Potential broken toe, not sure what to do?

Foot care
1

Good evening,

(I'm from the UK, thought it best to mention that first).

On 28th Feb I stubbed my little toe pretty hard. It made a horrible cracking sound and (obviously) hurt quite a lot and made me feel sick for a while. As I felt it, I could feel a sort of grinding/crunching sensation within my toe. I called 111, they advised go to A&E. I did, and left after seeing triage as they advised that broken or not, they wouldn't do anything other than strap it to my next toe which I could do at home. I took some ibuprofen which eased the pain and kept it strapped for a couple of days.

I kept an eye on it, and it didn't 'react' in the way I expected or had read that broken toes usually did, i.e. it wasn't really bruised or particularly swollen, the nail was fine, it wasn't misshapen and I could walk fine with no pain.

As it seemed normal, I decided to go to the gym on Saturday with it strapped and was planning on stopping immediately if I felt any discomfort or pain, but I didn't and it seemed fine. It then ached very slightly yesterday (1/10) and was still making the grinding sensation if I touched it. I was advised by a pharmacist that if it was fractured or broken, that the impact from the gym was just going to keep refracturing/rebreaking the bone, and I would end up with more complications.

Had it happened at any other time in my life, I wouldn't have minded resting it for several weeks just in case. But I have an extremely important event that I am training for and I really need to carry on if possible. The problem is, I don't even know if it is broken because I had none of the symptoms the internet suggested I might, and without an X-ray I don't think anyone can tell me for certain what is and isn't safe for me to carry on doing.

So my question is, considering I injured myself over a week ago and it's not causing me really any problems, what should I do? Going back to A&E and asking for an X-ray seems really OTT but I can't tell whether running is or will be doing more damage without one.

2

Hi kaybarker

I think it would be best to visit your GP who may send you for an X-ray if they suspect a fracture.

3

Hi Sigatoka,

Thanks for the response. There isn't a way I can say this without sounding impatient but I am realistically looking at two weeks wait before I would get into see my doctor, which would mean I'm in limbo during that time as to what I should/shouldn't be doing. Knowing my GP as well, if the hospital wasn't offering to X-ray it while I was there initially, there's almost no chance they will go against the hospital's advice (a relative went to the GP complaining of reoccuring chest pains and was sent away after a quick listen to their chest - that's how 'thorough' they are).

4

So I managed to get a cancellation today and went to my GP. My injury wasn't examined, and I've been told that I "cannot have an x-ray because it makes no difference to the treatment".

I tried to explain that the difference it would make was whether I decided to run on it again or leave it a few more weeks to heal, and why that was a crucial decision.

Now I really don't know what to do; I was only told not to run if it hurt to do so (which is obvious and it doesn't) so I'm no clearer than I was a few days ago except that I'm not allowed an x-ray.

5

When you break a toe you are in extreme pain

6

Hi Brenda,

I was in a lot of pain when I did it, as well as feeling sick, etc as explained in my initial post.

My concern is the now grinding sensation (how you mind expect bone rubbing on bone to feel) that is occurring. Baring in mind I cannot get my other, healthy toe to produce the same feeling. I also have a protrusion that looks similar to a 'bunionette' which again I do not have on the other foot.

So I am not necessarily inclined to believe that just because there is no pain, that it's not broken. I had a cat who snapped her femur in two and could still scratch her head with her back leg without pain because of the angle of the break.