Exercising with a (potential) hairline fracture on my little toe

January 24, 2022 3:53 PM

My little toe and the area around it (including the area just under it on the sole of my foot) has been black and blue and kind of swollen for around ten days. The black and blue mark is slowly starting to fade now. And the swellings reduced (I’ve been resting a lot). My orthopaedic specialist who’s seen an X-ray of my foot is convinced it’s a hairline fracture - but wants to confirm this with an MRI. The issue is that I need to wait 3 weeks for an MRI. How do I exercise in the meantime?

I can’t remember how this happened but I think I may have stubbed my toe (I walk into things all the time) or hurt myself when I played with my dog and her football (I was most probably in flip flops when we played).

I can’t quite walk on my foot and need to walk on my heel. I have an appointment to see my specialist after my MRI but that’s a couple of weeks away.

In the meantime, could I do resistance band exercises whilst lying on a mat. I’m slim and I tend to lose tone in my thigh area very fast. What else could I do? I can’t swim or cycle at the moment (logistical issues - live on the fourth floor in a building without a lift/elevator).

posted by bigyellowtaxi to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

Try this one, it's pretty short and I think it hits all your points. I'd probably repeat the cycle twice or more just to make it ~10min or so. When I do it myself I use 10 breaths or lifts or something as a counting method. Frog sit-ups are good too (mine are still frog crunches as it turns out), as well as hollow-holds and supermans.
posted by rhizome at 4:27 PM on January 24, 2022

Just wait three more weeks, never mind an MRI of your little toe. As you can see, nothing is going to happen, even if it is cracked. If it isn't better, then get an MRI.
posted by Oyéah at 7:02 PM on January 24, 2022

Push-ups from the knees, crunches, arm dumbbells.
Isometric flexes- just squeeze and hold and muscle.
Or ... just rest! Let your body put all its resources into healing your foot.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:52 PM on January 24, 2022 [2 favorites]