), you could have 20 of your last years blighted by foot & mobility problems from your broken toe.

Bambamber · 18/08/2018 16:48

From recent experience, Drs won't do anything as long as it's still pointing in the right direction

scaryteacher · 18/08/2018 16:50

I did my little toe on the 10th June and I still can't wear a shoe, so have been living in fit flops. I am hoping that I can wear a shoe soon as I bought some new ones in June whilst in the UK, for the summer, and haven't been able to wear them. I refuse to believe (as dh would have it) that it is God telling me that I don't need more shoes, as I am sure She would tell me no such thing!

Ta1kinpeace · 18/08/2018 16:50

You can go to walk in centre at your local.hospital
You mean A&E ?

Sorry but going to A&E with a week old broken toe is a total waste of NHS resources

Non emergency walk in centres all got shut down years ago

SouthWestmom · 18/08/2018 16:52

Does it look like this? DS thinks he has hurt his - it's purple but facing the right way.

SouthWestmom · 18/08/2018 16:54

This is true - we only have A and E or 111 (who just send us to A and E 🙄) when not weekday office hours. No minor injuries etc.

MillieMoodle · 18/08/2018 16:55

I did similar to the same toe on me a few weeks ago. I went to the doctor the next morning as I still couldn't walk and it had gone purple and looked at a funny angle. He thought it was broken and sent me to the hospital to have it x-rayed. They said it wasn't broken but it was about 3-4 days before I could put weight on it and maybe 10 days before I could wear anything other than flip flops. I had a huge bruise all the way up my foot. It still hurts a bit now if I've done a lot of walking, and I've noticed it's still at a funny angle and now rubs on the top of my trainers which it didn't used to. They just said take painkillers and try to rest it; I don't think there's a lot they can do for a broken toe.

megletthesecond · 18/08/2018 17:00

I did the same thing a couple of years ago.
It hurt like hell for a few days then settled down. I was running again after a week although I couldn't do any planks for a while.
Took months to stop stinging though.

SecretWitch · 18/08/2018 17:01

I got the same toe caught between the slat stairs of my dd’s bunk bed, toe went one way, the foot went the other. The pain was brilliant. I sat on the floor and cried. We were just leaving for vacation so I downed a ton of pain killers and spent most of the time by the pool, foot up, reading. That was in July, it still gives me a start sometimes when exercising.
Rest and ice for you. Pain killers really do help.

freshstart24 · 18/08/2018 17:23

GP sent DS and I to our local walk in centre last week as he broke his big toe on holiday. Walk in centre xrayed it, strapped it up and referred him to fracture clinic. No suggestion of wasting anyone's time, or that we shouldn't be there.

Fracture clinic have now referred him to a surgeon as he may need an operation to pin the toe. They pointed out that toes (especially the big one), bear weight when you move, and as such they may need attention when broken.

Ta1kinpeace · 18/08/2018 17:25

freshstart
Where do you live there are still Walk in Centres?
All of the ones within 50 miles of here have been closed.

freshstart24 · 18/08/2018 21:40

I'm in the midlands. Our local walk in is not the same as A&E, it's for less serious issues but does do X-rays. It's kind of half way in between a GP and and A&E visit.

Weepingangels · 18/08/2018 22:39

Go to minor injuries, it sounds broken and its worth checking out. 9/10 you just strap them but for the 1 time its worth it.

Talkingfrog · 19/08/2018 07:39

Sounds like mine when I broke it by catching it on a chair leg. We did go to a&e (I was about 12 or 13 and about 30 ish years sgo) but things were different then. It was my little toe and all they did was strap it to the next.
You will be surprised how much a small bone being broken can hurt, so take care.
If concerned and you don't want to waste time for a&e try phoning 111 and asking for advice.

Original poster

whatyadoing · 19/08/2018 09:20

Ok, thanks for the advice. It does sound like it's broken. Yes, high heels are a bitch as it's taking the weight :(
Might ask a pharmacist - though I'm not sure what they're going to know about toes but who knows lol. That or you can request a call back from the GP.

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