ARRRGH I think I broke my foot.

[bantamamba]

Well...I didn't break it per se...my cat was begging for my delicious Captain Crunch (which is gluten free and yummy) and he lost his balance on the coffee table in front of me, causing the heavy laptop to plummet right on top of my foot. The corner hit the head of the first metatarsal bone (near the joint at the base of the big toe).

Lots of pain at first...immediate swelling and bruising. The pain has depleted quite a lot since this morning although it is a bit sore (I can walk on it reasonably okay). However I can't seem to flex my toe upward.

This is bullocks because I am a very active person and we will be moving soon...if this doesn't resolve with ice and tylenol and ends up needing some sort of cast I shall be most displeased.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of injury?

And I must say this is my lucky foot, I've broken it twice before...my pinky toe was fractured by a horse and I had a piece of bone chip off close to the current injured spot several years ago.

The latter injury didn't start bothering me until almost two days after what I suspected caused it, though.

 

[paddock36]

Years, years, and years ago I had a steer step on my foot right at the big toe. I didn't think much happened at first until the next day when it was really bruised around the toe. Wearing my boots actually helped a lot because it gave my foot more support. So you might try wearing some shoes with good support and no sandals or flip-flop type shoes when your not putting ice on it. Maybe that will help.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

When you say you "can't" lift your toe....does it just hurt or is it impossible to lift. If it's just painful, it may be just a bruise. If you absolutely cannot move it upward, you could have damaged the tendon on top of your toe.

I had a surgery on my right big toe that went "wrong" and the lack of blood supply caused the tendon to rupture. It was impossible to lift my toe...still can't to this day.

 

[bantamamba]

Quote:
You know how you can flex your big toe upward so that little tendon sort of protrudes from the skin? I can't do that with this toe. If I flex both big toes at once, the left one does it but the right one does nothing. No pain, it just won't "obey my command" as it were, and sits there.

I can curl it downward some, but not to a normal extent...again, no pain, just a complete lack of obedience. "Impossible to lift" as you say.

Do you think I might have brusied or ruptured the tendon or something? The lack of pain is certainly odd...the entire spot is sore, but you would think I would have more discomfort considering how I now can't seem to control this toe.


paddock36 -- will do, thanks for the advice.

 

[SallyF]

I broke a bone on top of my foot; they put me in a surgical sandal. I've broken several toes which only resulted in the toe being taped to the one next to it. Never had a cast for a broken bone in my foot. (Broke my ankle once; then I got a cast!)

 

[bantamamba]

Yeah...I did nothing for my toe when it broke, and even when I had the bone chip in the bunion-area they just had me wear a stiff-soled sandal and walk with crutches...couldn't cast it because of it's position.

Not my foot...but the black circle is where I hurt it:

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
You know how you can flex your big toe upward so that little tendon sort of protrudes from the skin? I can't do that with this toe. If I flex both big toes at once, the left one does it but the right one does nothing. No pain, it just won't "obey my command" as it were, and sits there.

I can curl it downward some, but not to a normal extent...again, no pain, just a complete lack of obedience. "Impossible to lift" as you say.

Do you think I might have brusied or ruptured the tendon or something? The lack of pain is certainly odd...the entire spot is sore, but you would think I would have more discomfort considering how I now can't seem to control this toe.


paddock36 -- will do, thanks for the advice.

Yes, I think you could have damaged the tendon...perhaps even ruptured it. It could be just a bruise with the nerve injured...but I lean toward a ruptured tendon. You need to see a podiatrist or orthopedist ASAP.

 

[bantamamba]

Quote:
You know how you can flex your big toe upward so that little tendon sort of protrudes from the skin? I can't do that with this toe. If I flex both big toes at once, the left one does it but the right one does nothing. No pain, it just won't "obey my command" as it were, and sits there.

I can curl it downward some, but not to a normal extent...again, no pain, just a complete lack of obedience. "Impossible to lift" as you say.

Do you think I might have brusied or ruptured the tendon or something? The lack of pain is certainly odd...the entire spot is sore, but you would think I would have more discomfort considering how I now can't seem to control this toe.


paddock36 -- will do, thanks for the advice.

Yes, I think you could have damaged the tendon...perhaps even ruptured it. It could be just a bruise with the nerve injured...but I lean toward a ruptured tendon. You need to see a podiatrist or orthopedist ASAP.

Despite my inability to move it, mother unit is not acting like it is so serious...and as I need her insurance card to be treated...I suppose I will have to wait until she decides it's bad enough to take me.

 

[Whitewater]

Um, no. If you aren't feeling pain and you can't move your toe, not only did you snap your tendon, but you have also injured the nerves. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION. Your mom doesn't get to make the call here. You are dealing with a potentially PERMANENT CRIPPLING INJURY.

I know, I have one. And I did everything right when my achilles tendon snapped (that's the tendon that runs up the back of your leg from your heel to your knee, and moves your lower part of your foot) and I STILL cannot tip-toe, jump, or run after 6 years, despite surgery and casts and crutches and physical therapy at the time.

Please don't wait. You have nerve and tendon damage and you need to get treated for it.

Do you really want to have a useless toe for the rest of your life? That's the best case scenario of what will happen if you don't get it checked out. Worst case is that you have damaged it enough that the nerves will never come back and you will, eventually, wind up hurting it even more but not knowing it because you can't feel it. . . which may lead to blood poisoning and amputation of not just your toe, but your entire foot. In theory, if things go badly enough, you could die due to sepsis and a whole-body infection.

This is personal experience talking.

Little things become big things without treatment. Do what it takes to go to the doctor, ASAP.


Whitewater

 

[bantamamba]

Quote:
I certainly will...thank you for sharing your experience, it has convinced me to be more forward with her.

I am thinking there might be some nerve damage simply because of the fact that it is not hurting like my instinct tells me it should...like if you suddenly couldn't move an appendage you would think it would hurt some upon *trying* to move it, ya? The only thing I feel is dead space.