Possible solutions to riding with a broken toe. Input appreciated!

[Veloce-Fino]

Long story short, I broke my big toe on my left foot months ago and it healed improperly due to my never seeing a doctor. I never had any problems until I started working 12 hour shifts while home for the summer at a restaurant. After three weeks I was unable to walk and completely unable to ride due to not being able to shift. A few x-rays later and I find that I have excess bone growing into the joint of my big toe and around the inside of the toe.

Taking steroids (not the awesome kind) to reduce inflammation and help alleviate pain but I still can't ride because the shifter sits right on the affected area and causes immense pain when I even attempt to touch the shifter with my boots on.

So basically until my surgery on the 15th of June I need to rig up some way to ride without allowing the pressure from the shifter to touch any area on the front of my foot. Basically from the top joint forward.

I was thinking some kind of sheet metal taped to the top of my boot?? Any suggestions?

[ian48th]

I broke my left big toe last summer and was able to ride okay with my steel-toe work shoes on.  They're a little clumsier and you can't feel the shifter as well, but it's better than not being able to ride.  Borrow a pair from a friend to test ride or go find yourself a cheap pair.  You'll still want to immobilize that toe inside the boot.

[Veloce-Fino]

I broke my left big toe last summer and was able to ride okay with my steel-toe work shoes on.  They're a little clumsier and you can't feel the shifter as well, but it's better than not being able to ride.  Borrow a pair from a friend to test ride or go find yourself a cheap pair.  You'll still want to immobilize that toe inside the boot.

Good thinking, My a* riding boots are fairly thin on the top.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Have you asked the Dr. if you can still safely ride? This might not be something you should be doing....

[Veloce-Fino]

Have you asked the Dr. if you can still safely ride? This might not be something you should be doing....

Bleh, what could happen?? I stopped taking all of the meds he prescribed with the exception of the steroid which has no effect on response/emotion/reasoning. No painkillers or anything.

Plus doctors are always saying stupid shit about injuries. When I broke my clavicle I was told that I had to remain in bed for a week and then not move the arm for a month...  Needless to say I drove back to college 2.5 hours the following day continued classes the day after. Never spent a minute lying in bed. Within 6 months I was training with heavy weight while the doctor said I was still too fragile to hold a gallon of milk. He would like me to believe I was made of glass. 

Bottom line, I know my body better than some doctor who got a diploma 30 years ago with outdated medical information injected into his brain by the drug companies. 

I do appreciate the concern though

^^ Can you tell I'm agitated from not being able to ride??

[DoubleEagle]

You can try shifting clutch less and use your left hand to pull up on the shift lever .

Just pull a little before you cut the throttle just a hair and the transmission should shift w, no problem.

Granted you will be in a race tuck position when you shift ...but hey...it's one way you can ride.

Dolph     

[He Man]

get a suicide shifter

[Raux]

find an old shifter from a single i think. it has forward and back levers like the harleys. no need to lift.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Bleh, what could happen?? I stopped taking all of the meds he prescribed with the exception of the steroid which has no effect on response/emotion/reasoning. No painkillers or anything.

Plus doctors are always saying stupid shit about injuries. When I broke my clavicle I was told that I had to remain in bed for a week and then not move the arm for a month...  Needless to say I drove back to college 2.5 hours the following day continued classes the day after. Never spent a minute lying in bed. Within 6 months I was training with heavy weight while the doctor said I was still too fragile to hold a gallon of milk. He would like me to believe I was made of glass. 

Bottom line, I know my body better than some doctor who got a diploma 30 years ago with outdated medical information injected into his brain by the drug companies. 

I do appreciate the concern though

^^ Can you tell I'm agitated from not being able to ride??

I can tell you're about twenty something   

[Veloce-Fino]

find an old shifter from a single i think. it has forward and back levers like the harleys. no need to lift.

You mean a floorboard style shifter? That could work, it would look hilarious also.

You can try shifting clutch less and use your left hand to pull up on the shift lever .

Just pull a little before you cut the throttle just a hair and the transmission should shift w, no problem.

Granted you will be in a race tuck position when you shift ...but hey...it's one way you can ride.

Dolph     

Hah, this just sounds dangerous as hell. I don't even know if I can reach my shifter with my hand from the seated position. I can just see myself drifting off the road trying to grab the shifter to get out of first.

I can tell you're about twenty something   

Guilty as charged.

[Raux]

Something like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Moto-Guzzi-Stornello-125cc-Shift-Lever-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem20ac2fc40eQQitemZ140327765006QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[cyrus buelton]

Bleh, what could happen?? I stopped taking all of the meds he prescribed with the exception of the steroid which has no effect on response/emotion/reasoning. No painkillers or anything.

Plus doctors are always saying stupid shit about injuries. When I broke my clavicle I was told that I had to remain in bed for a week and then not move the arm for a month...  Needless to say I drove back to college 2.5 hours the following day continued classes the day after. Never spent a minute lying in bed. Within 6 months I was training with heavy weight while the doctor said I was still too fragile to hold a gallon of milk. He would like me to believe I was made of glass. 

Bottom line, I know my body better than some doctor who got a diploma 30 years ago with outdated medical information injected into his brain by the drug companies. 

I do appreciate the concern though

^^ Can you tell I'm agitated from not being able to ride??

I think your Orthopedic Surgeon probably knows a little bit more about your toe and your injury then you do, bro.


Riding is probably making it worse, which could cause further complications during surgery time.


Best of luck.

I'd stay off the bike.

[mstevens]

steroid which has no effect on response/emotion/reasoning.

What on earth makes you think corticosteroids have no brain effects? Psychosis and profound mood changes are relatively common side effects with them.

I understand you're vastly more medically knowledgeable than someone who wasted time in medical school actually learning trivial stuff like anatomy (which has totally changed over the last 30 years, bro). However, it sounds as if there's a pretty good chance that if you'd consulted one of those useless idiots in the first place, you'd be riding pain-free now.

Of course this sounds harsh. I spend way too much of my time patching back together people who know far more about their own bodies than I do, that's all. They're the first to reject my fuddy-duddy recommendations, and the first to blame me when ignoring those recommendations leads to trouble.

[Raux]

just to get things to a sane level.

maybe your steroids are affecting your judgement cause your assessment of doctors was a bit harsh.

just saying. BUT i still think i came up with a solution for shifting

[OwnyTony]

My idea (it seems others have mentioned it) is to get steel toed boots and change/reverse your shift.  So instead of putting your toes under the shifter to lift up to go up one gear, you push down with the balls of your foot. 

My reasoning is that shifting up gears is more "important" to me than shifting down.