I’ll admit it: I’ve had three cases of runner’s toe this year, and I lost my toenail each time. It’s a common issue among runners, especially those logging long distances while marathon training or doing the race itself. The good news? It’s totally treatable and completely preventable, according to doctors I talked to. Read on to learn how to treat runner’s toe and prevent it from happening again, whether you have a black and blue nail or one that fell off.

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What is runner’s toe?

Runner’s toe is a commonly used term for a subungual hematoma, a.k.a. bleeding under the nail bed, says Dr. Jacob Wynes , a podiatric surgeon and an associate professor of foot and ankle surgery for the University of Maryland School of Medicine.…