So, possibly a broken toe...

[Tom Treutlein]

The big toe on my right foot might be broken. Not sure exactly, and I'd rather not go to a doctor or hospital. Just don't like 'em. It happened sparring with a friend. Barefoot and all, I kicked with my right foot and...well, it's hard to describe what happened but my toe was slammed into the ground. The skin just in front of the tip of the nail was ripped off (about an inch wide, across the whole toe) and it was bleeding from underneath. I iced it almost immediately and used some peroxide (burned like a mother) to cleanse it just in case. Don't need infections, since we were sparring in the yard with grass, dirt and such...

So, now it just stings every so often (happened about 11 AM, I guess, it's 3:00 PM now) and it hurts to put pressure on it at all. I can't press down on my toe. So...what should I do? If it is broken, how long would it take to heal?

If it's a sprain, how long?

I'd really rather treat the problem on my own. Partially due to me being stubborn and proud. And the fact I hate physicians and such.

 

[young guns]

Well, I can't speak for a toe sprain, but I sprained my ankle about 5 weeks ago sparring. It's still not 100%. The orthopedic told me it could take 6 weeks if I'm lucky, or longer (up to 2 months or so) for it to heal. Like I said, I can't speak for a toe, but I assume the same holds pretty much true for any bad sprain. The ligament damage due to a bad sprain takes quite awhile to heal. In the case of my sprain, there was alot of swelling (my ankle and foot got huge). Ice and elevation is what I was told. Elevate as much as possible and ice 3-4 times a day for the first few days, then a couple times a day until it quites swelling.

If it's broken, there's a chance it'll never heal right. That's why breaks are set and casted, so they can heal in the proper position. And, from what I understand, clean breaks often heal faster than bad sprains (4-6 weeks or so), you just have to deal with the pesky cast. But it saves from the bone healing "incorrectly" and you having permanent discomfort and affected movement because of it.

Of course, the pain could be due to you ripping so much skin off. The important thing is the decipher if the pain is just in the end of the toe, or if it's in the joint too. Can you move your toe freely? Does it hurt to move the toe, or only when you put pressure on it? If you're feeling pain in the joint area then you may be dealing with a sprain or break.

It's your call to get it checked or not. You could always give it a couple days and if you get alot of swelling and pain, or it gets worse, then go get it looked at, if you're really against going to the doc right now.

 

[bigstve12]

Im not a toe expert by any means, but from what i understand is that if you go the doc with a broken toe they dont even cast it...just send you home with pain killers and NSAIDS. So ice, rest, elevate and all that good stuff. Take some ibuprofin to help with the pain and inflammation.