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Q:I'm a regular runner, and the area under my big toenails is black and blue. How did this happen and what can I do to prevent it?
A:Although bruised little piggies aren't pretty, they're usually nothing to worry about. "Black and blue under the nail is the sign of a dried blood clot, usually caused by ill-fitting running shoes," says Alan A. Kass, podiatrist and director of medical services at Saint Barnabas Outpatient Centers in Livingston, New Jersey. Most likely, your toes are being jammed into the top of your sneakers when you run, causing what doctors call blunt trauma. If the damage is severe, the toenail may separate from the underlying bed and even fall off, but don't worry -- a new one will grow back in six to nine weeks. To prevent traumatizing your toes in the future, get fitted for new running shoes at a reputable sneaker store. Go at the end of the day (when your feet are swollen) and wear the same socks you run in. If new shoes don't stop the problem from recurring, you'll have to switch to a lower-impact exercise or stick to dark (bruise-hiding) pedicure hues.