I’ll just get right to the point: I broke my baby toe.
It was a stress fracture that may have happened during one of my runs on the treadmill or possibly while skating with my kids.
Stress fractures are fractures in the bone that occur from overuse. They aren’t caused by trauma, so this is why it probably happened while running or skating.
But here’s the rub: it happened over six weeks ago and it was just diagnosed a few days ago!
How did this happen?
One word: stubbornness.
How I Went About “Diagnosing” My Injury
You see, I neglected to get proper medical attention when I should have. I know, I know. I’m the publisher of a major health information company and have access to so many doctors and other health professionals.
And that was part of the problem. For example, I would mention to one doctor on the phone that I hurt a toe, and he’d say to ice it.
I’d text another doctor, and he’d tell me to rest it.
A third doctor was e-mailed, and he told me to elevate it and ice it.
I even got an x-ray and was told that there was nothing wrong!
The only problem was that the pain kept getting worse.
I finally went in person to a good friend of mine who’s a doctor of sports medicine and works for a Major League Soccer franchise (so he’s pretty good with foot injuries). He told me that stress fractures might not show up on an X-ray and recommended I get a second set done.
Lo and behold, they found it and today, six weeks from the first feeling of slight pain, I’m in a walking cast that will stay on my foot for the next three weeks.
What I Learned from My Stubbornness
The moral of the story: While it’s great to have access to doctors and health professionals…while being armed with information and advice can help you self-diagnose…when it comes down to it, if you’re not seeing results from the advice you’re being given, go see a healthcare professional in person!
Sure, we can give you the tools to help you understand and navigate your way towards better health. But when it comes to a sudden health occurrence—like a stress fracture—I encourage you to get someone to examine you.
I’m sure glad I did. I just wish I’d done it sooner!