Ingrown toenail

The feet put up with a large amount of injuries and can prevent you from participating in your sport for many weeks or months. The bones of the foot are made up of 3 major regions, the forefoot, mid-foot and hind-foot, and these 3 areas usually suffer problems at one time or another.

Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail can be painful and sometimes it can become infected.

Cause

Incorrect cutting of the toe nail or ill fitting shoes.

Treatment

• Soak the affected toe in warm water for about 15 minutes.
• Gently lift the toenail and gently place some tissue under the nail, to enable you to cut it.
• Cut the toenail straight across to prevent the edges of the nail growing under the skin at the side of the nail.
• If there is infection of the ingrown toenail, apply some antiseptic and cover with a dressing.

Repeat this daily until the infection has healed.

Prevention

Keep the toenails cut short but allow the nails to cover the underlying skin. Wear socks and shoes that fit correctly and let your feet have fresh air when possible.