What can I do about my toe spasming?

Big Toe Problem Please Help?

• It's been about a month and a week since I dropped a piece of glass on the area of my big toe that attaches to the rest of the foot. Well there is a tendon that goes through there and you can see it on your foot if you pull your big toe up and down. Well the part where that tendon is is basically swollen and has a scar on it in which I think scar tissue is forming. My big toe now tends to bend inward just a bit. If I put full weight on it, it does straighten out of course, but when I step down lightly it doesn't straighten out at least not like my other big toe. Anyways the podiatrist I went to told me I may have damaged the tendon that pulls the toe upward to straighten out the big toe and the tendon on the bottom of my big toe is pulling on it downward that's why my toe tends to bend downward just a bit only a month into the healing process. The tendon that supposedly is to pull my toe upward is kind of weak at the moment. Anyways I was wondering how long should it take the tendon to heal and for me to walk completely normal like before again and how long should I wait before getting concerned if there is some other problem with my big toe and how it doesn't fully stretch out? Again I did injure my big toe by having a glass shard lacerate it on December 2. I haven't had an MRI on it yet, but did have an X-Ray done on the toe in which no bones were fractured or damaged in any way. The only problem I could see has to be either scar tissue forming to restrict movement of the big toe or pushing it downward, swelling from the trauma making the toe bend downward or what my doctor say of how the tendon on the bottom of the big toe is stronger then the possibly damaged top tendon. I can bend my big toe upward and see the tendon of course pulling.

• Answer:

  Richard, since the extensor hallus longus is damaged it is going to repair at its own rate. Some people are fast healers while others are not. Things that affect the rate of healing are smoking, poor circulation, diabetes, being out of shape, and of course nature. The circulation in that area of the body is not as good as its equivalent the wrist and hand. So it will take longer. One month is not a long time in this. It may take you another month or so before you start to see results in movement and strength. Then there is also the possibility that it will not heal. Then you are going to have to make a decision with your doctor about surgically repairing the tendon. I don't know if you are going to get a scan but it would show the degree of tear present which might be helpful. From the description of the movement of the toe I would think that the tear is mostly on the outside of the tendon but without a scan it is just a guess. Once you get normal or even near normal strength your toe will improve thereby so will your gait.