Ummm...losing a toenail from running?!?!?

Options
BrownEyedG1rl
BrownEyedG1rl Posts: 625 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, this grosses me out! Last week I ran on my in-laws treadmill (I usually use the one at the gym). There must have been something weird about it because it was hurting my toe (the one right beside my big toe). Well that nail still hurts and today it looks discolored. I'm wondering if I'm going to lose it! I never lost a nail before! I think I need new shoes! Has this happened to anyone else from running? Maybe I'm just weird, LOL!

Replies

  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
    Options
    It happens to marathon runners all the time. I'm guessing time for new shoes, but your stride was probably a bit off on a different treadmill too. Don't worry - you're normal :)
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    Options
    owie
  • cem2168
    cem2168 Posts: 205 Member
    Options
    that happened to me last night!! so painful!!
  • tmcowan
    tmcowan Posts: 322 Member
    Options
    Welcome to the club!!! Yes, I've lost a few and in the summer time you just paint one on :laugh: .
  • crissimoyer
    crissimoyer Posts: 62
    Options
    When I trained for my first half-marathon I ended up losing THREE toenails. Definitely was due to bad shoes on a long run. Definitely not cute! Anyways, you may or may not lose it. I had developed blisters under my toenails that time.
  • solan43
    solan43 Posts: 5
    Options
    Don't worry, it is a fairly common thing in runners. Your stride was probably a little different and you were either landing on your toes or your foot was moving forward and slamming into the front of your shoe. Check to make sure your shoes are fitting properly and just watch your stride. Good Luck!
  • AQHAShowgirl
    AQHAShowgirl Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I lost both of my big toenails walking a half marathon in shoes that weren't quite right. Took a year for them to come back! You're perfectly normal. :happy:
  • pasturecove
    pasturecove Posts: 12
    Options
    I've lost a few from running too. I run about 30 miles per week and this is common if you run down hills or just run a lot OR have shoes that are too small. Your push-off on each step and landing for each step is somehow making your toe hit the inside of your shoe repeatedly. THe best thing I ever did was go get fitted for shoes by a professional. It turns out I had been running in shoes a full size too small for running. Your feet swell as you run and the impact is pretty intense compared to walking around normally, so larger sizes are required. Once I got the right size shoes the toenail pain, brusing, and falling off completely stopped. I also learned how to go down steep hills the right way which I'm sure helped also. Good luck and congrats on your running efforts!
  • maryrunslikeafox
    maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    also make sure your shoes aren't tied too tight on the top of your foot! only try to tie them tightly at the top of your shoe =)... not unusual for this to happen though! just icky!
  • Better_Balance_2011
    Better_Balance_2011 Posts: 3,711 Member
    Options
    This happend to me both times I ran a 10 mile race. It was the same toe on the same foot, and not coincidentally my bigger foot and longest toe. My shoes were a tad too small. The pair I have now are a full size bigger than what I generally wear. Just paint the skin and no one will ever notice. :wink:
  • winterjade
    winterjade Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    I lost one while training for my half.....Heres the advice I got....paint your toe nails to hide the blackness :) I currently have pink ones :P
  • BrownEyedG1rl
    BrownEyedG1rl Posts: 625 Member
    Options
    Ok...thanks for letting me know I'm not weird!!! I know I need new shoes for sure, just haven't gotten to the running store yet to have them evaluate me. I'm totally new to running so I'm learning! I hope it doesn't fall off, but if it does, I will definitely be painting a fake one, LOL! Gotta have cute feet for summer!
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    Options
    Totally agree about shoes. I lost one of my big toenails, and 2 other toenails, when I first started running. No problems though after I got fitted for shoes. They should be about a size larger than what you normally wear.
  • NotAllWhoWanderAreLost
    NotAllWhoWanderAreLost Posts: 615 Member
    Options
    yep, quite typical for runners... I have a black toenail on big toe on my right foot. I am not completely sure when i got it because i had purple nail polish on my toes lol... but it was sore/tender for some time and when i removed the polish, thats when i discovered that it really was discolored.... it hasnt fallen off YET, but its grown back in about 1/2 way now. There is a giant ridge between the damaged section and the new, healthy section. I am not sure if i got it when i walked my half marathon last year or when i was hiking (coming down the mountain sure does jam my toes into the ends of my boots repeatedly. My toes are currently painted a deep red to hide it, but its sort of a rite of passage, so i am sorta proud of it in a twisted way lol... Oh, and i wear size 12 running shoes already, so no going up in sizes unless i switch to men's shoes and that will open up new problems for me as my foot is narrow too.!
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    Options
    Same thing happened to me about a couple of weeks ago!

    I wore sneakers that were too tight while running. That night my big toe was throbbing but I never thought anything of it. A couple of days later I was taking my nailpolish off and it wouldn't come off from my big toe! On closer inspection I realized it wasn't nailpolish but dried up blood underneath the nail.

    I thought my nail would fall off but it's still on there. I just keep cutting it back and hope that new nail will grow and push the old gross one out.

    Ohh the perks of being a runner!

Categories