Toe Injuries- Come One Come All

I'm about 20 years into my climbing career and have been dealing with all sorts of toe injuries in the last 4-5.  Looking to crowd source whatever info I can after spending 3 years with 2 podiatrists and not ever feeling like I got the right answer.  So if your toes a jacked up because of climbing and you're willing to share, I want to hear about it.

I've been diagnosed with subchondral defects, and torn ligaments, and osteophytic lipping (bones spurs- spare me the cheeto-in-chief jokes) at the MTP and first IP joint of the great toe.  Some of these conditions are bilateral. And there's more to list...  None of these injuries were acute, at least not as far as I can remember.  All have slowly cropped up over time, starting as a minor ache and eventually going full on Hulk Hogan on me.

It's never ending.  Worn othro boots for entire climbing seasons.  Had surgery to correct the subchondral defect.  Which went well but resulted in torn ligaments down the road (from limited ROM?).  Worn rigid carbon fiber insoles in my stiffest shoes for normal day to day.  Switched to climbing exclusively in TC Pros, is there a stiffer shoe anyone recommends? And haven't worn downturned anything in several years.

I sound really whiny but I'm just hoping to hear stories from others, hopefully with better outcomes.  Cheers!!!

It's hopefully only a minor injury that will resolve itself with more rest, but a couple weeks ago I sprained something around the MTP joint of my big toe. I stood up with my left foot kind of awkwardly stuffed into a pod on slab and suddenly felt a sharp pain in the big toe. I went to see a doctor, but so far have been given no more specific diagnosis/treatment than "ligament sprain" (possibly turf toe?) and RICE. I did get an X-ray, which showed no bone abnormalities.

The doctor didn't seem interested in offering a specific explanation of how it happened, but the one common thread I've seen in a few other reports of similar big toe sprains while climbing was that people were wearing old/blown out shoes. I was, too, so perhaps that was a contributing factor.

Tried climbing easier stuff in approach shoes last weekend since walking was feeling fine and ROM was getting close to normal. Unfortunately any time I had to put most of my weight on the left foot, especially on smaller holds on slab, was still pretty painful.

I would also like to hear positive stories/things that helped people ease back into climbing with similar injuries! Hope you find something that works for you, Andy.

Edit: Currently at nearly full ROM with only mild soreness if done passively, but active ROM is pretty painful at the extremes. Went to a follow-up where my doctor said that the pain mostly in active ROM suggests a tendon injury but just prescribed more rest.

I had something wrong with my big toe (I think in the same place as Etha's) but no clue on what my MOI was - it's in my smaller foot so tight shoes didn't make sense, and I'm also not wearing the tightest shoes. I was convinced it was hallux rigidus and 'career' ending, or maybe a stress fracture, but probably cancer (went down the WebMD rabbit hole hard!). Didn't bother me so much to climb, but shoes on and off were murder, and anything in a plank position was a no go.

 Went to PT, basically got a hella massage, and he assured me it wasn't a life changer.  Over a few weeks it's much better. I did take it easy on the running while resting it, and my suspicion is that I got overzealous doing burpees or something dumb like that. I also started wearing stiffer every day shoes - a summer in foam flip flops didn't seem to help. I'd say I'm at 98% now?

ETA: and I'm fukken never doing burpees again.

Been climbing a year and have recently started to wear down turned shoes. I tried a pair a half size smaller than my street shoe size and did some bouldering sessions in them after which I apparently damaged the nerve in my big toes to the the point now I have some permanent numbness. It's very slight, just on the tips of my big toes but annoying. I'm assuming it will heal itself in a few months or so but not sure if I just keep climbing. I dont wear those shoes anymore. Really suprising since it sounds like everyone wears shoes smaller than their street size.

I have/had osteoarthritis in the main joint (whatever it's called) of my big toe.  Got the point where I couldn't walk without stiff or rockered shoes.  My options were either to use stiff insoles or surgery.  I went the surgery route and it worked.  The doc removed part of the bone/joint and the void was allowed to heal.  

My recovery took more than a year, but I think it was due to tightness in my toe due to years of avoiding flexing my toe.  I'm climbing again, but I avoid tight climbing shoes.  I also size my shoes larger to allow for plenty of room.   I do need to hit the Advil occasionally...

OP: Not sure what advice I can offer, other than it sucks and I'm sorry.  Hang in there.