Author Topic: Deep Purple  (Read 1530 times)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Deep Purple
« on: 21 March, 2019, 08:18:52 am »
Tuesday I did 25k in something like 9°C. Must have had a shoe fastened too tightly: in the shower I noticed that my right big toe was deep purple verging on black. It went way in a couple of minutes.

Question: how long can it stay that way on the bike without permanent damage?
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Deep Purple
« Reply #1 on: 21 March, 2019, 08:45:40 am »
Tuesday I did 25k in something like 9°C. Must have had a shoe fastened too tightly: in the shower I noticed that my right big toe was deep purple verging on black. It went way in a couple of minutes.

Question: how long can it stay that way on the bike without permanent damage?

How long did the ride take ?

Do you have full feeling/sensation along the full length of the toe? (poke with a pin, have someone stroke it when you are not looking)

The big issues here are:

- if you've cut off circulation enough to make it go purple or black, there is a build up of toxins, that on resumption of flow, can cause issues in the body. Be careful.

- lack of blood flow can cause you issues with nerve damage, this takes a long time to heal, I had frost bite in December that damaged the nerves on my big toes, and it took nearly 3 months for full feeling to recover.

- Toes are pretty resilient, have a google of Sarah Hammond's toe following the race to the rock, it's a bit scared, but she's kept the full toe.

- If in doubt, talk to a doctor.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

IanN

  • Voon
Re: Deep Purple
« Reply #2 on: 21 March, 2019, 09:02:07 am »
T42, AIUI you are diabetic.
I'm no expert, but is this (mild?) peripheral vascular disease? 
Ask your doctor.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Deep Purple
« Reply #3 on: 21 March, 2019, 09:04:51 am »
T42, AIUI you are diabetic.
I'm no expert, but is this (mild?) peripheral vascular disease? 
Ask your doctor.

Oh, didn't realise you are diabetic. In that case, to the GP with you!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Deep Purple
« Reply #4 on: 21 March, 2019, 09:13:15 am »
Quixotic geek is generally correct but the volume of dead tissue in a big toe is not a problem. If it was your whole leg then that would be a different matter.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Deep Purple
« Reply #5 on: 21 March, 2019, 09:49:21 am »
To be more precise, it was only the very tip of the toe that was dark, and after my shower it was perfectly pink again and sensation is normal - for me, that is: a neurologist's test some years ago put it at 50%. The ride took just over a hour.

Yesterday I did 100+ km with my shoes a bit looser and all toes looked and felt normal afterwards.

I'll be talking to the doc next week some time; I have an analysis due.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight