Runner's Toe can be described as toenail damage, and would occur when the toe is rubbing against the front of the shoe, or toes are rubbing against each other, especially if the shoe is too small, narrow, or too large and there is space in front for the foot and toes to move.
Runner's Toe Treatment
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. They will give you local anesthetic first so it doesn't hurt.
While this requires a lot of patience, most cases of runner's toe don't require any action at all. It will simply grow out with the nail plate and resolve itself. You can expect the black and blue discoloration to stick around for a few weeks to months, as toenails grow much more slowly than fingernails.
As you run, your toes push forward in you shoes with each step causing extra blood flow in the toes and feet. This causes fluid buildup under the nail bed, resulting in pain and pressure. Long runs and races can create the perfect environment for this buildup to start causing problems.
How long does it take for Runner's toe to heal? While the pain can often be relieved immediately by decreasing the pressure by draining the blood, it may continue to be sore for a couple days. However it may take as long as a year for the toenail to grow out and replace itsself .
Swelling and bruising: The base of the big toe may be inflamed. Bruising can extend around the swollen toe and up to the top of the foot. Limited range of motion: You may not be able to move your toe or bend it up and down. You may feel like your foot is weak or you're unable to push off the ground like before.
Please do not try to run on a broken toe – at least until it has been properly evaluated and has been treated to a point where you are cleared for such activities. Trying to run or exercise with a broken toe – even if it's just the smallest toe – will add stress to the injury.
'If you suffer regularly from blisters, taping your toes before running could be helpful,' says Gavin. 'A study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that applying surgical tape to vulnerable areas before a run reduced blisters by 40 percent.
Soak the foot in warm salt water if you are worried about infection. If the toenail does come off, soaking will become more important. Most medical professionals recommend washing the toe in warm soapy water when the nail falls off, coating it with an antibiotic ointment, and covering it with a sterile dressing.
“Runner's toe” describes the damage caused by pressure, shearing and friction as your toenail repeatedly and forcefully makes contact with the front or side of your shoe. This repetitive impact can lead to bleeding under your toenail (subungual hematoma).
You might consider adding a few to your retail area if you regularly market to runners. Warm foot soaks with Dead Sea or Epsom salts may also reduce the pain.
If your black toenail is not hurting, you can continue to run as usual—just keep it trimmed short, especially any loose portions, to guard against further trauma, says Dr. Parthasarathy. Resist the urge to pull it off yourself (?), which can cause more trauma if it's not yet ready to come off, says Dr. Lepow.
When you wear shoes that are too tight around your toes or don't fit correctly, your big toe and other parts of your foot rub against the inside of your shoe. The friction causes a callus to form to protect your skin. Calluses are rough hardened pieces of skin that can become thick.
A Morton's toe otherwise called Morton's foot or Greek foot or Royal toe is characterized by a longer second toe. This is because the first metatarsal, behind the big toe, is short compared to the second metatarsal, next to it.
You may be given a cast shoe to wear to prevent movement in your toe. If not, you can use a sandal or any shoe that does not put pressure on the injured toe until the swelling and pain go away. If using a sandal, be careful not to hit your foot against anything, since another injury could make the sprain worse.
While turf toe injuries can be mild, a person should make an appointment with their doctor if they find it too painful to walk on the affected foot or if other physical activities, such as running and playing sports, become difficult.
If left untreated, turf toe can cause bone spurs to develop around the toe joint that may need to be surgically removed. Removing the spurs can bring pain relief, but many times this does not address the cause of the bone spurs, and arthritis can still result.
Turf toe recovery time
With proper rest, a mild case of turf toe may resolve within two to three weeks. The more severe the injury, the longer the need to immobilize and rest the toe. Recovery from a Grade 3 turf toe injury could take two to six months, depending on if surgery is required.
“Runners can experience discolored nails, which is a collection of blood beneath the nail plate (subungual hematoma) as a result of microtrauma to the toe against the 'shoe box,'” Rothschild said. The bleeding can in turn cause the nail plate to separate from the nail bed and—yup—fall off.