What Happens If Your Kids Don’t Trim Their Toenails

For busy parents, getting your kid to sit still long enough for a toe clipping can feel impossible. And if they’re a little older, convincing them to do it themselves is like talking to the wall. But at  PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we’ve seen that skipping this task can be a big deal for their foot health. Here are 4 reasons why!

The Ingrown Toenail

When a toenail gets too long or is constantly slammed against the inside of a shoe (which happens a lot when kids run and play), the edge of the nail can be forced into the soft skin around it.

This creates a painful ingrown toenail. It gets red, swollen, and can quickly become infected and make walking hurt with every step. Since kids' feet are so soft and pliable, the issue can escalate fast. And if they wear tight cleats for soccer or snug school shoes, the problem is even worse.

Toenail Trauma and Bruising

Long nails are simply hazards waiting to happen. When your child runs or jumps, the end of that nail jams right into the front of their shoe. This constant micro-trauma can cause bleeding underneath the nail and create a bruise under the nail that makes their toenail look purple.

This can be incredibly painful due to the pressure buildup and can eventually cause the nail to lift and fall off. It’s a common issue in active kids whose shoes might be slightly too small or whose toes are hitting the front of the shoe.

Long Toenails and Fungus

Long, untrimmed nails create a debris-filled space between the nail tip and the nail bed. This can lead to toenail fungus, which makes the nail thick, discolored, and brittle. Once fungus takes hold, it’s notoriously stubborn and much harder to treat.

Pain That Changes Their Walk

Let it go long enough, and the pain can cause your child to walk in an abnormal way, whether it’s limping or shifting their weight to avoid putting pressure on the painful toe.

This seemingly small change in gait can throw off their balance and put unnecessary stress on their ankles, knees, and hips. What starts as a nail problem can become a biomechanical issue that affects their whole body alignment.

If you’ve noticed your child has a bad game or practice recently, ask them when’s the last time they cut their toenails.

At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we treat a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are ready to serve our Hartford County patients. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.