Shoes for Ingrown Toenails – Prevent Your Child From Getting an Ingrown Toenail
If you have ever experienced an ingrown toenail, you know how painful it can be. Ingrown toenails can impact your children’s daily activities and prevent them from doing some of the things they love the most! An ingrown toenail might be red, swollen, and it may even drain pus! Did you know that wearing the wrong shoe size is one of the main culprits for causing an ingrown toenail? Shoes that are too small or too narrow are a direct cause of ingrown toenails. I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for ingrown toenails based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
Always examine your child’s foot regularly, since most children may not express any discomfort even though they might have an ingrown toenail. If the ingrown toenail is left untreated or undetected, it may infect the underlying bone and might lead to a serious bone infection.
There are certain kids’ shoes that provide extra depth and rounder toe-boxes which help treat and prevent an ingrown toenail from getting worse.
The most effective and proven method to prevent your child from suffering from an ingrown toenail is to wear the right type of shoes. Wearing shoes that have round toe-boxes can help prevent the toes from overlapping or rubbing against one another or the side of the shoes.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Ingrown Toenails?
1️⃣ Rounder Toe-Boxes: This feature helps prevent your children’s toes from rubbing against one another or the side of the shoes. Let me show you the difference between a shoe with a round toe-box versus one with a narrow toe-box. The shoes below are the same length and width, but as you can see they will fit very differently.
Before I show you a selection of the best shoes for ingrown toenails let me show you what are some of the most common causes of ingrown toenails.
What Are the Causes of Ingrown Toenails? – Prevent the Pain!
There are 3 main causes of ingrown toenails:
- Cutting your kids’ toenails too short: Make sure you always cut your children’s toenails straight across, and never curved or too short.
- Wearing shoes that are too narrow.
- Wearing socks that are too small.
All of these factors contribute to developing an ingrown toenail. Keep that in mind next time you are looking for shoes for your child.
How Can We Treat an Ingrown Toenail?
Do your children already have an ingrown toenail? There are 3 different steps that will definitely help reduce, or completely eliminate the pain from an ingrown toenail.
1️⃣ Soaking the sore toe in warm water for 15 minutes 2 to 3 times each day will reduce the swelling.
2️⃣ Having the nail cut down by a podiatrist.
3️⃣ Wearing shoes that have a wider toe box so they won’t press on the toenail.
How Can Ingrown Toenails Be Prevented? – Learn the Facts!
Did you know that the best and most effective way to prevent ingrown toenails is to wear the correct shoe size?
Always avoid shoes that are too narrow that may squeeze the toes together. Wearing the right type of socks is also crucial to prevent the toes from being pushed against each other.
Below you can find the best-fitting shoes for a child who has or has had an ingrown toenail. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
The Best Shoes for Ingrown Toenails
These shoes are ideal because they have the roundest toe-boxes, guaranteeing that the big toe will get not get squeezed against the shoe or the other toes. These shoes can fit children with medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW) feet.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Shoe style RaveRun by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Lightweight injection-molded EVA foam midsole provides lightweight cushioning
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style RaveRun by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Lightweight injection-molded EVA foam midsole provides lightweight cushioning
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Original Jazz Lite 2.0 by Saucony
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper for durability and breathability
- APMA Certified
- Traction pods on the outsole for serious grip
- EVA midsole for lightweight feel
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Ride 10 Jr by Saucony
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper
- Non-marking traction pods to help improve stability
- APMA approved
- Toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 2510 by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Removable insoles
- Lightweight and flexible
- Extra wide toe box allows natural splaying of toes for better balance, comfort, and foot health
- Long heel counter provides stability
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your toddler’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Shoe style 2510 by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Heel stabilizer provides lateral stability
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your toddler’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 650
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a great fit and added comfort
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Fresh Foam by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Lightweight injection-molded EVA foam midsole provides lightweight cushioning
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Sr Thompson by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Ortholite memory foam footbeds
- Opens super wide which makes in and out easy
- Recycled material linings to help reduce odor
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Winslow by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Toe cap reinforcement and bumptoe protection against stumbles
- Opens super wide which makes in and out easy
- Step-stabilizing design with comfy Ortholite memory foam footbeds
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Fresh 574 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- No-sew overlays
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- See Kai Run shoe style Robyne
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Breathable textile lining and cushioned insole
- Double velcro straps for easy on and off adjustability
- Padded tongue and collar for added comfort
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- See Kai Run shoe style Robyne
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Canvas upper
- Toe cap is durable for early steps
- Double velcro straps
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 New-b V1 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Generous toe box and instep to accommodate and support a first-walker’s needs
- Mesh and suede upper for durability and comfort
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 New-b V1 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Generous toe box and instep to accommodate and support a first-walker’s needs
- Mesh and suede upper for durability and comfort
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
Little and Big Kid Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Shoe style RaveRun by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Synthetic and engineered mesh upper
- Stitched-on toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Nitrel v5 by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Synthetic and engineered mesh upper
- Stitched-on toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Russell by See Kai Run
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Double velcro straps
- Removable, contoured, leather-lined footbed for breathability and comfort
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Robyn by See Kai Run
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Double velcro straps
- Removable, contoured, leather-lined footbed for breathability and comfort
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Velocity by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Heel stabilizer provides stability
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Shoe style 3584 Rainbow by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Shoe style Fresh Foam 650 Bungee by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a comfortable fit
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi v4 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Synthetic and engineered mesh upper
- Durable rubber outsole designed to withstand wear-and-tear
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Arishi v4 by New Balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a comfortable fit
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style RaveRun is available for little and big kids
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Available in laces
- No-sew overlays for a sleek fit and feel
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a great fit and added comfort
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style RaveRun is available for little and big kids
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Available in laces
- Leather and mesh upper
- No-sew overlays for a sleek fit and feel
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Axon by Saucony
- Available in medium and wide widths
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Axon by Saucony
- Available in medium and wide widths
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Padded tongue and collar
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 880v12
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Dual-layer midsole construction featuring top-bed foam cushioning and underfoot Fresh Foam X
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 480 V1 by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Lightweight EVA midsole
- Leather and mesh upper for durability & breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 327 by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- FuelCell foam delivers a propulsive feel to help drive you forward
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style FuelCell Propel v5
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Dual-layer midsole construction featuring top-bed foam cushioning and underfoot Fresh Foam X
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- ENCAP midsole cushioning provides good arch and heel support
- Leather and suede upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi v4
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Mesh upper is lightweight and breathable
- Lightweight EVA foam cushioning in the midsole and padded heel increases comfort
- Firm heel counter
- Supportive heel for active kids
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
Looking for Other Shoe Recommendations? – Get a Personalized Suggestion
If none of these shoes are available in your child’s shoe size or if you need the shoes to be made of a specific color don’t hesitate to email me at: [email protected]
What Socks Work Best for Children with Ingrown Toenails?
Seamless socks allow the toes to move freely inside the socks and prevent any sort of pressure between the toes. I created a post where I describe the best seamless socks and how to make sure you are getting the correct sock size.
Keeping Your Kids’ Toenails Healthy – It All Starts with the Right Shoe
If your child has an ingrown toenail and got infected, oral antibiotics may be required as a treatment.
It is important that you take your child to your local children’s shoe store to have their feet properly measured and shoes properly fitted. However, most parents don’t have a local kids’ shoe store in their area that they trust.
If you don’t have a good fitting shoe store in your area then take a look at a different article I wrote where I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.
I have spoken with several parents of children who have been dealing with ingrown toenails for years. They said that they went to a podiatrist to have the nail properly trimmed, and applied all different types of home remedies as well as topical antibiotics to reduce the infection. I explained to them the importance of wearing the right type of shoes, and they were shocked that they did not think about this earlier.
Imagine having an ingrown toenail and wearing shoes that are too narrow. Your toes would be cramped together and there would be more pressure placed on the ingrown toenail. The pain would become unbearable!
What Are the Best Sneakers for Children with Extra Wide Feet?
If your child happens to have extra wide feet, and you can’t seem to find them the right type of shoes, I created a post that will show you the best shoes for children with extra wide feet.
I had to deal with an ingrown toenail when I was a child, and I know how painful it can be! At one point, I stopped playing soccer because the pain was unbearable. I remember that the pain started going away after wearing the correct pair of shoes. Something so simple as getting the correct shoe size can make a tremendous difference in keeping your kids’ feet healthy.
Is your child suffering from an ingrown toenail? Have you found a particular shoe that has worked well in treating the ingrown toenail? Please share your experiences below so we can all benefit from your experiences.
I’m glad I stumbled across your article and was super excited to see you list different shoes but quickly disappointed realizing that the shoes are for babies/toddlers and smaller kids. My daughter is 9 and has bigger feet. She can wear a size 5 to nearly 6 in women’s shoes. Do you have any recommendations for that size?
Hello Kresta,
You should read a post I wrote where I describe shoes for her size. You can find that post here:
Women and Kids Shoe Size Conversion – Save Big Buying Kids’ Shoes!
I hope that helps!
My daughter has been struggling with ingrown toenails for a year now. The doctor said that it was caused by her wearing shoes that were too narrow, so we took her to a kids’ shoe shop but we didn’t even liked how they measured her feet and the shoes still seemed tight on her. I m glad I came across your website. I ordered a pair from your recommendations, hopefully they will work!
They will work. But don’t forget about the importance of socks. Have you ever worn socks that were too small for your feet? If you had, you will notice how much pressure you will feel between your toes, specially the big toe. Get your daughter seamless socks as soon as possible. You can find them in this post: Seamless Socks for Kids – Stop the Struggle of Putting Socks On!
I am so glad I stopped by your website. My child was suffering from an ingrown toe nail for the longest time. I got her a pair of the shoes you recommend with seamless socks, and after two months of wearing them she doesn’t complain anymore! I felt like I had to drop you a line telling you THANK YOU so much!
Abrielle,
You are welcome! I am glad she is not suffering from her ingrown toenail anymore! Wearing the correct type of shoes and socks can make all the difference!
Hi Juan,
This is exactly what I was looking for! Son of my friend is suffering from this problem for a long time – every 2-3 months she is bringing her son to doctors to take the nail off. It is really terrible for the boy as he is anactive basketball player. I will share this post with her as all the time we thought the reason was wrongly cut nail or nail growing wrong.
As I got to know after reading your post – it can also be due to wrong fit of the shoes and I guess it could be very relevant to him as sportsman as maybe his trainers are of inappropriate fit. Perhaps this problem can be solved much easier and less painful.
Thanks a lot for this valuable information – I think anyone who has suffered or is suffering from this problem will evaluate it a lot.
You should advise your friend to check the shoes that the child is currently wearing. There is a possibility that they might be too narrow, specially since he is a basketball player and there is a lot of friction between his feet and the hard floor of the basketball court.
I created a post where I describe the best basketball shoes for kids’ and there are some that are wider than others. The post is called:
The Best Basketball Shoes for Kids- Avoid Damaging their Feet And Knees
Hello Juan
My child keeps complaining about his big toe hurting, especially when trying to play soccer.Thank you for a very informative article on ingrown toenails and how important it is for children to have the right size and type of shoe.Is a rounded toe-box better than a squared toe, or does it make a difference?
I also like how you cover what socks to wear and how to treat ingrown toenails.
Wendy,
Always try to get your child shoes with a rounder toe-box rather than a pointy or square one. The rounder toe-box will guarantee that there is no pressure on your child big toe from the shoe. If you don;t have a children shoe store in your area, you can choose from the shoes I display in the post. I have fitted them before and they have the roundest toe -boxes, and they are also very deep.
Hi Juan,
I can relate to what you just describe in this article. I have suffered from ingrowing toe nails for over five years. I under went 5 minor surgeries before I became free.
Though that’s at the expense of my toe nail. I did not have a choice but to ask for a procedure to deaden it. So right now I don’t have any right toe nail anymore. The pain was so much that I could not bare it any longer. Going through this, I don’t want my kids to experience what I went through.
I didn’t know that certain shoes have wider toe-boxes, even in the same size length and width.How can I know when you post new articles? I have already read several of them and I love the information you provide.
Anu.
Anu,
Ingrown toenails are extremely painful. I experienced them as a kid because I wasn’t wearing the correct pair of shoes. Always make sure you are taking your children to have their feet properly measured at your local children’s shoe store. If you don’t have one in your area, I provided you with the shoes that come in wide and extra wide widths, as well as the roundest toe-boxes.
You can sign up to my email list and you will receive emails when I write important posts.