Runner's toe happens when your toenail turns black from the stress of running. When your toe repeatedly rubs on or slams into your shoe, it can cause stress to your nail. This leads to bleeding under your nail, which starts to look black. You may also hear it called: Runner's toenail.
Tips for dealing with runner's toenail
- Try wearing socks with plenty of cushion.
- Keep your toenails trimmed.
- Try silicone toe pads to relieve pressure.
- Take NSAIDs like ibuprofen if you have mild pain.
- Visit your doctor if you're experiencing more than mild pain.
With a subungual hematoma, the pain typically goes away in a few days. The nail itself will take longer to recover. The discolored nail will eventually grow out — or in some cases it may fall off or need to be removed — and be replaced by a new, healthy one.
First, take comfort in the fact that you're not the only guy whose girlfriend's toenails have crossed over to the dark side. She could paint the offending nail—“teams of collegiate runners have painted their nails dark colors for cosmetic purposes,” this paper says—but that's up to her.
Unless the area of bleeding is very small, an affected nail will usually fall off on its own after several weeks because the pooled blood has separated it from its bed.
Black toenails usually develop because as one runs, his foot can slide forward just a bit and bump up against the front of his shoe. This causes damage to the tissue under the toenail and capillaries then burst, leaving black blood underneath the nail.
Ingrown toenailIngrown toenails are a common condition in which the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh. The result is pain, redness, swelling and, sometimes, an infection. Ingrown toenails usually affect your big toe. Often you can take care of ingrown toenails on your own.
As you run, your toes push forward in you shoes with each step causing extra blood flow in the toes and feet. This causes fluid buildup under the nail bed, resulting in pain and pressure. Long runs and races can create the perfect environment for this buildup to start causing problems.
While a severely damaged toenail may look “dead,” it's actually just damaged. All nails, including toenails, are made of a tough, non-living substance called keratin. So, technically, the nails on your toes are already dead, which is why it doesn't hurt when you trim your nails.
Protect any exposed part of the nail bed for 7 to 10 days until this skin hardens and isn't sensitive anymore. Coat the area with antibiotic ointment and top with a nonstick bandage. Change the bandage every day and whenever it gets wet. (If any part gets stuck, soak it under warm running water until it slips off.)
Once your toenail falls off, it can't reattach itself and keep growing. You'll need to wait for the new nail to grow back in its place. Depending on the cause and how much, if any, of your toenail remains, you might need additional treatment to make sure your toenail grows back properly.
Also called Morton's Foot Syndrome or Greek Toe, Morton's Toe is when the second toe is longer and lower than the big toe, resulting in the pressure that occurs with every step you take not being evenly distributed.
Are there warning signs before my toenail will fall off?
- Yellow, brown or white discoloration.
- Thickening of the nail.
- Discharge.
- Odor.
- And in some cases, swelling and pain.
Why do we have toenails? The main function of toenails is likely for protection, compared to enhancing grip or the fine motor functions the fingernails have. The tops of the toes are vulnerable to injury and, as we've all learned the hard way, stubbing.
Sometimes nails can become so toughened and thickened by a fungal infection that a standard pair of toenail clippers just won't, well… cut it. If your pair of clippers or trimmers is not doing the job well, do not continue using them.
It is called onychoptosis, which means “falling nail†in Greek, and is typically caused by injury or stress to the nail. For runners going long distances, toenail loss may occur because of shoes that are too snug or foot swelling that causes the nail to rub the end of the shoe.
"But when they need to go out and wear sandals, they can just put this on, add some nail polish to match their other toes, and then take it off when they get home." Or they can leave it on for up to two days. The nail cover isn't just for big toes; it can work for any toe missing a nail.
Keratin is a protein that promotes the development of the skin and nails. Nail psoriasis sometimes causes too much keratin to grow under the nail. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail.
Thick, yellow, or discolored toenails are frequently caused by infection from a fungus. It begins invading the nail, starting at the very tip of your toenail, working its way all the back towards the cuticle area and into the nail bed. This same type of fungus also causes athletes foot.
If your toenail turns black, it's most likely a bruise under the nail, technically called a subungual hematoma. You can get it from stubbing a toe or from footwear that cram your feet into the front of the shoe.
If only part of a toenail has fallen off, it is essential to leave the remaining part of the nail in place. In this case, instead of removing it, a person should trim or file any jagged or uneven edges to smooth it out. This will help prevent further injury or the nail catching on socks or footwear.
Melanoma: This is the most serious type of skin cancer, which often appears as a dark brown misshapen spot. Such spots can also occur underneath nail beds. Trauma: Usually caused by an injury, trauma to the toenail can cause the blood vessels beneath a nail to break.
