Toe nails damaged after marathon?
5 min read
Asked by: Carl Winters
Runner’s toenail, also known as jogger’s toenail, is when your nail or surrounding area becomes black from the repeated stress of running. The discoloration comes from blood that leaks from broken blood vessels. Medically, runner’s toenail is known as
Can running mess up your toenails?
The blood can lead to pressure, throbbing, and intense pain. On top of this trauma, a blood blister may form under your toenail and force the toenail upward. The nail may even fall off – a common runner injury, especially when you’re training for a marathon or working out at a high intensity every day.
How do you fix runner’s toenails?
If you have runner’s toe, they will do a procedure called nail trephination. Nail trephination involves draining the pooled blood by drilling a small hole into the nail with a heated needle or carbon dioxide laser.
Why do toenails fall off after a marathon?
“After a long run, sweat has built up and your feet are slipping around in the shoe a little more than if they were dry. The constant sliding back and forth of the toes which jam into the front of the shoe causes micro trauma. This micro trauma can loosen the nail plate which will then cause it to eventually fall off.
How long does it take for runners toenail to heal?
“In mild cases, no treatment is needed at all, and the black nail will simply grow out,” Dr. Lepow explains. It will take about six to nine months to grow out completely, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. For black toenails causing lots of pain, though, see your podiatrist.
What is runner’s toenail?
Runner’s toenail, also known as jogger’s toenail, is when your nail or surrounding area becomes black from the repeated stress of running. The discoloration comes from blood that leaks from broken blood vessels. Medically, runner’s toenail is known as subungual hematoma. Subungual means under the nail.
Do runners toenails grow back?
The bleeding can in turn cause the nail plate to separate from the nail bed and—yup—fall off. Merely losing a toenail is not cause for panic. “If you’re a runner, you develop a hematoma underneath the nail plate, and the nail falls off, you’re going to grow another nail back normally after,” Rothschild says.
Why do runners lose their toenails?
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. Untrimmed toenails can also contribute to the problem.
Do bruised toenails always fall off?
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.
Does a bruised toenail go away?
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. It could take anywhere from 4 to 6 months for a fingernail to grow out or 12 to 18 months for a toenail, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Should I run with runners toe?
It could get infected, and you could also cause permanent damage to the nail bed. So not only will your running downtime be increased, you risk far worse consequences: these involve losing more than just your toenail. Don’t risk it!
How does turf toe happen?
A “turf toe” is a sprain of the largest joint of your big toe. It happens when your toe forcibly bends upwards, such as when you push off into a sprint. Your big toe has 2 joints. The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is the largest of these.
Why is my big toenail bruised?
The most common culprit for a black toenail is blood under the hard tissue. Damage to the end of the toe causes blood to leak through the nail bed and stain the keratin a dark color. This is also known as a subungual hematoma, or a bruise under the nail.
Is it normal for runners to lose toenails?
Black, loose or missing toenails can be a common injury among runners, especially those who are training for marathons or highly competitive runners training at high intensity. Your toenails will heal when you ease up on your training and the repetitive trauma (aka your running mechanics) ends or changes.
Can running cause thick toenails?
Toenails can thicken as a result of sudden or repeated trauma or injury. Mostly, this happens to people involved in sport or exercise, such as soccer players, runners, and dancers. It can also affect people who wear ill-fitting shoes. Often, thick nails due to injury are mistaken for fungal infections.
Why do some runners lose toenails?
Losing toenails running is a sign the shoe is not fitting you well. When you lose toenails running, it generally means the shoe is either too narrow or too short. The top of your toenail is jamming up against the shoe. It means there isn’t enough space in the top of the shoe.
Why do toenails turn black after running?
Black toenails in runners are often caused by repetitive trauma, which can result from running or from wearing any type of ill-fitting footwear. Keeping your toenails short, sizing up a half size in shoes, or wearing a thinner sock can help prevent black toenails from occurring in the first place.
Do bruised toenails ever go away?
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. It could take anywhere from 4 to 6 months for a fingernail to grow out or 12 to 18 months for a toenail, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
How do you get rid of black marks on your toenails?
Over-the-counter ointments, creams, and polishes are usually effective. Severe cases may require a prescription antifungal treatment. If a black toenail is caused by an injury, the resulting spot from broken blood vessels will disappear once your nail grows out.
