Hi all, apologies in advance for this.... So I need advice as my toe nails keep falling off. Three so far in the last couple of months (perfect timing for summer sandal wearing). My shoes have been fitted properly and I wear a bigger size that usual footwear. Also I'm only running between 25-30 miles a week, longest run around 13 miles so nothing excessive. I am flat footed and have one leg longer than the other (I'm painting a lovely picture here aren't I), however Ive been fitted for orthotics by physio and wear these for every run. Interestingly, all the toenails are on the right foot which is also the longer leg so I'm thinking maybe it's connected. So to get to the point, is there anything I can do to prevent toenails coming no off or do I just have to suck it up? Thanks and hope I haven't put anyone off their dinner. Helen
Warning,this must likely won't help you Helen but I thought to share my little story with you...
I once had a pair of tight cross country spikes which kept giving me black toenails,they eventually came off twice,until I decided to ditch spikes and switch to studs, easy fix problem solved ..
Fast forward 15yrs, I got back to spikes,bought one size bigger and now no problems at all, plus I feel lighter on my feet,two birds..
Now, if any of what I wrote helps you,then my job is done here :)
I don't know of a way to make it stop altogether without stopping all the running as well.
Damage to the nails is done by the microtrauma sustained every time you land a step. When it first started happening to me the chiropodist at work explained it's different for everyone and can affect you at any distance.
Gait and size/type of shoes will also have an impact but in essence if you either hike or run regularly there's no getting away from occasional nail damage and loss.
I'm not a foot specialist but it may be a problem with your shoe laces not being tight enough on your long runs. If you're wearing a size bigger than normal then there's plenty of room to prevent your toe hitting the front of the shoe but you still need to tie the laces quite tight stop your feet moving about in the shoe. You don't want to over tighten them or it'll be painful on the top of your foot after a while but it should feel like a nice snug fit rather than a loose fit. Worth experimenting with and if you're making them a bit tighter than normal it might take a while to get used to, but I'm sure you shouldn't have to put up with toe nails falling off due to running.
