The runner's toenail

The blackened toenail is a common occurrence among serious runners. Because of repeated friction between the toe and the inside of the shoe, the nail will often turn black and eventually fall off. A friend of mine recently called me to ask if it were okay for him to continue running on his black and swollen toe. I reassured him that it was perfectly normal and that the nail would probably fall off in the shower. I have lost the nail on my middle toe multiple times--to the point that the skin beneath the nail has formed a permanent callus.

After consulting with my friend, I wanted to check to see what the experts said about blackened toenails. Click here is what running expert Jeff Galloway had to say.