My friend’s toenails are falling off. He says it is common and is proud. He has lost them on the left foot before, but now he is losing them on the right foot as well.
I haven’t heard of this one before, and haven’t experienced it myself. Is this common? Is it avoidable?
I started losing toenails during cross country in high school. I still do to this day (in fact, I don’t think it’s grown in completely for 10+ years). It’s almost solely my left big toe, and I figure it’s because my left foot is a little bigger than my right foot (almost 1/2 size).
It is not common but happens from time to time. Some Ultra Runners have had their toe nails surgically removed by a doctor. Both my wife and I have lost a few over the years. They will often turn black first before they fall off. One theory is that the toes are banging against the inside of your shoe and that damages them. One method for sizing shoes that I try to follow is that there should be enough room inside the toe box for you to wiggle your toes enough to simulate playing the piano with you toes. Typically I go up 1 to 1 1/2 sizes larger than my normal shoe size.
“Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon.”
My wife lost her big toenails after doing a 50 mile MS walk last year. I have had no problems even after training for IM. I think the difference is that she wore her sneakers a bit tight, while I like a roomy toebox.
It is pretty common, but I think avoidable. It is definitely gross.
I only lose them during marathon training or racing. In fact, my big toe is purple right now and I’m just waiting for the nail to fall off. I think it’s pretty disgusting and isn’t something your friend should be proud of. I guess he thinks it means he’s working hard if his toenails fall off, but he needs to come up with new measures.
D.
Following IM Switzerland both my big toenails went black. I thoughtthey were a gonner for sure, but they recovered. The same thing happened after the Great North Run in September. They’re now undecided as to whether to hang on in there a second time or fall off .
My socks seemed to be the root of the problem and have now been ditched.
The wife now says I have ugly feet and I scare small children when wearing sandals!
Typically, it means the shoes you’re wearing are too small. For me, I wear a full size bigger in my running shoes (9 vs 10) and will go up to a 10 1/2 when I start doing longer runs (2+ hours).
-Shawn, ASICS America
If you live in the tropics and run on hills you will lose toenails. 20 years ago I started competitive running. I was living in Singapore and ran my first road race. It was 30K (real smart - I was young and naive) on a very hilly course. I wore the only shoes I had, not knowing that feet swell when they get hot. Plus, it is so humid that your socks become soaking wet. I lost 7 toenails from one race. Not a pretty sight. I still lose toenails, especially when I do my annual run in the Grande Canyon (downhill for 5 miles will do it).
Haven’t lost any since I switched to shoes that fit my feet right.
Love my Sauconys since they’ve got a nice large toe box and a relatively normal-sized midfoot and heel.
just ny a toenail clipper and keep your toe nails trimmed
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I have lost a toenail the last two times I have run the Philly marathon, but otherwise have not. It’s one of those things that just happens from time to time. If you are losing toenails fairly regualrly, then you may be wearing shoes that are too tight.
Monk,
It is common. Happened to me once and I see a few a week in practice. An improper shoe is almost always the culprit. Too small OR too big (foot slides) can cause it. Keeping the nails short does help.
Official medical terminology: subacute nail avulsion secondary to subungual hematoma - sounds much cooler than “black nail syndrome”
I have three toenails that have turned black after the Chicago Marathon this fall. Both of my big toes and my second toe on my right foot, but that is a hammer toe and it has happened many times before. It is a fairly common occurrence with distance runners and nothing to worry about even though I agree that it does look ugly. I plan on getting professionally fitted for running shoes in hopes that it won’t happen again. Lucky for me there is snow on the ground now so I won’t be tempted to wear sandals for a while.
I had the same problem. To be honest I still have it.
First time was right after an half marathon. Now, from time to time it still happens.
And I guess, I never had all at the same time again.
Generally, it’s from the toes banging into the end or top of the tow-boxof the shoe.
I had the problem until a friend recommended buying shoes for the marathon/long runs a full size larger than you normally wear. I was skeptical at first but after having run several 20mile training runs and the West Palm Beach marathon IN THE RAIN, I’m sold on the idea. No toenail problems, no blisters and the shoe being larger than normal wasn’t a problem at all. Your feet tend to swell up pretty quickly once you start running so they can use the space.
Also, try keeping your toenails trimmed short enough so they are recessed and don’t stick out past the end of your toes.
rroof -
I still own you beer!
I’d say we take some of Tibb’s bike fund and subsidize “professional” help on ST…
Here’s my big toe one month Post IMFL. Blister developed during the race. Blue/black appeared about 14 days later. Last night I had enough and pulled at it, but not all would come out, so I cut out what I could and left the rest - - see the lower right hand corner.
I’m going to get flamed for this, but don’t use Nike shoes. Their toe box seems smaller than other shoe makers. I pretty much lived w/ blacktoe when I played a lot of tennis. You get it when you rush the net and slam on the brakes. I stopped using Nike shoes and the problem went away. Now, I’m using Saucony, Asics, and my favorite, Mizuno when running and I haven’t had any issues.
Read it for what its worth. Its just one guys opinion based exclusively on my experiences.
Yikes. A similar thing is happening to my little toe right now. This past weekend the nail came off. After IMFL, that entire little toe was a blister thought it never turned black and blue. I was hoping it wouldn’t get to the nail but I knew it would. I actually didn’t notice that the nail was falling off until I changed nail polish on Saturday. Well, I don’t need nail polish anymore. 
Like yours, only part of it was completely off and I had to peel off the rest. It actually didn’t hurt that much.
After five years of long distance running, it has only been the second nail I’ve lost. The first one was when I started running and was wearing the wrong shoes. So, for me, avoiding weird blisters and and bad shoes are the key to keeping my nails.