STUBBED TOES CAN RESULT IN NAIL BED INJURIES

As it turns out, we do things all the time that could result in a stubbed toe — except that when we’re wearing shoes, we don’t actually feel it, according to Michael Trepal, DPM, a podiatrist in New York City. In fact, a stubbed toe means that “in the course of walking, you hit your forefoot against an object while barefoot or wearing an open-toed shoe.”

 

Dr. Michael Trepal

 

If you hit your toenail during the stub, bleeding under the nail—aka a subungual hematoma—may occur. “There is a lot of bacteria around the nails, and so there’s a risk of infection with nail bed injuries,” Dr. Trepal explains, noting that if this happens, you should make sure to keep the area clean. In situations where your nail or nail bed was injured and a blood blister forms under the nail, Trepal says that a podiatrist should drain it to reduce the risk of losing your nail completely.

 

Source: Elizabeth Yuko, The Healthy [2/27/21]

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM news