Help for runners suffering with ingrown toe nails

Causes and treatment for ingrown toe nails

An ingrown toe nail, known to physicians as onychocryptosis, is caused when the nail of the toe grows into the surrounding skin. The condition is usually very painful and can lead to a serious infection. For runners, ingrown toe nails prove highly annoying, perhaps even preventing running due to the pain they cause. Here's our guide on how to deal with ingrown toe nails if you are a runner looking to beat the pain.

Causes of ingrown toe nails in runners
According to Dr. Suzanne Belyea, ingrown toenails develop for many reasons. In some cases the condition is congenital. Often trauma, like stubbing a toe or having it stepped on, can jam the nail into the skin. The repeated pounding from running or other sports can also cause ingrown toe nails. "The most common cause is cutting your toenails incorrectly," Dr. Belyea says. "Often poorly cut nails will re-grow into the skin, and wearing tight stockings or shoes with a tight toe box makes matters worse."

Toenails should normally be cut straight across so that the nail corner is visible.

"You can have very mild symptoms of an ingrown toe nail for weeks or months, but once the skin is opened and an infection sets in, you're dealing with a serious situation," Dr. Belyea adds. Bacteria can enter the skin next to the nail, and will thrive in a warm, moist environment. At this stage, treatment with sterile instruments and antibiotics is usually necessary.

Treatment for ingrown toe nails
One home treatment for an ingrown toenail involves soaking the toe in warm salt water for 20-30 minutes four times a day. To relieve pressure, you can cut back the nail, but be careful not to make the problem worse by irritating the wound or cutting the nail at an angle that will cause it to grow back into the skin and become more and more ingrown. A podiatrist can do this more accurately.

Applying an antibiotic such as neosporin reduces the chance of infection. Wearing an open-toe shoe will help ease pressure on the area. If an infection sets in, see your doctor.