darn toenails! ouch

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[nuxie]

Ok so I seem to have a problem with toenails HA. I try to keep them trimmed but I guess it isn't short enough. I have torn my big toenail in the past but today I think I shoved it about an inch backwards into the cuticle.. it is now a nice easter shade of purple and hurts immensely. ouch! I think I might start to tape it or try tape it from now on because this hurts pretty badly. Any other experience or ideas?

Mary

[lbb]

It sounds like you jammed it, yes? Do you know what you did to cause this? Is there some motion or action that seems to get you in trouble? Or is there something unusual about your toes or toenails? In the near term, taping may help to protect it (although be warned, something that color is likely to be very tender, and removing the tape can be quite painful). Longer term, it seems like it would be a good idea to figure out how it happened and how you can avoid it in the future.

[Janet Rosen]

Keep 'em shorter.

[nuxie]

I wish I knew the name of what we were working on... but i think it is an irimi nage movement. any who when i stepped through for the throw my foot hit his shin and then the pain set in and my foot was bleeding. I immediately took off for the bathroom to stop the bleeding and it was the toenail. It is still hurting pretty intense but the nail is not lifted or anything. I think it was a small tear in the corner of the nail and thus the bleeding.

Ice seems to help. I don't have any unusual toes or feet problems. Maybe i need to just pick my feet up a little more or be less clumsy as I throw? We were moving pretty fast as we got farther into class. This did happen towards the end of the class time. One sandan told me that I need to change the way I did a back-fall and worked with me on it after class. I wasn't falling though when I hurt it.

[Shadowfax]

I keep threatening to bring my hoof nippers to the dojo and trim back some toenails. Last time someone stabbed me with a toe They told me they had just trimmed them.... still too long. You want them babies cut back as far as possible. Leaving nothing hanging out. Luckily for me I have always preferred to keep my finger and toenails very short.

Better foot work helps a touch too. ;)

[nuxie]

The funny thing is I have fingernails that are over a 1/4 inch from my fingertips... we always though i would rip one of those off first ha. but it is the toenails that seem to get it most. My toenails don't even go past the skin on the toe?? go figure eh.

[lbb]

Well, if you will go stabbing your foot into someone's shin, some damage may accrue, no matter how trimmed your toenails are. I think the solution is "don't do that".

I'd definitely trim those fingernails way back. 1/4" is way too long. They may not be causing you any pain, but your partners are another matter.

[Mary Eastland]

I have had a big toe nail ripped completely off twice. It hurts. However, with my toe taped I could still practice...so that was okay and they grow back.
Long fingernails are dangerous. I keep mine short.
Mary