Forums >Health and Nutrition>Is my toe rotting off?
Hopefully not, lol. But I'm not sure what's going on and Google is providing no help, so I thought I would see if any of you have ever encountered this.
About a month ago I posted that I bought a new pair of shoes and after running in them a few days, the top of my big toe (near the bottom of my nail) was hurting. It hurt so bad for a couple of days I couldn't run, even limped a little when I walked. Anyway, the pain went away, I started running again (not in those shoes), and life went on.
Fast forward to today, my toe started itching in the same spot where it was previously was hurting. I didn't think anything about it until laying in bed just now and it was itching pretty good. Got to looking at my toenail, and it appears it may be separating from my cuticle? Toenail isn't black.. So what, have I hurt my toe enough to just lose my toenail?
I've injured toenails before during just a single long run, when it then took months for it to finally fall off. Just one of those things that happens sometimes to us runners, especially marathon+ runners.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
No Talent Drips
I'd get a consult for a prosthesis...sooner rather than later, limit "runs" to the treadmill, and drink lots of beet juice.
Dei Gratia
My son ran a marathon a day before an extended family vacation / gathering for Christmas, and injured his toe during the race enough for the family to have debate whether the toe would need amputation at the first family dinner upon our arrival.
His "injury" was a black toenail with significant swelling that was extremely painful.
A couple days after the race, my younger son accidentally stepped on the injured toe, and blood shot out from the toe up to the ceiling and across all walls (yes, exaggerating, but it was quite dramatic).
The pain went away. The pressure was relieved. The blackness became less radical. The separation of the toenail from the toe started.
9 days after the race (and the injury), the toenail fell off.
4 days after that, he ran a fair portion of a 1/2 marathon with the family.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
I'm not sure if this is the same thing, but once a few years ago I noticed that my big toenail had stopped growing in. That is, there was a gap where that white half moon at the base of the nail should have been. It didn't hurt or have any discoloration. I went to my podiatrist (also a runner) who took an x-ray to check for damage to the bone (there was none) and she didn't see any signs of a fungus. I ended up having the toenail removed since the podiatrist felt this would have the best chance of a new nail growing in since there were no clear signs of why it had stopped growing in the first place. I don't remember quite how long it took for the nail to grow back enough for me to be able to run again, but it was quite a long time. And it was pretty painful not having the nail, but luckily it happened during the summer and when I was still in grad school.
5k - 25:15 (11/18/12)
10k - 1:01:51 (2/14/15)
10mi - 1:33:18 (3/2/14)
HM - 2:06:12 (3/24/13)
Upcoming Races:
Benched until further notice. :/
Everything you need is already inside. [[Bill Bowerman]]
Ahh, I was so fond of this toe too!! Lol. Well as long as they make a prosthetic that has a toenail that I can paint. I would look awfully weird with just 9 painted toes, haha.
Sounds like a physical irritation from the top of your shoes.
Fungus would likely cause flaking. Staph infection (paronychia) would go with a red, swollen skin at the base of the nail.
Yep, toenail is definitely separated from the base. *sigh* At least it's not sandal season..
Pics Please! And from KerCan, a video if available.
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞
Oh, you don't really wanna see that, lol.