Help! She's losing her toenails!

“I'd like to preface this with, I'd search the old threads but don't have a clue where to start.

That said, I introduced my friend to backpacking. She loves it but she's wondering what she should do next time to prevent toenail loss. She dealt with the blisters well and plans to buy new boots but she lost both little toe nails within a week of our trip. I've never heard of this. Any ideas or tips?”

“Hmmm. Sounds like they're getting excessively pinched. There's really not a whole lot one can do. I lot my big toenails after doing some mountaineering in too small of boots. The downhills are the killer. Trimming your toenails as short as you can get them is about the best advice I can offer other than purchasing some boots that fit correctly.”

“sunshine, this happened to me once, it blackened, then fell off. It happened after a trip of bushwacking. I think I hit into a lot of downed trees and stuff with my boot. My nails were trimmed. It has to have something to do with the nail making contact with the boot too often and maybe too hard.”

“Along with the new boots, she's going to get some wicking sock liners. She thought maybe the moisture might have had some impact.

I had given her a pair of hiking boots and told her to break them in. She started less than a week before the trip and her ankles hurt. After backpacking in her cheap Walmart wear-around-town boots, she realizes she needs that support on the trails. I told her ahead of time to trim her toenails real short. I don't know if she did though.”

“Yup, they need to be real short. Also, it may help to wear a foot bed and lace the boots a little tighter--prevent the foot from mashing forward on long descents.”

“Note to self:

Do not go hiking with Sunshine.”

“Sunny, it sounds like the toe box in your friends boots was too narrow. I used to have problems with ingrown nails from running shoes. A wider more square toe may help.”

“2 down..........8 to go.”

“Hey, I lost a toenail after our spring Waterloo/Pinckney hike. A new pair of boots in a bit wider model did the trick. Tell yer pal to wear the next pair everywhere for at least a week to two before backpacking in them. I wear mine to work for a week and that does the trick.”

“I lost both of my BIG toenails after a 1/2 marathon that was almost all down hill. With every step my toes were bashing into my shoes. No other race has been as painful--not even full marathons. I think that my shoes were a little big actually, thus causing slooshing.”

“Duct tape.”

“On the quack?”

“It's important to remember that your feet will expand after carrying a load on your back for a few miles. When trying on a new pair they shouldn't be too snug, ya gotta have a bit of room. You should be able to freely wiggle your toes.”

“I have gotten black and blue toenails, but never lost one. It happened with hours of downhill. Keeping my nails short and changing the way I lace my boots, or trail shoes on extended downhills has helped prevent that. Going downhill my feet tend to slide forward in my boot. Lacing so my heel is held firmly in the heel box, I'm ok.”

“I'm with Pathman on the lacing tight into the heel box for extended downhill sections. Otherwise, I tend to keep a more comfortable tension on my laces. I have yet to get a blister, or even a hot spot from boots (new or broken in). I do wear boots all day at work. Maybe that makes a difference.”

“to get back on subject, never had a nail problem either.”

“Look at the bright side...that's just two toenails she won't have to bite off now!”

“never had this problem, i buy boots that fit.”

“And the lady like goes, oh my God, your toenails
Are like so GRODY
It was like really embarrassing
She's like OH MY GOD, like BAG THOSE TOENAILS
I'm like sure . . .”

“Her pedal extremeties are ENORMOUS!”

“Bigger boots are the answer!”

“Lots of good advice on this thread - sock liners - trimmed nails. I can only add that it is best to got to a specialty shop. Around here it's La Cordée in Montreal. They have a ramp that allows you to check the fith uphill, downhill and on the edge. Take your time and ensure the boots fit in all situations. Ask advice. Oh yes, on the way down (in particular), stop and re-tie the laces often (every time you take a sip of water - even is you're wearing gaiters, Happy trails.”

“There's lots of good tying tricks, that can help. Backward lacing on the upper hooks is one. Or, throw in an extra loop in the lace, half way down. One friend, of mine, even uses one lace, for the botton eyes, and a separate one, for the top. He then changes the tension regularly.

When you go to try on boots, go back and try them again, after you've been on your feet all day. You'll have a better idea how they feel when you're actually hiking.”

“It's a fact the whole world knows; That Pobbles are happier without their toes.

Edward Lear”

“I only have one big toenail now. It'll probably grow back, but I really don't need it. I've read that runners sometimes get them permanently removed. Anyway, I lost mine because I wore trailrunners instead of my big fat boots hiking. I'll stick with the boots from now on.”

“Even with boots that fit pretty nicely, I've snapped off a big toenail too. The problem might also be about how you're walking. If you're kicking boulders along the trail, it's bound to happen. I know.

For years now, there has never been a time where both big toenails have been securely in place.”

“I have heard lots of thru hikers talking about looseing there nails on big trips. Ed Ebert talks about it in his book 10,000 steps and his second trip he had them removed before he started.”

“It's all caused by your toes hitting the front of your boots. I guess I've been lucky and never had it happen. Maybe I need to hike more. Yeah, that's it!”

“I do not kno what I wold do if all of my toe nales falled off. How wold I skratch my itchy flees?
/o:3”

“I did Yosemite Halfdome hike yesterday and came back home today. It was almost 12 hour hike round.
I felt big toes were pushing toward the tip of the shoes during extended downhill sections. I wore trailrunners instead of my hiking boots.
Now I realized my both toes are swollen and toenails seems lifted up. I am afraid to lose my big toenails.
What kind of treatment do I have to do for my toenails? Do I have to see the doctor?
If anyone could give me some suggestions from the experience, it would help me a lot. I am kind of scared of losing my BIG toe nails. Hope I don't.”

“You know, that happened to me the first time I ever bought trailrunners, which was in April. I didn't lose my toenail (yet?) but I'm returning the shoes to REI. I'd say just watch it and maybe not use those shoes. I don't think there's anything you can do if you lose the toenail. Just deal with it.”

“The same thing happened to me last February. A bud and I hiked down to the Phantom Ranch at the Grand Canyon. I wore trailrunners instead of boots. I eventually lost the right big toenail (it is about grown back). The left one hung on in spite of the injury. My sympathies to you.”

“I lost a big toenail a few months after I jammed it into the front of my ski boot in January. It's almost completely grown back. I don't think there is anything you can do about it.”

“I lost most all of mine on my thru hike. There was never any pain, it seems the absent nail would just turn up in my sock or sleeping bag. Not that big a deal and people would be better off without them.”