Big toe attacks running shoes

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone has a similar problem and if there is a solution. I keep my toenails trimed but for some reason eventually my big toe wears through my running shoes.

Now a good pair of running shoes are expensive! Ones that allow your foot to breathe easily too have very light material in the toe area which I suppose is why this happens.

I was wondering if there are any socks with reinforced toe areas that might help - surely I'm not the only person with this problem?

The shoes are the correct shoe for my step and are the right size - I have had professional advice on that.

Ideas?


Thanks!

Comments

  • try taping over the toenail so it has an extra buffer
  • Same problem with my Asic GT2140's

    Both shoes.

    I used Duck Tape on the inside of the shoe - but that fell off after one run - so then I used Duck Tape on the inside and carefully sewed the frayed bits back together, going through the Duck Tape too.

    Lasts a good couple of weeks and doesnt look too bad because the underneath of the tape, (the bit that shows through from the inside of the shoe), is white-ish and matches the shoe material.

    Good socks: Cheap option is Run 365 socks from JJB at about £5 for 2 pairs - or Sports Direct do Karrimor running socks - 2 pair for £3.99 i think.

    Both quite comfy and offer more protection to both foot and shoe than normal socks, (although maybe not as good as those mega pricey ones you can buy)

  • Same problem, have some Brooks Cassada, 3 months old, 200 miles in and started to wear. One solution was to use a patch out of a puncture repair kit but this lead onto option 2, visit to local cobblers. They put a small patch inside, cost £4 and was ok, only ran once since so will be interested to see how it works. Wife gets very unhappy that I have to buy new shoes every six monhs due to hole in shoe. Belive the manufactures know this and trend has been to put more "breathable fabic in shoes" which requires replacing after 6 months..... Have some asics from 5  yrs ago and they did not have that problem.
  • The Hilly (Ron Hill) range of socks have some very good ones with reinforced toe areas and extra padding, with left and right shaped socks.

    http://www.hillyclothing.co.uk/Details/Supreme-Anklet/

    http://www.hillyclothing.co.uk/Details/Padded-Training/

    Well recommended and should save wear on the toe area of your trainers, they do for me. 

  • You can stick these to the inside of your shoe to reinforcing the fabric of the toe box. When I used them it took a couple of months, instead of a couple of weeks, for my toe to poke through. I picked them up at Runners Need in London.

    http://www.goengo.co.uk/preventing-blisters/GoEngoPatches.aspx

  • The best solution are proctector Cover to protec your toe all sizes.Get the for Boots or your local chemist?
  • I had the same issue when Asics did away with the little bit of leather that used to sit just on top of the big toe.  I switched to Nike Triax - they have a thin strip across the oe area which stops this happening.
  • The reason its happening is you're pulling your toes up towards your shin too much during the gait cycle. Common in heel strikers. Also usually a sign that tibialis anterior is being massively overworked.

    Best solution - sort out the dodgy mechanics!

  • Siance - very educational - or should that be educatoenail?  (Sorry, spellcheck with a warped sense of humour!!).

     The obvious question is how?

  • image

    depends on whether you want to change your running style - in which case make the transition from heel striking to a more mid to forefoot style. Plenty of info on chi, pose, barefoot type style running but need to do it slowly and condition the feet / lower limb before embarking on it!

    Or if you're not bothered about the holey shoes so much and want to stay a heel striker, but want to strengthen shins then you need to strengthen tib ant (see pic) and also stretch it, so it can withstand the repetitive forces you're putting on it.

    http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:VknFoJrpP_I38M:http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5019486/194965_Full.jpg

  • Thanks Siance.

    Bizarrely, I'm recovering from a pretty nasty sprained ankle at the moment and that's one of the exercises my physio has given me to do - maybe I'll fix two problems in one go!

  • Hi all,

    thanks for all the replies / Im very impressed and also assured that Im not actually a freak of nature !!

    Interesting remark Siance, will try and take more notice of how Im running, will also try out a few of the other things mentioned and see whats best for me.

    Cheers all! 

  • Hi everyone

    Also glad to hear its not just me with this problem, wearing out shoes but not socks seems odd; never used to get this problem and have been running 23 years.

    I will look into the running style advice as sounds like that may be where I am going wrong.

  • DD,

     I used to have this problem when I was a heel striker, and had to look for shoes which incorporated a toe guard - just an extra bit of reinforcement which covers the cocked big toe.

    Since, years ago, converting to forefoot strike, there is no longer any problem, as Siance says.

  • I had the same issue when Asics did away with the little bit of leather that used to sit just on top of the big toe.  I switched to Nike Triax - they have a thin strip across the oe area which stops this happening.  

    Hi Smiler, I used to have to put up with holes over my big toes until I came across Nike Triax. My second pair of Triax 11 are just about ready for the bin. Tried a pair of Triax 13 yesterday but they have moved the strip so it no longer covers my big toes. So went and tried a pair of Triax 12 today, but again the strip has moved so (at least in my case) it no longer covers the big toes. Sports Direct have got a revamped Triax 11, renamed as the Andoyne or something like that, but again the strip has moved. Really frustrating…. Especially as the only Triax 10 or original 11 still available are in very small or large sizes. 

    I have other running shoes I don’t actually run in (coz the toes will go after a few weeks) but just wear to knock about in. I was thinking about trying some other shoes other than Triax just for a change anyway, even before I just found out that the Triax 12 and 13 have the strip in a different place. I was wondering about putting some tape on the inside of the fabric of my other (non) running shoes to actually try running in them, and see if the toes would hold out. But not sure if this would be the answer though as the tape may cause friction and irritate, or just come loose… I’ll give the Go Engo pads a try.   

    Apparently this is known as the 'Windblast Effect'
  • Yes, that's what I meant. Wondered why I couldn't find any info running/foot related it when I tried researching this on the internet earlier. Now I know why. image

    Talking to someone at a running shop about this this afternoon and must of misheard him....

  • > @"Damian Donnelly" said:
    > Hi all,
    >
    > I'm wondering if anyone has a similar problem and if there is a solution. I keep my toenails trimed but for some reason eventually my big toe wears through my running shoes.
    >
    > Now a good pair of running shoes are expensive! Ones that allow your foot to breathe easily too have very light material in the toe area which I suppose is why this happens.
    >
    > I was wondering if there are any socks with reinforced toe areas that might help - surely I'm not the only person with this problem?
    >
    > The shoes are the correct shoe for my step and are the right size - I have had professional advice on that.
    >
    > Ideas?
    >
    >
    > Thanks!

    One thing that has worked for me is moleskin, can be purchased at drug store, cut a square out and affix to inside of shoe, very soft and very adhesive, Good Luck!
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