Broken toe

[Wandering Daisy]

I am pretty sure I broke my pinky toe a week ago. I talked to my son-in-law who is an orthopedic hand specialist and ironically he also broke his pinky a few weeks ago, took his own x-ray and now is doing about all one can do, tape toes together. He said with minor breaks high on the upper toe (not the longer bones on the forefoot) using the foot should do no long term harm as long as I can tolerate the pain. I can walk fine now barefoot but cannot put a shoe on the foot yet; am still going to Wyoming for my trips. I can reduce mileage on the first trip and just base camp and fish.

Has anyone else broken a little toe and then hiked on it? Any advise?

[rlown]

Haven't broken a toe, but in case you have issues, are you carrying an InReach? I have lost toenails and hairline break on an ankle and hiked out on it. I did have friends to offload some weight on the trip out. Wasn't the most fun 8 miles out. I love Advil.. Didn't know I broke the ankle until 20 years later after an X Ray after another sprain.

Did you get an X Ray?

[c9h13no3]

I either broke my big toe or sprained the joint back in May, kicked the **** out of a rock trail running. But my threshold for going to the doctor right now is even higher than normal. Just stayed off it for 3 weeks (mostly biking & skiing), then took it easy for a week not running over 5 miles in a session.

There's not much they can do for it other than put you in a walking boot. But I'm also half your age and probably twice as stubborn.

[torpified]

I trashed a pinky toe a few years ago running into a door jamb while chasing the dog around the house. No x-rays, so I can't certify that it was broken. Once I could insinuate the damaged foot into a shoe, walking 2-3 hrs wasn't a big problem. (I mean, I could feel that my toe wasn't quite right, but the feeling didn't register as a reason to stop walking. I wasn't backpacking, just getting out and about, so I didn't try for longer outings.) When I did stop walking, it hurt more, but seemed worth it. If right now I had a broken pinky toe that I could put a shoe on. and a permit, I'd go out, with contingency plans for low mileage/layover days, and hopes of soaking the pathetic digit in chilly water sources. (Calibration: I am not half your age, unless you are 110, and I am not very stubborn.) For what it's worth, I didn't find that taping the pinky to the toe adjacent did much that wearing a shoe wasn't already doing.

[Wandering Daisy]

I too did not injure it doing anything impressive- just got up at night and stupidly clipped the toe on either the bed post or the Victorian skinny legged desk that sits at the foot of the bed. Nice to hear that you were able to walk a few hours in shoes. So far I have been hesitant but I will have to do some short walking tests to be sure it works. Right now the toe does not hurt at all when I wake up but gets a dull ache as the day goes on. No permits required in Wyoming, so I can be very flexible with my routes. Great fishing too so I can base camp and fish. And yes, I did just buy an In-Reach mini so will have that with me. Thanks everyone for your input.

[tlsharb]

Sorry to hear about the toe WD. Hopefully it heals quickly. I'll be hitting the St Lawrence trailhead around 9/10, so maybe I'll see you somewhere is the backcountry of the Winds .

[Wandering Daisy]

I will be done by then; am going to "road trip" slowly back home first week and half in September. Have a great trip!

[rlown]

just do the x ray.. pretty sure you're covered..

[Wandering Daisy]

So I do an x-ray, then what? Seriously I do not want to get near a medical facility right now. It is getting better every day. I bought some oversized wide running shoes and am wearing them now. Still a week before I will be actually backpacking.

[rlown]

There is no risk to get near a medical facility. Take your mask, they scan your forehead and you go in.. My mom just got re-diagnosed with colon cancer. That and her cataract surgery, this has been a hospital week. She's still there.
X rays are easy..

Best to know about the toe before you go.. Carry duct tape in case!