Why do runners lose toenails?

Why do runners lose toenails?

Runners are people who are considered to one of the many athletes. Although some are considered to be part of a sports team, there are runners that engage into running as a form of their exercise or they have it as a daily habit. For most runners, they have gradually developed an increase in muscle tone, endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular tonicity. Running involves the use of the body’s over all body parts and it is vital that one is prepared in engaging into such habit.

However, it is quite inevitable that any form of exercise or sport do entail certain fall backs, particularly in one’s physical appearance. In the habit of running, one of the most common problems encountered by runners is the fact they are losing their toenails. As runners, do the habit continuously, they tend to lose their toenails from time to time. In medical terms, such condition is called onychoptosis. Onychoptosis is an original Greek word which literally means falling nail. Usually caused by stress or injury, the mechanism of losing toenails starts as one walks or runs. Walking or running, as runners do, slide their foot forward towards the shoe, banging the toes against the top, front, and sides with each step. The feet also have the greater tendency to swell as it is compressed by the presence of the socks and the shoes. Because of the pressure and impact present, it’s either the nail beds of the toe get damaged or blisters form under the toenails. When this happens, the extra blood and fluid cause the toenail to separate from the toenail bed, giving the toenail a black color due to the blood under it.

To prevent this from happening, it is important that the shoes fit perfectly well.