MyFootShop.com - Your source for healthy feet!

Order toll free 1-888-859-8901  Monday-Friday 9am until 5pm EST 
 

Products
Conditions

Get email discounts and SAVE!

Your Shopping Cart

* $ale Items *

View all Products

Knowledge Base

Blog

Customer Service

Volume Discounts


Runners Nail

Details:

Trauma to the toe nail can result in a number of different conditions, but the most common is a bruise beneath the nail called runner’s nail (also called walker’s nail). Most patients present to the office with no clear history of injury. They don’t recall any direct trauma to the nail, but when questioned further, they recall a recent event where they were more active than usual. Examples include a 10k road race, hike in the woods or even a marathon. These events usually contribute to runner’s nail by distracting us; we’re so involved in the activity that we don’t realize the degree of injury that the nail is being forced to endure.

Runner's_nailThe physical appearance of runner’s nail is a bruise (subungual hematoma) that encompasses part or all of the nail. Often the bruise is asymptomatic. Again, that leads to the confusion of how and why the condition occurred in the first place. What happens in most instances is that the foot slides forward in the shoe and the nail is subjected to damage by hitting against the inner toe box of the shoe. The more this event is repeated, the greater the chance for disruption of the nail and bruising.

Treatment of runner’s nail is broken down into two stages. The first stage, or acute stage, is the management of any infection surrounding the outer edge of the nail. The first stage lasts approximately a week. If possible, any bleeding beneath the nail should be drained to relieveSubungual_hematoma pressure beneath the nail. Epsom Salts soaks can be used to evacuate debris or dead tussue from beneath the nail.  Antibiotics are only necessary is the adjacent soft tissue becomes infected.  If infection does occur, the nail will most likely need to be removed.

The second stage of care can last 3-12 months depending upon the degree of initial injury. During this stage, a portion or all of the nail may fall off. During this time it’s extremely important to apply a topical antifungal medication to the nail to inhibit fungal infections of the nail. Try to keep the nail in place as long as possible. Keep the nail clean and dry. Avoid wearing a Band-Aid for prolonged periods. A Band-Aid will trap moisture in and around the nail and promote fungal infections.

If possible, keep the damaged nail in place.  Removing the nail results in contraction of the skin of the distal tuft of the toe.  If the distal tuft contracts from the loss of the nail, the new nail will be unable to grow back into a normal position.  So when possible, keep the old, damaged nail in place to guide the new nail into position.  The nail can be held in place by a thin 1/4 inch strip of tape or a Band-Aid split longitudinally into three strips, using just one strip at a time.


Nomenclature:

No information is available for this topic.


Anatomy:

No information is available for this topic.


Biomechanics:

No information is available for this topic.


Symptoms:

No information is available for this topic.


Differential Diagnosis:

No information is available for this topic.


Products Recommended for Runners Nail:

See Also:

References:

This article was written by Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM and last updated 6/27/07. No additional information is available for this topic.


Was this information helpful?

Yes    No      

We appreciate your comments and feedback. After clicking submit, you may also send us your comments.
If you have questions regarding treatment or products used for this condition, please join us in The Foot Talk Forum.

Don't see the answer to your question? Try one of these resources:

 

 

Medical Communication Guidelines:

The internet represents a wonderful opportunity to communicate and share information. It's important to all of us at Myfootshop.com that we communicate in a way that is most effective for the users of our site. Myfootshop.com follows the online communication guidelines established by Medem, Inc. If you have questions regarding your foot problem, please join us in The Foot Talk Forum where we can share questions and answers with others.  Any clinical questions you may submit to us by email will be referred to The Forum.

At the conclusion of this article you'll find a number of products that are recommended by Myfootshop.com to treat this condition. These products have been hand picked by the medical consulting staff at Myfootshop.com for their effectiveness and reliability. Should you have any questions regarding the selection or use of these products please don't hesitate to contact us at mailto:sales@myfootshop.com or join us in the product support topic of The Foot Talk Forum.

The information on this page does not constitute the practice of medicine and is offered as an educational aid.  Should you have a medical problem, Myfootshop.com and their representatives recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional.

Related Keywords and Search Terms:

 black and blue toe nail,black toe nail,bruising of the nail,pain toe nail,runner's nail,subungual hemotoma,toe nail bruise,toe nail injury,toe nail pain,trauma to the toe nail,walker's nail,bruised my toenail,bruised my toe nail,black nail,damaged toe nail,injured toe nail,runner's nail,hiker's nail

 

   

Free Priority Mail Shipping on orders over $75!

BBBOnLine Reliability Seal


We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

 
*Popular Item*


 

 



Order on-line, anytime.. or call us toll free at
1-888-859-8901
Monday-Friday 9am until 5pm EST
  
Home  |  Corporate Info  |  Contact Us  |   Discussion Forum  |  On-Line Communication Policies  |  Kudos
 
BBBOnLine Reliability Seal 1-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee!
 
Copyright © 1999-  MyFootShop.com. All rights reserved.  Last Updated: 11/20/2009

Site Map  l  Press Releases     Website by SiteSee'er