How long off work with broken toe?

[turkishly]

Hi there.
I broke my toe just over four weeks ago. Hospital signed me off sick for a month. It is still hurting quite a bit and swollen (though healing normally). I can only weqr ine specific pair of shoes for ut to feel ok.
I work in a busy a and e dept and I dont think im fit to go back and walk on it for hours.
Any thoughts? Or am I being a wimp. Im thinking should be a least 6weeks before feels ok. Though hospital said may take few months to feel normal.

Be careful. I'm currently still having problems with my toe it's a nightmare! Nearly 4 months ago I slipped in the bath and banged my pinky. Had an inclination it was broken as I was limping was told to tape it up and rest. I went back to work two weeks later on my feet job still limping and hurting. Anyway managed to get an x-ray on it 7 weeks later as no improvement and the fracture was showing no sign of healing.its still the same now nearly 4 months on and off work. waiting to hear from the foot and ankle specialist. It feels cold a lot too.

This thread is 4 years old!

I have got to disagree completely I broke my big toe four weeks ago and I am in still in a lot of pain my calf’s are burning when I walk I am also nurse and I am gutted I can not return to work

I broke my toe on Friday cracked it in 4 places I work in a pub on my feet all shift so have booked this week off just to try and recover a bit -
Doc said first two weeks would be the most painful and 6 weeks to heal properly. I hate having to not be in work and feel like I’m letting people down but want to make sure my toes little better before returning.

This is an old thread, but I ploughed on and now have a multiple fracture infected and may lose my toe bone and need admitting for iv antibiotics. So take the time to rest!

2-3 weeks in a walking boot or cast, then. 3-4 weeks in a stiff-soled shoe. Return to work and sport in 6-8 weeks is usual.

I broke my pinky toe and hospital said to take 3 weeks off work.
I'm due to go back in 5 days time but the trouble is I'm a bus driver and it still hurts like hell and I can't get a shoe on. It's still bruised too. Just wondering if anybody else has been in this situation 🤔
It's so frustrating that I have to drive for a living .

I stubbed my little toe on some furniture nearly 3 weeks ago and the Xray showed a fracture at the base of the toe. I'm reasonably comfortable in slippers and sandals (with socks for protection) but it's too painful to wear shoes so I can't go out if it's raining. I'm retired so can rest and ice regularly but I'm going on holiday to Yorkshire soon. Should I buy shoes in a larger size and wear one on my sore foot even though it will look odd? Or just wear my expensive orthopaedic sandals even when it's raining? Any suggestions?

I’m a hospital doctor (v busy job) and have broken middle and 4th toe at different times (stubbed running after my small children)…back to work with strapping and meds next day…wouldn’t have even thought to take the time off…speak to your managers and express your concerns but it seems like lots of time off already…

Sorry, Zombie post!

Well done for going back to work so quickly but I was advised rest and ice for a couple of weeks. Don't know how you can get shoes on so soon as I know sandals aren't allowed on the wards. If I still did my full time job (hospital lab) I would have had to take several weeks off as I still can't wear shoes. Perhaps healing is faster when you're young.........

I've broken a toe badly on 2 occasions, one was a crush injury, the other a very bad stub, I had bruising all the way up my foot, very painful to walk. I'd say 6 weeks was the turning point for me as regards recovery. It was 8-9 weeks before they were fully healed

Fellow NHS nurse here, one who had a severe injury & dragged herself back to work due to feeling guilty at how short staffed we were (got injured due to assault at work). I then did myself more damage & was off for longer.
Take as much time as you need to heal.

Guess we're all different. I don't know for sure I've fractured mine, but hurt it nearly 3 weeks ago. Bruising has gone, but still swollen. Luckily it's the school hols, but I'm still working in my other job which requires covered toes - no way could I bear that. I'm wearing flip flops when I can get away with it, but sometimes some soft schools with gaps at the side - had to wear them the other day for half of my shift - it was so uncomfortable. This week I've cycled to places rather than walk and have only worn flip flops outside, and I think that has helped. Didn't appreciate the cat running over it this morning though!

I appreciate how difficult it must be if you work and have children. Strapping to the adjacent toe aids healing also wearing sandals with an adjustable strap at the front to ease the pressure. Flip flops and scholls are comfy but won't support your toes. I bought some soft shoes from Sketchers which, 3 weeks after the accident I can wear for driving and walking. Still not properly healed yet but I'm more mobile. Good luck everyone.

I returned back to work as a HCA in a very busy area after a week off from breaking one of my little toes. Wish I had taken longer off though to be honest as the pain was pretty bad still, even when buddy-taped but I felt a bit ridiculous taking more than a week for it. I do think it slowed the healing and I was in pain of some kind with it for well over 6 months (it was quite a bad fracture but I was able to reduce it myself).

People think it's a trivial injury but it certainly isn't if you have a job like nursing where you're on your feet all day. I'm retired but reckon I would have needed about 4 weeks off work to allow it to heal. It also depends which toe is broken apparently (I've googled it).

Having previously worked in the NHS (labs) I would have felt guilty taking so much time off and would have returned too soon like a lot of you did.