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I broke my toe several years ago. I wore leather soled stiff shoes until it healed. Hurt like the dickens for several weeks, but I have not had any problems with it since it healed.
I had my big toe crushed by a forklift, my mother who's a nurse says to me "they'll just tape it". The Doctor comes in says they have to operate. The one bone was completely fragmented. Small toes are pretty much irrelevant and even if you cut them off it's not much of problem but you can't run without a big toe or do things like push stuff easily. The big toe is actually quite an amazing piece of work when you consider its function. LOL
They put pins in it and wrapped it up with a half cast for four weeks. Hasn't really bothered me in 20 years except it will be the first thing that gets cold if my feet start to get cold in winter weather. The only other thing is it's slightly longer and I have to make sure shoes are not too tight on that foot before purchase.
I dropped a twenty pound weight on my foot, breaking my big toe. All the doc did for it was pull my toenail off, which was hanging by not much. Talk about clumsy, CIB! Doc told me I was luck because my toenail eventually grew back.
I agree, there's not much one can do, unless like coalman you completely shatter a big toe. Elevate your foot at night and maybe take a mild anti-inflamatory. My broken toe took longer to heal than my broken arm! But they do heal, thank goodness.
Last edited by Wicked Felina; 01-20-2009 at 01:43 PM..
I was lucky that it was summer and warm weather when I broke mine. Walked smack into the couch HARD one night. Hurt like nothing else. I knew it was broken by the looks, pain, bruising but did not go to the doctor. I lived in my sports sandals (a pair kind of like some Teva's) with the velcro strap across the toes. Kept my toes straight and did not have to move it much to walk. Also gave some support and cushion as well. Just having to get dressed up was worse but being summer I could wear nice flat sandals when I had to. PITA!!! For sure.
Tape it and don't wear shoes as much as possible. You can get one of those velcro booties which I think makes it go away faster.
Bone healing is independent of "velcro booties" so no, those won't make it "go away faster"
OP
Prognosis is excellent for broken toes. As most here have already mentioned not much you have to do. Just comfort measures, stiff soled shoes or sandals to avoid flexion at the forefoot will help with the pain.
Like most fractures, bone healing takes about 6 weeks ( +/- couple weeks ) but you should notice significant reduction in pain within a couple of weeks as the bone begins to heal...
I've broken a few small toes at various points... the swelling will go down in a week, and you'll be back to normal in a few weeks. They are quite painful, though! Ouch!
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I went for x-rays and it's a slight fracture 
The one bone was completely fragmented. Small toes are pretty much irrelevant and even if you cut them off it's not much of problem but you can't run without a big toe or do things like push stuff easily. 
The big toe is actually quite an amazing piece of work when you consider its function. LOL
