Haven't been able to get in my jiu jitsu :(

I've been MIA on the workout threads b/c last week Tue (going on 2 wks now), I was injured in class.  I sprained some joints in my toes (proximal phalanges, btw), 4 out of 5 of them on one foot, plus a minor ankle sprain. 

Walking sucked ass for awhile, but the worst of the swelling finally went down.  I still have plenty of bruising, but I'm pretty sure that it's "fresh" bruising.  I've had to continue, you know, doing life & walking around.  At times, when I'm under time pressure, I've been walking as fast as I could (not all that fast) & had every step hurt.  I figure that's probably what the fresh bruising is from.  I haven't gone to the dr (it's a $$ issue), but I doubt if anything's broken b/c I have at least 60 - 70% of the mobility back, it only seriously hurts when I'm trying to flex the joints & they reach the end of their range, but it's not a SHARP pain.  Every so often, I accidentally jam it against something & that's not so hot of a feeling, either, but I think normal for being sprained.  I broke my wrist once as a youngster & remember jambing it about a week later & it was horrible, so despite all the continual fresh bruising, I can't help but think it's just a sprain & not broken.  It's still a little swollen too, around the 2 of the 4 joints & my ankle. 

I think I'll probably have to give myself at least another few days off, I don't want to exacerbate it & prolong the whole thing, but I seriously miss exercising!  I know I've got some weights around here SOMEWHERE, as well as an old pilates tape.  I might just pull that out for arms & abs section workouts b/c my mood's just not as good.  I don't feel as rested, as energetic, as happy-go-lucky (no, I'm not depressed!), just not my normal self.  Ugh!

Sooo, based on what I wrote, would you agree it probably is just a sprain & I should probably just give it another week?  My mom keeps suggesting that she thinks going on 2 weeks with continual fresh bruising & swelling (not nearly as bad, though) means there's probably something broken.  I think she's just being a mom . . . what do you guys think?  If I go to the dr, I'm paying the whole thing &, um, I'm a student right now & $$ is TIGHT.  I don't want to have to go!

I have broken a thumb and fell and sprained one wrist and broke one of the bones in the other wrist.  The thing is, I didn't have much more pain in the break than the sprain except doing certain things.  I'd also say if you're getting fresh bruising, I'd certainly check it out.  Not too sure what they do with feet, but you aren't doing yourself any favors by toughing it out not knowing for sure what it is.  Down the road is when things get worse.  

If you can find a way to make sure after this amount of time, I would.  2 weeks is a long time to be having that much pain.

Linn

I would advise getting it checked out, especially because bones in the feet are extremely vulnerable to stress fractures and if you don't let it heal properly, you could be out of exercising for a long time.  A stress fracture and sprain can be a lot alike in terms of pain level.

If you are a student, perhaps the school has a medical clinic that's free where you could at least get it looked at.  Or is there is a free medical clinic nearby that you could go to?

I'm guessing any doc would want to see an x-ray, so maybe there are resources out there to help pay if you don't have the money.  Look at it as, yea, it may cost some $$ now, but A LOT of $$$ later w/o treatment.

Good luck

Brian
~350

Thanks for the replies~  My anatomy teacher also told me today that it sounds like it could be broken, especially since there's continual fresh bruising & swelling after 2 wks (well, tomorrow).   She actually does ski patrol too & is used to looking at injuries.  *SIGH*

The student clinic was a good idea, but I'm actually working on my second degree & am just attending a local tech college at the moment for prerequisite courses to get into a BSN program at a local university, so there's no student clinic.  What's really ironic is that I DO have health insurance, but it's out of state here & I have a $2k out-of-network deductible, which is why I would be paying for it.  Ironic, b/c I'm also paying $150/month for the health ins.  UGH!!

Most counties have a free health clinic or something, so check around the local county website and see what's available, if you haven't already done that.

Sucks with the insurance situation, best thing you can do now is rest and not push things.

Brian
~350