Running = bruised/black toe nails

JulieF11

After running 13.1 miles a couple weeks ago, two of my toenails were sore. In fact, I would wake up when the comforter grazed over them while sleeping. I realized that I was hurting when I was running, and so I must have curled my two toes under and was running on them, unknowingly.

Days went by, then I noticed a bruise forming under the nail on two of my toes. Now they are dark grey... yuck!

Is there anything I can do to keep from losing the nails? I heard the next step is them bubbling up and falling off. I teach swim lessons and that would be not only gross to those poor little preschoolers... but painful if they were flapping around in the water (sorry for the graphic). Is there anything I can do?

brandyk77

1) cut them so they don't hit the front of your shoe
2) make sure your shoes are properly fitted
3) make sure you aren't moving around a lot in your shoes due to inadequate lacing

still even if everything is right, you just might have the gait that results in black toenails. Some people just get them.