Maintaining (or minimising loss of) fitness with a broken small toe

mr.b-campag

Broke the small toe on my right foot the other day :-( Doctor doesn't seem to want me to do very much - apparently swimming is ok but not much else. Grateful as I was for their help, it seemed like the usual non-understanding of athletes thing...I'm not sure whether the issue with cycling is that it is likely to slow down healing, or the risk of another accident makes it not worthwhile. I don't have a turbo, but do have some rollers. Maybe I could ride indoors in trainers using my heels? What experience do you have? Has anyone had a slightly more sports savvy doctor give them more specific advice?

TIA.

B

pblakeney

Not sure how cycling with a stiff soled shoe could do any damage.

mr.b-campag

Thanks pb that was my initial thought. I just don't want to risk having it reset again (now that hurt) or long term damage. Was just wondering if anyone had been advised by someone more knowledgable on these things - physio, doctor etc.

womack

Let's hope Geraint Thomas never goes to your doctor!

MattFalle

womack said:

Let's hope Geraint Thomas never goes to your doctor!

why?

ugo.santalucia

Many a-cyclists rode grand tours with broken collar bones, famously Tyler Hamilton, and of course Fiorenzo Magni many years earlier... here seen holding the bars with his teeth



Not impressed by giving up riding because of a toe... tape it to the neighbouring ones and off you go

womack

MattFalle said:

womack said:

Let's hope Geraint Thomas never goes to your doctor!

why?

See Ugo's reply.

MattFalle

womack said:

MattFalle said:

womack said:

Let's hope Geraint Thomas never goes to your doctor!

why?

See Ugo's reply.

right

Bloke who has broken his little toe is a recreational cyclist. He's not a pro, not a neo pro, not national, not county, not sponsored, not paid, not even the best in his club. Probably not even the fastest in his street.

He's a recreational cyclist. He cycles to work and on a Saturday morning for a couple of hours.

Thomas rides his bike for a living and gets paid to do it and his team make money out of him riding his bike.

OP's doctor has told him not to do anything not, because in the patronising words of the OP who, for some reason saw a GP over a broken little toe, because he didn't understand athletes (or even recreational cyclists) needs but because he has to say that because if the OP does anything silly he knows the OP will blame the GP.

The GP has done exactly the right thing - safety first.

Thomas' doctor gives advice to Thomas based on his sporting medical experience and the fact it is Thomas' job - Thomas will also have insisted on riding as it pays his mortgage.

That's the difference fella.

MattFalle

ugo.santalucia said:

Many a-cyclists rode grand tours with broken collar bones, famously Tyler Hamilton, and of course Fiorenzo Magni many years earlier... here seen holding the bars with his teeth



Not impressed by giving up riding because of a toe... tape it to the neighbouring ones and off you go

thanks for going back 60 years Ugo. Nothing recent you could have referenced?

pblakeney

Geraint Thomas. Pretty much every year. 😉

MattFalle

pblakeney said:

Geraint Thomas. Pretty much every race. 😉

ftfy - i hope you don't mind.

photonic69

Tramadol? 30mg Codeine? Give it a few days and man-up and ride?
It's your body. Only you know how it feels. Do what feels right.

MattFalle

Its a small toe.

if you need pain relief for that i'd be deeply worried and saddened......

womack

MattFalle said:

Its a small toe.

if you need pain relief for that i'd be deeply worried and saddened......

Matt. You appear to have contradicted the lecture you gave me up thread with this post.

photonic69

MattFalle said:

if you need pain relief for that i'd be deeply worried and saddened......

Who said it’s for pain relief

Both have excellent recreational properties hehehe

ugo.santalucia

MattFalle said:

ugo.santalucia said:

Many a-cyclists rode grand tours with broken collar bones, famously Tyler Hamilton, and of course Fiorenzo Magni many years earlier... here seen holding the bars with his teeth



Not impressed by giving up riding because of a toe... tape it to the neighbouring ones and off you go

thanks for going back 60 years Ugo. Nothing recent you could have referenced?

I did, Tyler Hamilton... but there are even more recent examples.

Point is, unless the OP wants to spend the next 3 weeks on the sofa, there is nothing that cycling will damage in excess of walking, for example

pblakeney

ugo.santalucia said:

MattFalle said:

ugo.santalucia said:

Many a-cyclists rode grand tours with broken collar bones, famously Tyler Hamilton, and of course Fiorenzo Magni many years earlier... here seen holding the bars with his teeth



Not impressed by giving up riding because of a toe... tape it to the neighbouring ones and off you go

thanks for going back 60 years Ugo. Nothing recent you could have referenced?

I did, Tyler Hamilton... but there are even more recent examples.

Point is, unless the OP wants to spend the next 3 weeks on the sofa, there is nothing that cycling will damage in excess of walking, for example

Less than walking I'd say. Flexing at the toes v stiff cycling soles.

ugo.santalucia

pblakeney said:

ugo.santalucia said:

MattFalle said:

ugo.santalucia said:

Many a-cyclists rode grand tours with broken collar bones, famously Tyler Hamilton, and of course Fiorenzo Magni many years earlier... here seen holding the bars with his teeth



Not impressed by giving up riding because of a toe... tape it to the neighbouring ones and off you go

thanks for going back 60 years Ugo. Nothing recent you could have referenced?

I did, Tyler Hamilton... but there are even more recent examples.

Point is, unless the OP wants to spend the next 3 weeks on the sofa, there is nothing that cycling will damage in excess of walking, for example

Less than walking I'd say. Flexing at the toes v stiff cycling soles.

yes,

the problem is that a GP knows nothing about cycling equipment... and this is one of those cases where you want the opinion of an expert cyclist, rather than that of a GP.
If you have carbon soles, your toes won't budge.
I probably wouldn't try to put down 500W at a low cadence, because it might hurt, but otherwise...

MattFalle

No. you are talking bollox.

the GP does not care a fig for any kind of equipt.

He's not worried about flex. What he's conscious of is healing direction - if you squeeze the foot into any kind of narrow shoe the toe won't heal straight and it'll be crooked, like my big toe after a motorbike accident.

OP can ride all day long if he has something wide fitting - say trainers. Avoid anything that is narrow.

He's also conscious that the OP went to him with a broken little toe, of all things which points to maybe the OP being, well, make your own mind up.

Doctors are quite clever and unfortunately due to the general public, quite risk adverse. He's not going to say anything that may risk anyone whinging at him.

pblakeney

#buyshoesthatfit

mr.b-campag

Wow, lots of judgement going on here. I went to see a doctor on the advice of a medical professional I know. Not becacuse I couldn't bear the pain, but because it was pointing at a funny angle. And I want to be stable on my feet if and when I get old. The doctor I saw is not an expert with athletes, I didn't expect them to be. I respect their professionalism, but wanted to hear if others have any experience that I might learn from, esp. if it had been informed by a medical professional who did have some relevant knowledge. The doctor was not a GP, and they were female. Some of you peeps need to check your prejudice. I hope BR doesn't go the way of some other cycling forums I've seen over the years, because it's starting to feel hard to get a sensible answer to a reasonable question these days.

womack

MattFalle said:

Avoid anything that is narrow.

Ginnels?

ugo.santalucia

The risk is minute, but you can follow the doctor's advice if that makes you feel better. Their job is to minimise your risk.

I had a small surgery on my shoulder, resulting in a few stitches... I was told to avoid cycling for two weeks.
After 9 days I had Paris-Roubaix, so I thought "sod that" and I did it... nothing happened, even when I hit the deck (the cobbles I should say).

A few years earlier I broke my ring finger and was told to keep it in the frame thingy for 3 weeks, but I had to drive to a weekend away with friends, so I removed the frame thingy and didn't put it back... nothing happened.

It's up to you, really

MattFalle

womack said:

MattFalle said:

Avoid anything that is narrow.

Ginnels?

ILG's mind

navrig2

ugo.santalucia said:

The risk is minute, but you can follow the doctor's advice if that makes you feel better. Their job is to minimise your risk.

I had a small surgery on my shoulder, resulting in a few stitches... I was told to avoid cycling for two weeks.
After 9 days I had Paris-Roubaix, so I thought "sod that" and I did it... nothing happened, even when I hit the deck (the cobbles I should say).

A few years earlier I broke my ring finger and was told to keep it in the frame thingy for 3 weeks, but I had to drive to a weekend away with friends, so I removed the frame thingy and didn't put it back... nothing happened.

It's up to you, really

I broke my thumb which was pinned and I was put in a fibreglass cast to my elbow. The doctor clearly said to me ,

"I am advising you that you are not fit to drive until the cast is removed, even an automatic. If your insurance company or the police contact me I will tell them of this advice."

I didn't drive until it was taken off.

ballysmate

Following a hernia op, I was told not to drive for 2 weeks and the doc said that if the need arose, he would inform the police/insurance that I had been so instructed.
Standard instruction following a hernia op, as you cannot operate the pedals as efficiently.

pblakeney

Earlier post vanished saying the same thing. It is legal advice to cover their backs, not medical advice. I had the same for a left ankle cast, even for automatic cars.

navrig2

pblakeney said:

It is legal advice to cover their backs, not medical advice.

That's the cynical view but in reality it is to protect other road users. Even with a 10% reduced driving ability you are a risk.

Doctors are covered by the fact that drivers are legally obliged to self-declare if they develop a condition which may render then unfit to drive.

https://www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions

Ben6899

FWIW, I played football with a broken left big toe (I’m predominantly right-footed). I have a bit of arthritis in it nowadays, which I’m pretty sure would have been the case even if I’d fully rested it.

I’d probably spend a week doing some walking in comfy running shoes.

mr.b-campag

Thanks Ben, it's been a few weeks now so back on the bike pretty much as normal, as well as some swimming. No running yet but will probably wait until it gets a bit cooler in any case.

imposter2.0

What a fantastic thread.

If I had seen this earlier, I would have said: "As soon as you can get your shoe on comfortably, you might as well get back on the bike.."

But it's too late now...