I was talking to a runner this weekend who told me that, after several months of running, her feet are a mess. "I have two black toenails, blisters on top of blisters on my toes. Do you think my running shoes are too small?" she asked. Without even looking at her running shoes, I could guess that they were too small. But when I checked to see how much room she had in her toebox, sure enough, her toes were jammed right up to the front of her shoe.
Some runners don't realize that they're wearing running shoes that are actually too small for them. Your running shoes should be 1/2 to a full size bigger than your regular shoe size because your feet will swell when you run and you need plenty of room in the toebox. If they're too small, it could lead to black toenails, blisters, or numbness.
When you're shopping for running shoes, make sure the salesperson measures your feet. This may seem like an unnecessary step if you stopped growing years ago, but your feet size can change, even as an adult. Your feet may actually be bigger due to fallen arches or pregnancy. You may even have two different size feet, so it's important to get both feet measured.
If you're wondering if your current running shoes fit properly, check the location of your big toe. If it's pushed right up against the front of the shoe, they're too small. Another easy way to check the fit is to remove the shoe's insert and stand on it. If any part of your toes are hanging over the end of the insert, your running shoes are too small. Go up at least a half size next time.
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Christine – Thanks for voila moment with regard to fitting my running shoes. For some reason my brain doesn’t work in the store. Of course I should take out the insert and stand on it. I just feel so stupid for not doing this all these years! FACE PALM LEVEL 10! I have scoured the internet for some advice that was helpful and yours was the absolute best! Leave it to a woman to figure this out!
I just purchased two pairs of Nikes and have trouble fitting them so I buy two pairs, from Zappos of course for free returns, and realized that I had to fit for my big foot. But I can never get a good measurement from the device they have in the store. The device says I am a 10.5 EXACTLY, but when I tried on an 11 Nike, my toe was near the end @ the beginning of the day. This would have been a disaster while running and when I popped in my custom orthotic and running socks, it was pretty snug. As in no room for swelling at all. I used your insert technique and found that the fit was much better with an 11.5. (Yeah I know, I have clown feet. And no I don’t talk like Peggy Hill! LOL!) So from now on I am going to use this technique for all my running shoes.
Quick question though, do you still recommend a thumbs width for gym/training shoes? I say yes because sometimes I run on the treadmill (2 miles but no more than 5 miles), but not as long as I do for an outdoor run. (10ish miles depending on how I feel 3 to 4 times per week.) But hey, you haven’t failed me so far, so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
CHEERS! And thanks again for the info.
Hi Beth, Happy to help! Glad to hear you got your size figured out. I would still stick with the 11.5 for the inside runs, too. Your feet will still swell a little even on shorter runs. Happy running!
Christine, running guide
Oh thank you! i have two black toe nails and i was wondering what is wrong! this is great and plan to buy a good pair of shoes immediately.
my toe next to the big toe is the tallest. Should i check the insert size based on this toe length?
Swapna,
Yes, definitely base it on your longest toe — that’s the one that will be bumping up against the front of the shoe.
Christine
Great article! One of my feet measures a half size larger. I got custom orthotics a few months ago but have had major problems since…my smallest toe and the toe next to it are sore and the toenails black. My toe next to my big toe is blistered. My big toe has plenty of room though. I have inflammation in my lower back and shoulders since wearing these. Second pair of custom orthotics. Shoes or orthotics?
@Trudy – Sounds like the shoes are too small. Sometimes the big toe is fine but the other toes are too cramped/crowded. Did you get fitted for your shoes with the orthotics? It could be that the orthotics are fine but you’re just not wearing the proper shoe with them.