Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world — and it’s no different here in Seattle. Loved by kids and adults alike, it’s a great way to stay active, boost your mood, and keep your heart healthy. But like any sport, it comes with a few risks, especially when it comes to your feet and in particular, your toes.
The five most common toe problems that players face are:
Turf Toe in Soccer Players
One of the most common injuries in soccer is turf toe. Named for the artificial turf football and soccer athletes play on, it's common to both sports. It occurs when a player changes direction and the toe is bent too far or with too much force, resulting in damage to the soft tissues around the metatarsophalangeal or MTP joint of the big toe.
It can also occur due to overuse.
Symptoms of Turf Toe
- Pain and tenderness including difficulty bearing weight
- Swelling and bruising
- Stiffness and limited range of motion
Other Risk Factors for Turf Toe
- Wearing Poor Shoes - while playing soccer is the major risk factor for turf toe, wearing poor street shoes can also contribute to the problem. Avoid flip flops, backless shoes, Crocs, or any shoe that makes your toes work hard to keep them on.
- Failing to Warm Up Properly – it’s important to get all your muscles warmed up including your feet. Here’s a great video that can help.
Learn about treatment for turf toe here!
Bruised or Blackened Toenail in Soccer Players
Other common problems among soccer players are bruised or blackened toenails. While having your toe stepped on one too many times will lead to this condition, wearing cleats that are too tight or failing to clip your toenails are the primary risk factors.
Symptoms of Black Toenail in Soccer Players
- Black, red, or purple toenail
- Sharp pain
- Swelling or tenderness on top of the toe
- Pressure on the nail
Treatment of Black Toenail in Soccer Players
You can let the toenail grow out, but if it’s swollen and painful, you may need to have your podiatrist drain the blood to relieve the pressure.
If your toenail starts to come off because of its blackened state, don’t rip it off. Keep it attached until you arrive at your podiatrist's office so they can remove it in a sterile manner.
How Soccer Players Can Prevent Black Toenail
While you can’t do much about other players' actions (running into you or stepping on your toes), you can take several steps to prevent this problem.
- Purchase soccer cleats that fit properly. Make sure to shop where your feet can be accurately measured, like Nordstrom or the Soccer Post.
- Get your feet measured often – because many young athletes play soccer, it’s important to get their feet measured frequently to ensure their shoes still fit. Between the ages of 6-11 they should be measured every 6 months, more often if they’re younger and less often if they’re older.
- Purchase your socks and cleats at the same time – if your socks are too thick, your shoes won’t fit properly.
- Keep your toenails clipped – while your shoes may fit properly, if your toenails are too long and hit the top of the inside of your cleats, you’re at risk for a blackened toenail.
Toenail Fungus in Soccer Players
While it’s easy to grow out a blackened toenail, toenail fungus is much harder to get rid of. It won’t simply grow out on its own. If you get toenail fungus from playing soccer, you’ll need to get treatment.
What are the risk factors for getting toenail fungus?
Fungi are present everywhere in our environment, but there are certain factors that must be present for them to affect your toenails.
- A warm, dark, moist environment (like wearing cotton socks and closed-toed shoes while playing soccer).
- Access to the fungus – sharing nail clippers, locker and shower rooms, and poor foot hygiene.
- Repetitive nail trauma – the fungus needs to be able to access your nail bed. Repetitive nail trauma from playing soccer can cause the nails to lift, allowing the fungus to set-up shop.
Treatment of Toenail Fungus
Since you play soccer, what appears to be toenail fungus could be trauma from the game. Your podiatrist may need to send a nail sample to the lab to confirm the diagnosis.
Many people try topicals to eliminate their toenail fungus. While topicals are part of a comprehensive treatment package, using topicals alone will rarely give the desired effect.
Learn more about the best ways to treat toenail fungus here.
Prevention of Toenail Fungus
To help prevent toenail fungus, if you play soccer, it’s important to do the following:
- Purchase soccer cleats that fit properly.
- Get your little soccer player’s feet measured every 6 months to 1 year.
- Keep toenails clipped.
- Wear flip flops or shower shoes in a locker or shower room.
- Never share toenail implements.
- Keep feet clean and dry.
- Rotate your cleats daily to allow them to dry out.
- Only wear socks that wick away moisture. Avoid cotton socks.
- Avoid nail salons that don’t properly clean their equipment.
Athlete’s Foot in Soccer Players
Athlete’s foot is caused by the same fungus that causes fungal toenails. Symptoms can include dry skin, itching, scaling, inflammation, and blisters on and between the toes. Soccer players are more at risk due to exposure to locker and shower rooms and wearing tight soccer shoes with socks that don’t wick away moisture.
Treatment of Athlete’s Foot
While you can try over-the-counter medications to treat the symptoms if these fail, visit a podiatrist to get a prescription for oral or topical antifungal treatment.
Prevention of Athlete’s Foot
- Always wear flip flops or shower shoes in locker rooms and communal showers.
- Never share toenail clippers, files, or other nail tools.
- Keep your feet clean and thoroughly dry, especially between the toes.
- Rotate your cleats daily so they have time to fully dry out.
- Choose socks made from moisture-wicking materials — avoid cotton, which holds moisture against the skin.
Ingrown Toenails in Soccer Players
Ingrown toenails can develop as a result of repetitive injury and pressure on the toenail such as playing soccer. If you have a longer big toe, that toe will be more likely to become ingrown. If you have Morton’s toe or a longer second toe, that toe will be the target.
Ingrown toenails are toenails that grow into the skin that surrounds your toenail. Symptoms of an ingrown toenail can include: pain, redness, swelling, drainage, and pus.
Causes of Ingrown Toenails in Soccer Players
- Wearing Shoes That Don’t Fit Properly - in addition to playing soccer, ingrown toenails can also develop if you wear cleats and shoes that are either too short (your toes press up against the inside of the shoe) or too long (your foot slips forward into the front of the shoe).
- Improper Toenail Cutting- if you either fail to trim your toenails or cut them incorrectly you can suffer from an ingrown toenail.
Treatment of Ingrown Toenails in Soccer Players
Fortunately, surgery for an ingrown toenail can be done during an office visit. Sometimes you’ll need two visits, depending on the situation. Learn more here.
Prevention of Ingrown Toenails in Soccer Players
You can prevent ingrown toenails by:
- Purchasing cleats that fit properly (plenty of room in the toebox)
- Purchasing street shoes and boots that fit properly
- Cutting your toenails straight across
- Keeping your toenails short so that they don’t press against the inside of your cleats and shoes.
