WWYD acute foot pain - GP, walk-in service or home care?

[stripytees]

On Wednesday my right foot felt painful as I was walking home, it's possible it was slightly twisted because I wore sandals and it started raining and the water inside made the insole slippery. Foot was OK Thursday morning but walking to the station and to work made it gradually hurt more and walking became difficult.

By the time I got home from work I was pretty much limping. My foot looks slightly swollen on the top of the foot near the base of my 2nd-4th toes and it's slightly bruised looking. It feels stiff and I can't walk normally. The second toe was swollen last night but pretty much back to normal this morning. Have tried ice and elevation. I'm a bit puzzled because there was no obvious injury apart from possibly slight twisting as explained but my foot didn't become painful until the next day. I was still walking normally Wednesday evening and had forgotten all about the pain earlier.

I've made a GP appointment but the earliest I could get was Tuesday morning. I'm planning to pretty much stay at home all weekend but really need to make it to a work appointment Monday morning.

Should I just rest and wait until my GP appointment or do you think it would be worth going to the Urgent Care Centre at my local hospital or to a GP led walk-in service? A bit worried about stress fractures as the symptoms seem to fit.

Anyone?

In your case I would go to the minor injuries unit near me or A&E as both can X-ray the foot.

If it was me I'd just go to the gp on tues if it was no better. Can you physically make it to your work thing on Monday or can you not walk at all? You'll probably find you are much better by tues and can cancel the appt.

Thanks. I called 111 for advice and they recommended the local walk-in centre within 24 hrs. Going to wait until tomorrow anyway because currently we're having torrential rain. And the cat is sleeping on me.

I can limp around, could get to work thing that way but obviously don't want to make the foot worse.

Did you go? What did they say?

No... have been resting the foot, using ice and arnica cream and keeping it elevated a lot. The swelling has come down a lot and it's less painful but there is still a tight feeling in the area at the base of the toes that makes it impossible to walk normally as that area doesn't bend like the healthy foot does.

I would wait until GP.

I had a potential stress fracture and went to the walk in centre where it was x-rayed. Was then told that stress fractures can take 7-10 days to show up so would need to go back again if no better for a further x-ray. They were pretty much of the advice to rest and keep it up.

I've read that too about them not showing up on Xrays immediately, and also that they wouldn't do much about it anyway.

The walk in centre is within a GP surgery, unlikely to have Xray or MRI etc., only the Urgent Care Centre at the hospital would have those.

Going to wait until GP appt on Tuesday now.