Sore toe

[rlyons]

So...my toe is still sore after my teacher pulled it and I am going to see a doctor as I am back in town tomorrow....but....do I see a GP who probably won't have a clue or a physiotherapist...or a chiropractor or even a podiatrist???? Please help! I am so disillusioned about western medicine, I have to say...normally one visits the GP, then is sent to a specialist and it ends up costing SOOOO much money so I would like a little input before I head down this road.

The toe is simply painful when rubbed the wrong way but looks normal and is does not hurt when I move it unless I point it.

Thanks!

[Serendipity]

Podiatrist. Forget the rest of them. You need someone who's an expert in feet!

[rlyons]

Thanks Serendipity! I have found a local guy on Yelp.

[Serendipity]

Yelp? That sounds very appropriate! LOL!

[rlyons]

YES!!! LOL!

[Balletlove]

How is the toe doing rlyons? Have you been to the podiatrist yet?

[rlyons]

The earliest appointment I could get was for next Tuesday at 10am. It's hard to get anything done with the holidays!

I will update. I really want to go to class on Monday as that's when they start up again...the toe is not BAD ...just THERE....

I guess I will see how it feels on Monday..I am thinking it could be a trapped nerve as it tingles a little...

I guess that the podiatrist will know something!

[rlyons]

I went to the podiatrist and he examined my foot...or should I say FEET!? (As he looked at both). The injury is just soft tissue and will get better he said but the less I use the toe the better so I will tell my ballet teachers that I cannot fully use that toe right now. If it isn't getting better, he suggested a cortizone shot. He DID offer for me to wear a surgical shoe for 4 weeks, but I am not really prepared to do that and he also said that the injury didn't really warrant that.

He took x rays and all looked good. I also found out that my bone is nice and dense and strong;)

I ALSO found out that because of my hyperextension, everything will hurt more, the more I dance...and if I had tried to be professional back in my early youth, my body would not have handled all the work that well....so just as well I am a visual artist!! )

He pointed out that I have bunions on my feet but not the kind that spread out to the side of the foot, they are on top of the foot; biggish, bony deposits. He said that I probably had these since a child. One other thing, my big toes curl UP rather than down (more of the hyperextension issue) which is NOT what podiatrists necessarily like to see

Overall, I guess I am glad I went as I found out that it is nothing very serious; just annoying and a bit sore still...

[ami1436]

rlyons,

 

This should probably be on Health and Nutrition. But I just want to say -- I don't know how you can do class without using your toe. No grand plies, no tendus, etc. -- I'm saying this just to encourage you to be careful to prevent greater injury.

[Serendipity]

Glad it's going to get better. As with most injuries, rest usually does the trick, while using the offending limb/digit exacerbates it. We know the score!

 

I'm sure the doc gave you some practical advice, too, like icing it after class, etc. That's what mine did with the various parts of my foot that were hurt over the past couple of years. I have the FHL thing again (definite injury this time, not just an ache from working on a bad floor) so I'm following my doc's previous advice and it's getting better rapidly.

[rlyons]

Thanks for the concern..I definitely won't be stupid about it. I can still point my foot a little without pain atall...the only problem is if I try to point it REALLY well. I am not on pointe so I don't have that worry (yet!;))

I worked fine in class yesterday without exacerbating the problem and told my teacher that it was too sore to work excellently and he was cool about me working it less.

I would be the first person to completely rest it right now if it was more serious...it's just a niggling little issue right now.

I will ice it and rest it as much as possible

[luceroblanco]

Rlyons, It doesn't bother you when you releve?

[rlyons]

Luceroblanco, no not atall...it ONLY hurts if I point it to the last and if I rub it abruptly; like for instance, just now my boyfriend accidentally leaned on it!! OUCH!!!!

[luceroblanco]

Ok. I guess the doctor knows what is best. He didn't say it was a tendon or ligament pulled? How long did he say it was going to take to heal?

[rlyons]

All he said was soft tissue damage and that it'll take about 5 weeks...I think it's been about 3 at this point (or so..) The xray just showed the bone, which was fine.

It is not too hard to just point a little less for now. The doc didn't have a problem with that.

He did say that if it doesn't go away, that a cortizone shot would probably do the trick...I am into healthy alternative medecine though..so not too eager about that

 

I don't even know I have the problem unless I hit the toe or try to point very well...otherwise it's fine. I can releve easily, grand plie easily, even releve on the right foot only....and my tendus are easy as long as I am not pointing very hard.