Injury...advice?

This sounds really stupid to me, but I'm going to post about it anyway. I injured my middle toe on my left foot yesterday. I was punching (practicing my one-steps) on a bag. You know those bags that have the plastic bottom to fill with water or sand to hold them upright? Well I was going towards it with a high left block, and I stepped a bit too close to the bag. My middle toe caught on the plastic, bending it wrong (basically a hyperextension) and it tore a little bit of my nail off...nothing major. Well it swelled up nicely that evening. I put ice on it once I saw the bruise colors. I did a little contrast therapy, and that made it swell up more...so I've just put ice on it. It is feeling better now, I can place more weight on my left foot.

My question is this, I have a tournament this Saturday, and I need to be in good enough shape for it. So I've been keeping it elevated as much as I can. Keeping shoes off my feet, and just taking it easy. Is it possible, since it is just swollen right now, not seriously damaged, that I can get good enough to participate in the tournament? No sparring, just forms and one-steps. I'm not sure, I could use a few opinions on this....and/or recommendations for treatment.

TKD=Lots of foot injuries. Welcome [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Whether you will compete or not is pretty much up to you. It'll probably still hurt but if you can focus on your form and not your toe, you should be fine.

There really isn't much you can do for it that you're not already doing. Understand that as a TKD practitioner, this is a type of thing that will be more the rule than the exception, so I would make every effort to still compete. Good luck!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gemini:
TKD=Lots of foot injuries. Welcome [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Whether you will compete or not is pretty much up to you. It'll probably still hurt but if you can focus on your form and not your toe, you should be fine.

There really isn't much you can do for it that you're not already doing. Understand that as a TKD practitioner, this is a type of thing that will be more the rule than the exception, so I would make every effort to still compete. Good luck![/QUOTE]

My plan is to still compete. As long as my injury isn't head or jaw related, I'm pretty good about still going. I had an ankle injury a long time ago, and the only reason I couldn't "walk it off" was because I couldn't feel my leg. I hit it that hard, against another persons leg. hahah

I do intend on competing...just didn't know if there was anything else that I could do to help the healing process. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Thanks!

I heard zinc helps...atleast thats what a friend of mine whom peirces people as a living tells his customes to help their new holes heal faster. I heard broccoli is pretty good to eat for healing too. Whether it really helps or not who knows, but extra broccoli never hurt anybody and a 50mg zing pill doesn't hurt either (although i heard more than that a day can "back you up" if you know what I mean)

It should be good enough for forms in a week. If it's not then you might want to head to your Doc's to make sure it's nothing more serious.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gemini:
TKD=Lots of foot injuries. Welcome[/QUOTE]

Ain't that the truth. Always seems like I injury my foot or toes. The worst was the second toe next to the big toe. I was practicing high kicks preparing for a jump front kick and caught this toe on the mat and it bent under my foot so when my foot was flat you couldn't see the toe. Pain, swelling and it took a better part of 5 to 6 months to heal. This didn't stop my training, I taped it to some good toes and was on my way.

I don't know of anything that will heal it faster. Keeping it elevated and then alternating heat and cold every 10 to 20 minutes is all I can offer. The cold will help reduce the swelling where as the heat will help the blood flow. I'd only alternate this up to 4 times. And if you plan to do anything like spar or forms, etc., tape the toe to the good ones to keep it in place thus reducing further injury.

Good Luck

Take some pain reliever a couple of hours before you do your form to cut down on the pain from it, so you can focus.

And good luck.

JC