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Author Topic: OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe  (Read 10386 times)

Offline gunug

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« on: May 17, 2007, 01:22:45 PM »
I was trying to set up a hose to water an area with new grass in it at work but before work started.  I hopped over a "condenser" line hooked to an air conditioner compressor unit and slipped in the gravel and did a flop into the asphalt.  I: 1) knocked the wind out of my fool self, 2) scraped my elbow, 3) scraped my knee, 4) severely overstressed the big toe on my left foot.  The question is (supposedly there are no stupid one's) how does one know that it's broken and do they currently do anything about it!   blink.gif
« Last Edit: May 17, 2007, 01:23:30 PM by gunug »
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Offline RobW

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2007, 02:21:57 PM »
1. x-ray.

2. depends on number 1

3. While TS is a great site for lots of stuff, I'd not recommend seeking your medical advice here. Unless you want one of us to do the old joke of "does it hurt when you go like this?" "Then don't go like that."  Groaner.gif  tomato.gif
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Offline Paddy

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2007, 04:01:55 PM »
While I agree with Rob (about not seeking definitive medical advice here - or anywhere online for that matter) there are some helpful info sites that do have suggestions about what the symptoms might look like:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6044_know-toe-broken.html

Treatment clearly depends on the type and severity of the break:

http://www.healthsquare.com/ndfiles/nd0734.htm
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Offline jepinto

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2007, 08:10:27 PM »
1.  You KNOW when a bone is broke.  There is a spot, in the back-middle of your stomach, back where it resides next to the backbone that TELLS you.  Kinda like when you were a kid and jumped off the side of the pool, and did a flip right after/when you hit the water.  And that doesn't quite do the feeling justice.  But, believe you me, you KNOW.

2.  They basically tell you to keep your weight off of it.  HAH!  But, a pencil, taped or glued to the bottom of your shoe, right under your toe space (you know, the ball of your foot) will do it.  If a pencil is too thick, a couple of popsicle sticks, adjust to fit your step, will do the same thing.
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Offline RNKIII

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2007, 09:25:58 PM »
Happened to me twice while in the service of Uncle Sam...  And in their infinite whizzdom they assigned me 'light duty' the first time (barracks orderly) and the second time they put a steel plate in the sole of my boot so my foot wouldn't flex so much... try a 20 mile hike like that sometime...

X-ray is the only way to 'detect' a broken or cracked bone in the foot... and even then it may not show up on the x-ray due to the complicated structure of the foot and the bones there in..


Best of luck....plenty of Ibuprophan.... and 'light duty'


Bob K.  rnkiii
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Offline gunug

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2007, 01:13:27 AM »
Oh, I sought medical advice yesterday morning, right after it happened; and the Dr's office only got back to me after I left work at 4pm!  I still don't know what they said (probably left a voice mail).  I have health insurance but feel hesitant to contribute my own money to the growing medical industry!  

QUOTE
1. You KNOW when a bone is broke. There is a spot, in the back-middle of your stomach, back where it resides next to the backbone that TELLS you. Kinda like when you were a kid and jumped off the side of the pool, and did a flip right after/when you hit the water. And that doesn't quite do the feeling justice. But, believe you me, you KNOW.


Oh, when I was laying in a puddle on the asphalt I felt that way; It's funny, I just woke up because of pain in my shoulders and upper arms which I apparently wrenched around trying to save myself!  I'm going to sleep in tomorrow morning and go to work in the afternoon.  I have a bruise around the inside and underside of the toe which means, at least, I tore up some blood vessels!  The knee is swollen to about 1-1/4 times the size of the other knee!
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Offline krissel

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2007, 01:25:12 AM »
Sorry to hear of your pains.  But it is important to seek medical care when it involves a part of your anatomy that has to support you in your movement.

I damaged two toes many years ago when they came in full force contact with a pile of roofing shingles which did not give their ground. Hobbling around for a long time and pretending it would just go away was not a good idea. Only recently have I been able to bend the toes substantially. Should have sought attention when it happened but I'm not one of those who runs to the doc unless it's really serious.

So it only took about 15 years to get better.    dry.gif
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Offline Highmac

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2007, 02:33:41 AM »
Broke a middle toe when the motorbike I was riding went along the side of a parked van that had been hidden in fog. Went to casualty and they told me toe WAS broken, "nothing we can do, best thing you can do is walk on it..."


Mind you, that was 40-odd years ago - hopefully medicine has advanced a little since then smile.gif


Hope you recover soon.
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Offline jepinto

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2007, 08:01:58 AM »
QUOTE(gunug @ May 18 2007, 02:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh, when I was laying in a puddle on the asphalt I felt that way; It's funny, I just woke up because of pain in my shoulders and upper arms which I apparently wrenched around trying to save myself!  I'm going to sleep in tomorrow morning and go to work in the afternoon.  I have a bruise around the inside and underside of the toe which means, at least, I tore up some blood vessels!  The knee is swollen to about 1-1/4 times the size of the other knee!
And that is the other side of the coin.  More hurts, WORSE hurts, trying to stop a fall.  A friend survived falling out of a pickup bed, doing 45, because he was too "relaxed" to stop himself.  The MD's said  drink.gif saved his life.  Another friend tried to break a fall on a sticky lane approach...9 months later she finally was able to bowl again.  Compound fractures of ulna or radius do that, you know.
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Offline kimmer

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2007, 09:37:15 AM »
Ouch! Sorry to hear about your aches and pains, gunug.

Like Kris, I banged up a toe, ignored it and now pay the price. One year later it doesn't ache any longer and the doc said, "Well, we could rebreak it and set it." wink.gif  Hah!

Let us know how you're doing.
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Offline Gregg

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2007, 07:18:09 PM »
Hope you're hoppin' around some better by now! Hurt.gif

When I cracked my heel, it didn't show up on a x-ray two days later. But, it didn't get better, so I went to and orthope.. orthoped... a bone doctor. They took another x-ray, and sure 'nuff, there was a little line in there that wasn't supposed to be. Doc said that it's common for the trauma to disguise an internal fracture like that. It still wasn't much better after several weeks, so they put me in a Denver boot, well, a Milwaukee boot, to keep me from flexing and give it a rest. That did it, and I got off the crutches and started an exercise routine that I continue to this day, which has trimmed me down and made me feel better all around.

Good luck!
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Offline sandbox

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2007, 11:43:25 PM »
I like the crunch and grind method myself. Grab hold of the little bugger and listen or feel if it crunches. You can place a microphone on the toe as you move it around. If it needs resetting now would be the time to do it, waiting just makes for a longer healing process. For Broker Toes I recommend Johny Walker Black on ice before you pop it back in place. wink.gif
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Offline gunug

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2007, 09:05:37 AM »
I was on it all day yesterday (Eagle Project and then a dinner with family to celebrate my nephews graduation from Engineering School and acceptance to Medical School) and it's hardly even sore this morning.  I'm thinking now the thing isn't broken.  My knee on the other hand is still fairly swollen so I'm icing it!
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Offline jcarter

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2007, 12:20:53 PM »
Ouch!  That happened to me playing soccar with some guys back when I lived and worked in Bermuda.  I kicked something that wasnt the ball!
My big toe swelled up like a baloon, and turned purple, and it sure did hurt.  I could not get my sneaker on for about a month, so wore bare feet to work or an old pair of sandles that I cut the strap off the front of.
I was too young and dumb to go to the hospital in Hamilton. Thank god I could get my flippers on, as diving was a very important part of my life there.
That toe still hurts if I bump it wrong, and thats like 40 years ago!  So moral of that story, get it xrayed and at least see a doctor to see if the toe can be fixed somehow.
Jane
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Offline gunug

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OT: How can you tell if you've got a broken toe
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2007, 07:03:37 PM »
QUOTE
when I lived and worked in Bermuda.

My step-dad was down there for a grand adventure back in the 1980's; he and his buddies cruised around in a Vietnam era PT-boat and went diving and did everything but kick things that weren't soccer balls!   rolleyes.gif
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