The joint part of my big toe hurts. It makes me limp. Can’t fully raise my right toe, or squeeze fully. It sometimes hurts a bit like it’s broken. I did not hit it anywhere. It started slowly yesterday. And I walked quite a bit yesterday.
No problem on my left foot.
I’m using new shoes after like 6 years. This shoe (winter boot) puts more pressure on my foot. I’m also walking more than usual.
Ps I’m not asking for medical advice :)
I hate to take a break from traveling because all my bad habits come back when I take a break. It happened last month and it was genuinely horrible.
Adding images (I have pes planus)
How old are you? Do you eat a lot of meat or sugar/carbs? It’s possible you’re experiencing gout. If so, it can help to take cherry extract which is likely available over the counter.
Look up “stress fracture” in toes. When I was younger and did a lot of backpacking in the High Sierras with overweight packs and not great boots, I ended up with stress fractures.
Are you serious? It started yesterday, is minor, and has a clear cause, and you’re looking at flights to return home and stop traveling?!? Maybe you’re not cut out to be a nomad if you’re ready to give up that quickly. Life happens while you’re a nomad. You’ll get injured, sick and heartbroken, you may lose your job. These things happen. They’re the same when you’re on the road as when you’re in one place. You need to ask yourself what you need to heal, and then do that. You walked a lot yesterday. To heal, you need some rest for a day or two. You don’t need to take a flight anywhere, which will just put more strain on your foot. Just chill in your Airbnb for a day, elevate your foot, watch Netflix, take a painkiller. You’ll feel better soon! Going home isn’t going to help.
This scenario can be found in page 104 (paragraph 5) of the official DN Handbook. I’m afraid it doesn’t look good (shakes head). How are your amputation skills and do you have a relatively sharp knife?
Keep travelling but reduce/minimise walking until pain is better. Maybe even a day or two. You’ll know its walking/shoe related if reducing activity also reduces pain.
Change your shoes. Likely your new boots are the issue. Recommend something supportive like a good pair of sport shoes. Don’t even try to “wear” in your new boots. They should not be causing this level of pain from day one. Get a new pair and make sure you are fitted properly for both width and length.
Pes planus will also mean you put a lot of pressure on the insides of your feet which will further “jam” your big toe joint. Supportive footwear will help reduce the load on your big toe joint. Orthotic insoles may also help.
I’ve been wearing my new shoes for a few weeks now.
I’m taking a break. Feels worse than broken foot now
Probably a combination of your pes planus + new boots + increase in walking.
Definitely rest. Does the pain improve with rest? And get worse with activity?