Question
I broke my left pinky toe yesterday, went to urgent care and a primary care doc confirmed it with x-ray. He recomended I go see a Podiatrist or Ortho-Pedic surgeon to have it re-broken, tweeked then pinned but said I didnt have to. I think I am gonna just let it heal as is, but what I dont know is how long until I can walk on it? They gave me crutches but I am able to hobble around the house using the heel... is this bad? Also, how long do I keep it up and use ice? Thanks!

Answer
HI Davese,

A fracture of the pinky toe may seem like no big deal.  However, if the bone is displaced or the fracture goes in to the joint you may end up with long-term pain without treatment.  Also you could have a dislocation of the toe.  If the doctor thought it was bad enough to pin, I'm not sure why doing nothing was an option.  I would see a podiatrist ASAP.

Sincerely,

Marc Katz, DPM
Tampa, FL
Advanced Podiatry
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