Broken Toe

**sparks19** · 03-21-2007, 10:41 AM

My poor momma thinks she broke her pinky toe. She stubbed it really hard and she says it's swollen and black and blue. I told her to ice it and stay off it as much as possible... which will be torture for her.

Any other advice for a broken toe?

**lvpets2002** · 03-21-2007, 10:44 AM

Ouch I know that hurt real bad.. Good Advise.. Hope all is better soon..

**kuhio98** · 03-21-2007, 11:07 AM

I've broken my big toe a couple of times. Only advice is to keep it elevated whenever possible and ice it down for the swelling. In my opinion, it's a waste of time and money to go to the doctor and have it splinted. But, if there is a medical supply store close by, you can get a soft cast thingy to protect her toes while it is healing.

**wolflady** · 03-21-2007, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by kuhio98

I've broken my big toe a couple of times. Only advice is to keep it elevated whenever possible and ice it down for the swelling. In my opinion, it's a waste of time and money to go to the doctor and have it splinted. But, if there is a medical supply store close by, you can get a soft cast thingy to protect her toes while it is healing.

I agree. The only thing they can really do at the hospital is tape your toes together and then charge you $1000 for it.

When I broke my toe (it was the toe next to the pinky toe), I did pretty much what Kuhio describes above. I kept it iced and elevated, and then I also taped my toes together with medical tape whenever I was moving around.

**GrabaLab** · 03-21-2007, 11:18 AM

She could get some flexible medical tape and piggyback tape it to her next toe using that toe as a splint for the broken toe.

**sparks19** · 03-21-2007, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by wolflady

I agree. The only thing they can really do at the hospital is tape your toes together and then charge you $1000 for it.

When I broke my toe (it was the toe next to the pinky toe), I did pretty much what Kuhio describes above. I kept it iced and elevated, and then I also taped my toes together with medical tape whenever I was moving around.

LOL well there is no charge for going to the Dr in Canada... but it's not worth the hours and hours she will have to wait since she can't get a family Dr lol.

I didn't think about taping it.... I will recommend that to her. That is what I did when I broke my finger a long time ago.

**Freedom** · 03-21-2007, 03:04 PM

I broke the middle toe from stubbing it a few years back. Went to the doc, she sent for x rays then agreed, "YUP, it's broke." Gee, I KNEW THAT! It looked like a big purple sausage!

So then she taped it to the toe next to it and said to keep it taped until it felt better, and then keep it taped one week more. AND she told me not to walk around the house bare foot anymore!!!!

She went to med school for THAT! And the bill! (It was less than my deductible so I had to pay it; the x rays were covered.)

Hope your mom feels better soon!

**Catty1** · 03-21-2007, 09:46 PM

Yep, tape the toe next to it for support while it heals.

I did that many years ago...how can something so TINY hurt SOOOOO MUCH!!!!

My sympathies to your mom!

**sparks19** · 03-21-2007, 09:59 PM

LOL well she got some comical relief tonight LOL

Of course you have to know my step dad to find this funny... but he stubbed his big toe tonight in the same place she stubbed hers... it wasn't nearly as hard but it still smarted. Well.... when he stubs his toe he sounds like he has tourrettes. LOL he just lets out this string of profanities for like a minute. It's terrible to laugh at someone else's pain but it's so hard not to with him. He's so darn funny. lol

My mom says it actually hasn't been hurting too bad but two toes are bruised and the bruising is up on top of her foot too.

She wore sandals to work today and said it didn't really hurt her much at all but there are times when she moves it or touches something and it's very sensitive. But I told her to keep icing it... put it up and tape it if she can.

**columbine** · 03-21-2007, 11:43 PM

The only thing people haven't mentioned among rest (frustrating but essential), ice (drippy but the most effective), taping (really reduces collateral damage from when you have to walk to the bathroom), and propping it up (this reduces the time that you have to put up with the rest!) is taking Advil/ibuprofen or aspirin (not Tylenol/acetaminophen; it's not so helpful) to clear the swelling and bruising.

Love, Columbine

**sparks19** · 03-22-2007, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by columbine

The only thing people haven't mentioned among rest (frustrating but essential), ice (drippy but the most effective), taping (really reduces collateral damage from when you have to walk to the bathroom), and propping it up (this reduces the time that you have to put up with the rest!) is taking Advil/ibuprofen or aspirin (not Tylenol/acetaminophen; it's not so helpful) to clear the swelling and bruising.

Love, Columbine

Oh yes.... of course. I hope she has been doing that. I didn't think to mention it but I know she does use ibuprofen for her other aches and pains... I hope she thought to take it for this.

I will remind her though just to make sure. Luckily her job basically requires her to sit all the time so at least THAT will keep her off her feet during the day. She is very stubborn sometimes and can't sit still LOL.

thanks for the advice everyone