The Student Room Group

Ingrown toenail & limp

I've had an ingrown toenail for a few years and am finally seeing someone about it soon, but because of it I walk with a limp. I know getting it finally treated will help but I don't think it's gonna mean I'm automatically gonna be able to walk "normal" again... are there people/ways to help with learning to walk properly again??? Anyone else had this problem?

This is a bizarre post i know but I really would like some insight/advice..
Reply 1
I feel for you, Ive had these and I know how painful they can be. I have one at the moment but its not causing me any problems/pain at the moment thank god! Hopefully it will stay that way!

Ive never had a limp with it though so I cant really help, but I imagine you would be able to walk properly again after having the treatment so I wouldnt worry too much about it. If not, its just a matter of 'practising' walking normally again and getting yourself out of the habit

What are they doing with it, are you having it removed completely? I had a piece taken out of mine, they took a chunk out at the side of the nail from the top and cut down to the cuticle. God it bloody killed!! And the woman who did it was a moody cow too, so that just made it even worse
Reply 2
Ive had that op too, wouldnt say it killed though. The anaesthetic hurt when it was going in but once it started working i obviously couldnt feel a thing after that. I was so glad after it had been sorted out, having a ingrown toenail hurts so much more than the op. I just wished id said yes when they offered to do both sides!
Reply 3
They may be able to offer you a physio to correct the way you walk (its possible the limp has restructured the muscles in your hips/legs so you may need to work on them). Whoever sorts it out will be able to refer you if you do need it.
Reply 4
Why on earth did you take years to get it sorted out?

Didn't anyone suggest going to a doctor rather than limping around? I'm surprised you didn't get an infection or something.
Reply 5
there are people who deal with the way people walk. was referred there about 10 years ago as when i learnt to walk i learnt to walk slightly odly, but they couldnt correct it as it was habit.

if you used to walk properly then i cant see it being a problem for you to re-learn however.
dude i had this operation last year!

basiclay i had the normal chiropodist treatment, scrapping round and cutting out a bit of the nail. but after 6th mounths it got so bad that it hurt to walk and more imporantly, drum!! People would slightly knock it and it wuoud kill and bleed. it got all pussy and infected so i wanted it gone. so i had an operation. and tbh, the injections hurt more than the operation! i was trying to look at what he was doing cos i cudnt feel my foot at all!

In the end he took half my nail off (big toe) and put this reli strong chemical in it that would stop the nail regrowing in its wrong path before and ive been fine ever since

must say though,

it bloody hurts after! only for a day or so. but it was sooooooooooooooooooo worth it!
Reply 7
I read somewhere that dabbing lavendar oil (I think the real essential oil stuff) on the toenail/small surrounding area of it twice a day or so for a few days can help. I think I read it in a health community site and it worked for the person who had tried it! So..no harm in trying I guess!

They didn't do this after having had treatment/surgery so no wounds..
Reply 8
had that operation where they take out a slice of the nail about 2 years on an ingrown toe nail id had in my left toe for a couple of years. didnt hurt at all and was playing football 2 days later.
Did anyone else find that, after having the op, a small, harder piece of nail would grow from the side and at a slightly upwards angle, separate from the rest of the nail?

Oh, and I would advise that, when having it done, don't look at the chiropodist actually working on your toe.
Reply 10
My toenail grew back totally weird after Id had it done, I cant really explain it but it sort of grew back in layers, so my nail actually had about 3/4 layers!! :s-smilie: So the nail just basically had ridges in it. When it eventually grew out though it was fine.