Wrecked toenails

After a 15 mile walk I have developed large fluid filled blisters under
both big toenails. The nails were pushed up like the crust on a loaf.
I've reduced the swelling by draining, but I may lose the nails. I was
wearing 1000 mile liners under thicker walking socks. The size 11 hitek
boots have never seemed too small. I've never quite done that sort of
distance before, more like eight miles. Looking at other brands of
boot, they don't seem to be any more cushioned inside than mine. Should
I be using some sort of fancy footbed? This sort of thing seems to
happen more to extreme runners from what I have read, or does it? Do
other people get this with longer distance walking? What should I be
doing?

In article <1102551015.485808.56160@c13g2000cwb.. com>,
aeolus2000@tesco.net says...
> After a 15 mile walk I have developed large fluid filled blisters under
> both big toenails. The nails were pushed up like the crust on a loaf.
> I've reduced the swelling by draining, but I may lose the nails. I was
> wearing 1000 mile liners under thicker walking socks. The size 11 hitek
> boots have never seemed too small. I've never quite done that sort of
> distance before, more like eight miles. Looking at other brands of
> boot, they don't seem to be any more cushioned inside than mine. Should
> I be using some sort of fancy footbed? This sort of thing seems to
> happen more to extreme runners from what I have read, or does it? Do
> other people get this with longer distance walking? What should I be
> doing?
>

I sympathise! I lost both big toe nails and three other last spring
after a 30 mile charity walk in the lakes. And I've still got one big
toe where I must have damaged the nailbed as the new nail is coming out
all 'crinkled'. Lovely.

In my case I believe it was down to two things: forgetting to cut my
toenails before hand and hitting my toes on the front of my boots on
descents as I was wearing old boots that didn;t fit too well. Since
getting new boots I've not had a problem, but nor have I done 30 miles
either!


--
Darren

On 8 Dec 2004 16:10:15 -0800, "mark" <aeolus2000@tesco.net> wrote:

| After a 15 mile walk I have developed large fluid filled blisters under
| both big toenails. The nails were pushed up like the crust on a loaf.

Keep the toenails *on* if at all possible, with plaster or better micropore
replaced carefully and regularly. This will protect the nail bed.
The new nail should then grow and push the old nail out which should be
kept trimmed. After many months you should have a new nail.

Mine is 3/4 of the way grown out. When complete I will try those new
expensive trainers again.

--
Dave F

Hi
I have had exactly the same recently on a similar walk in the Black
Mountains.
I put it down to needing new boots (maybe mine were getting a bit sloppy)
BUT and it's something you need to check, while I was buying my lad some new
boots I was warned about waring two pairs of socks (1 off my pairs was a
sock liner that was supposed to wick away the sweat) both pairs of socks
were very high quality. I have stopped waring the sock liner and bought some
slightly thicker socks and have for the last 3 trips only wore one pair of
socks, all trips over rough terrain and steep descents (and over 12 miles +)
and yippeeeee no toe problems.

So before you rush off to buy new boots it might be worth dumping the liners
and seeing how you get on.
Good luck
Steve

"mark" <aeolus2000@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:1102551015.485808.56160@c13g2000cwb. ...
> After a 15 mile walk I have developed large fluid filled blisters under
> both big toenails. The nails were pushed up like the crust on a loaf.
> I've reduced the swelling by draining, but I may lose the nails. I was
> wearing 1000 mile liners under thicker walking socks. The size 11 hitek
> boots have never seemed too small. I've never quite done that sort of
> distance before, more like eight miles. Looking at other brands of
> boot, they don't seem to be any more cushioned inside than mine. Should
> I be using some sort of fancy footbed? This sort of thing seems to
> happen more to extreme runners from what I have read, or does it? Do
> other people get this with longer distance walking? What should I be
> doing?
>

Steve Tipper wrote:


> I put it down to needing new boots (maybe mine were getting a bit sloppy)
> BUT and it's something you need to check, while I was buying my lad some new
> boots I was warned about waring two pairs of socks (1 off my pairs was a
> sock liner that was supposed to wick away the sweat) both pairs of socks
> were very high quality. I have stopped waring the sock liner and bought some
> slightly thicker socks and have for the last 3 trips only wore one pair of
> socks, all trips over rough terrain and steep descents (and over 12 miles +)
> and yippeeeee no toe problems.
>
> So before you rush off to buy new boots it might be worth dumping the liners
> and seeing how you get on.

Seems unlikely to me, but if it works for you, then do it. Did you
happen to cut your toenails before trying the one-sock method, though?

I strongly suspect that toenail length is the root of this problem.
I've had similar but less extreme effects when I let my toenails get a
bit too long. Any combination of boots a bit too small, lacing a bit
too loose and toenails a bit too long could bring this on, I think.

I was always lead to believe that a well-fitting boot should leave space
between the big toe and the inside of the toecap with the foot pushed
forward as far as it will go. If you let your toenails grow to stick
out far enough beyond the toe itself, then the big toenail will be
pushed back and up at every step of descent. This is the only thing I
can think of that will damage the toenails alone.

Fancy footbeds won't make any difference, the problem is that the extra
length of toenail makes your feet too long for the boots. Trimming the
toenail is the easy way to fix this.

For what its worth, I've always worn two pairs of socks, with a long
pair inside and a short pair, turned down over the boot-top, outside.
The rationale that I was given was that the short pair moves with the
boot and the long pair with your foot, so the socks wear out rather than
your foot doing so. It works for me, but then I have made sure my boots
are sized accordingly.

> I strongly suspect that toenail length is the root of this problem.
> I've had similar but less extreme effects when I let my toenails get a bit
> too long. Any combination of boots a bit too small, lacing a bit too
> loose and toenails a bit too long could bring this on, I think.
>
>
I entirely agree with the toenail length theory been a problem.

I have always taken care to trim my toenails right back before any walking
trip except for my last trip to the Peak District on which I had forgotten
to do so, on preparing for the first walk of our three day stay I noticed my
laps in toe care but with having a well worn and trusted pair of boots with
me and not having any nail clippers with me plus the fact the nails not been
very long I thought it would ok, big mistake! On descending from Kinder
Scout I notice my big toes where a little sore but not to bad, on getting
back to the cottage I noticed they where bruised under the toenail and
shortly after my return home they blackened and I mean blackened and became
very sore and have remained black ever since but are no longer sore and this
happened back in mid September, I have no idea if I will eventually lose the
nails or if they will retune to normal but I do know I have paid for my one
lack of foot care before a walking break.

MP

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 14:47:49 -0000, "MP" <its_mp@m> wrote:

|
| > I strongly suspect that toenail length is the root of this problem.
| > I've had similar but less extreme effects when I let my toenails get a bit
| > too long. Any combination of boots a bit too small, lacing a bit too
| > loose and toenails a bit too long could bring this on, I think.
| >
| >
| I entirely agree with the toenail length theory been a problem.

Forgot to mention.
If the toenails come off, use them as a hard protective bandage, mould ed
to the right shape. 8-O Worked for me.

--
Dave F