Losing Toenails

Lisah8969

I just finished a 10 mile race this past weekend. I've done 4 Half Marathons and many other races of various distances. After each one, I lose at least one toenail. My shoes are one half size bigger than my normal shoes (I have tried wearing a whole size bigger, but they slip on my feet at that point). I wear the thin, sweat wicking runner socks. I lace my shoes using the back hole on the top to help push the shoe forward on my foot. I keep my nails trimmed as short as I can. I should advise that it is my toe right next to my big toe that pretty much loses the nail every time (pinky toe and big toe also lose nails, but not every time) and that toe is a tiny bit longer than my big toe so shoes will never fit correctly.

Does anyone else have any tips for this? Or am I just doomed to constantly lose nails? They don't turn black and bruised...pretty much just come clean off my toe in one piece.

Thanks.

BrianSharpe

Losing toenails seems to be a rite of passage for some runners, I have been fortunate enough not to have experienced it (yet...) in about 5 years of running.

You may want to try changing shoe brands. Every company uses slightly different lasts so that the toebox on brand x may be a little more generous than brand y. Perhaps a little time poking around on some of the running forums may point you in the right direction.

bostonwolf

Like Brian, I've never lost one and I've been running on and off since 2000. The simple answer is that your shoes are too small, so when you run downhill your toes are banging into the front of your sneaker and bruising the nails.

If you have a good running store nearby, I'd go in with your current shoes and tell them what's going on. I almost guarantee they can help. They should be able to find the right size shoe that actually stays put on your foot. Could just be a matter of switching to a new brand with a different fit or tying the laces differently.

samblanken

I saw these the other day. Sounds like it might work for you

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Tec-Athletics-Toe-Caps-Pack/dp/B0002RFO2A

BerryH

Losing toenails seems to be a rite of passage for some runners, I have been fortunate enough not to have experienced it (yet...) in about 5 years of running.

You may want to try changing shoe brands. Every company uses slightly different lasts so that the toebox on brand x may be a little more generous than brand y. Perhaps a little time poking around on some of the running forums may point you in the right direction.

Just what I was going to say. My toenails seem to angle up at the ends when I'm running and I have to have a relatively high toe box to accommodate them. Fortunately I can now spot shoes that may prove bothersome when trying them on.

dcat4563

see if you can find the socks that have the thicker toe and then are thinner throughout the rest of the sock. i don't run anymore, but do zumba, and if i wear the thin socks that you are talking about my toenails are sore at the end of the class, they aren't with the thicker socks. Just a thought...

trail_rnr

I lose toenails a couple of times a year. I don't seem to suffer any ill effects, so I don't worry about it. When I paint my toenails, I just paint the skin to make it look like there is a nail there. No one is the wiser!

In my case, my #2 toe is a little long (but it's not a full-on Morton's toe) and I lift my toes into the tops of my shoes when I run. I've found that if I wear Injinji socks (toe socks) for really long runs that I have fewer losses. Not sure why, since they are really just average/normal sock thickness (I don't wear the super thin ones).

Lisah8969

Great ideas...thanks! I love my Asics and they have given me no problems at all...well except for this. I guess maybe it is time to get a professional opinion.

I've never even heard of the toe caps before. I might give that a try as well. Can't hurt, right?