Help me create a shoe that isolates any pressure on a broken pinky toe

June 11, 2015 10:34 AM

What kind of footwear can I make/buy to keep my broken pinky toe from getting pressed into the side of my shoe and prolonging my recovery?

I broke my pinky toe. It's not incredibly painful but it's a nagging injury. I'm committed to managing an intensive baseball program for the next 6 weeks and everything I've read online tells me that's how long it's going to take to heal. I cannot stay off of it. I have it taped up and try to limit my movement but all it takes is one jump to catch a ball and I come down on it and I'm right back to square one. I need to isolate it somehow. I have old sneakers that I'm thinking about cutting the toe out of and maybe replacing it with some kind of hard fiberglass shell to widen the area and protect it. Then I can keep the bottom laces loose and tighten the top to keep the toe from pushing toward the front and side of the sneaker. Well, that's my idea, if anyone has any better ideas I'd love to hear them before I get started.

posted by any major dude to Health & Fitness (10 answers total)

Having broken a toe before, shoes with a rigid sole. If you need to be able to walk quickly, a rocker bottom like MBTs have looks dorky but does a good job of keeping your foot rigid.

(It took me more like 8-10 weeks to heal, but it was my second toe, not my little one.)
posted by telophase at 10:40 AM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Bad sneakers and a piña colada, my friend.
posted by little mouth at 10:53 AM on June 11, 2015

If you don't wear a wide sized shoe, now might be a good time to pick one up, too.
posted by Andrhia at 10:57 AM on June 11, 2015

I broke my right pinky toe when I was 15. We just cut out a corner of an old sneaker.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 11:02 AM on June 11, 2015

I broke my left pinky toe six years ago (and it is still somewhat sensitive to touch). The only footwear that I could at all tolerate for those (thankfully, winter) months of healing time were Uggs. They were wide enough that my bad toe was not at all crowded. But I realize now is not exactly Uggs season in the northern hemisphere. My two cents, for what they are worth.
posted by sproggie at 11:03 AM on June 11, 2015

To shield from damage off the field:
wide clogs.
Sanita, not Dansko.
posted by wonton endangerment at 12:01 PM on June 11, 2015

Look for very wide shoes and then add padding. When you aren't playing baseball, wear a good pair of cowboy boots that allow you to wiggle your toes.

You might want to try a large hunting and fishing store like Bass Pro or Cabella's . Much of the footwear there is made for comfort and strength. Plenty of wiggle room for your toes while providing a sturdy shelter. This is the perfect time to shop- they are competing for Father's Day shoppers so you may find some good deals.
posted by myselfasme at 1:04 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

When I broke my pinky tow, I wore a post-op shoe.
posted by gteffertz at 3:46 PM on June 11, 2015

Not sure if you're seeking male or female styles, but if male, I've found Keens to have the roomiest toe boxes, both horizontally and vertically (so the top of the toe box isn't pushing on your toes).
posted by underthehat at 5:26 AM on June 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

I broke my left pinky toe a year ago. I bought a pair of Chacos and wore them every day. They supported my entire foot and didn't put any pressure on my toe. Not sure if this is an option for you during baseball season, but perhaps you can make it work.

I play a sport where I need to wear really tight footwear, and I gotta say -- no amount of taping, isolating or padding helped me be comfortable while the toe was still broken.

It goes without saying, but if you're going to abuse your broken toe by jumping around, make sure you're icing several times a day and taking ibuprofen to reduce the swelling. Try to elevate your foot when sleeping.
posted by stompadour at 7:46 AM on June 12, 2015 [1 favorite]