Blue belt Tae Kwon Do despite a subluxed toe

Friday I passed my test to get blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. I love Tae Kwon Do, but at my age I certainly have to be more careful. One minute into the test, I heard my left little toe snap while I was doing a 180 reverse double round-house: the floor was padded differently than the gym I practice at, and my toe did not slip while my foot was turning, causing my toe to be rotated sideways beyond its capacity. The snap sounded like a carrot being snapped into two. No one else heard!

I persisted through rest of the test, doing the patterns, the 1 step, 3 step and free sparring, and board breaking, despite my handicap. It was awfully unpleasant, I’d loose focus very easily halfway through a move when I’d get a jolt of pain that would make me wine, tense up, loose some balance, forget where I was in the pattern, etc. The other 3 tests I did — yellow, orange, and green — all went so well, I can say they were in fact “fun” to do, but not this one! Anyways I made it through.

Of course no one knew what had happened until after the test, when they noticed I put ice on my toe. My wife said she thought something was odd during the test, the way I was awkward and slower then everyone else. Master thought maybe the crowded test floor (we were two rows of four simultaneously testing) was affecting my focus, “you weren’t your usual self, now I know why”.

It was funny when the Grand Master and Master asked me, after I limped my way (as little as I could) to the front to get my certificate, whether I injured myself, and they asked to see my toe; I had to show them my little toe that at that point, really didn’t look too injured I bet, but it sure hurt. My wife took a photo of that moment, she thinks that’s really funny, I’ll try to post it.

One black-belt told me it happens every once in a while to someone, esp. to people who are not used to practicing on that type of mat. I still managed to break that board on fourth try despite having to do a 180 on my injured foot, but I had to yell loud (probably to dampen out the pain in my foot!).

Now we are two days later, it’s definitely healing, rather quickly I’d say. Bare feet I walk pretty much normally. With sandals I still limp a bit but it’s getting a bit better. I’m hoping I’m well enough next weekend to do some indoor rock-climbing with the kids, I’ll see.