Re: [at-l] Lost Toe Nails

["Gary Buffington" <gbuffmd@bigfoot.com>]

    Lost toe nails, originating as "black toe" are caused by trauma to the
toe nail from banging the end of the shoe or boot.  Either the boot is too
short or the nails were too long.  However, sometimes on downhill sections
the foot slides forward in the boot and the nail is traumatized.  The nail
turns black because of bleeding underneath which raises the nail from the
growth plate.  New nail grows on the growth plate (at the rate of 1 mm a
week) and pushes the old nail off.
    The best bet is to keep the nails trimmed short so that the end of the
toe, not the nail, hits the boot when the foot slides.  Also, some claim
that a well fitted boot with a good heal cup fit will prevent the foot from
sliding forward; but this never helps me, so the shoe people say I never had
a good fit.
Buff

* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |  http://www.backcountry.net  *

==============================================================================