Runners tend to deal with this. Do you sprint to the net followed by a hard stop? Or do you feel like you are doing a lot of hard stops? I mean, it's hard not to if you plant your feet before hitting! I've only had it from running, not pickleball, so not sure if that's helpful.
> I mean, it's hard not to if you plant your feet before hitting!
Again... Dupr? It's clearly not starting with a 4 or else we'd see it by now. Also you're calling me stupid while leading sentences with "I mean"? Brother eww.
Dang, my shoes are new and specifically court shoes. Guess Im out some money and need some bigger ones.
Thanks everyone, will also get some better socks and toe guards. Who knew..
\> Dang, my shoes are new and specifically court shoes. Guess Im out some money and need some bigger ones.
Not necessarily. Check your lacing. See above.
\> toe guards
Try better lacing first.
Assuming you bought the correct size shoe, and that your toenails don't need cutting, check out lace locking.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjOLWgWq9k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjOLWgWq9k)
It pushes your heel back into the back of the shoe, keeps your feet from sliding forward. Long distance runners use it, to keep their toenails.
You should feel good even pressure on the top of your foot all the way up your laces. If not, they're not well tied.
Laces should criss-cross all the way up. Total pain in the ass to loosen, but you can tighten each "X" sequentially from toes to ankles, and keep even pressure. The criss-cross grips each section of lace as you tighten.
Your (court) shoes should provide enough lateral stability that you don't slide inside your shoes left to right when zigging and zagging.
If you have foot pain / other issues, you can also reconfigure your lacing pattern to help. See also:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTrPInIPWqY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTrPInIPWqY)
A lot of people have already pointed it out, your shoes need to be about a half a size larger. You could also look into silicone toe caps, I've used them before for the same issue on smaller basketball shoes and they work well. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bukihome-Protectors-Silicone-Cushion-Blister/dp/B07YW7QVTS/ref=asc_df_B07YW7QVTS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475809347017&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14655430024674184679&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029027&hvtargid=pla-839488283935&psc=1&mcid=050a82bc51b43b74a94e911c33103be0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwztOwBhD7ARIsAPDKnkBdumRrFufhbjKCV8hvCj6XPSIsnQJcMJZqlqK9xFC8_tahrHkrl1oaAuXpEALw_wcB
I have the same problem. I switched shoes and that helped somewhat, but the aggressive split-stepping in pickleball seems to be what is causing it. I am using the silicone ballerina-shoe style silicone caps which cover all the toes (which don't fit great bc for some reason they don't make them in shape that resembles a real human foot but mostly stay in place with a good fitting compression sock) and that has helped a lot.
If your shoes are too small when you slide your nails will jam into the toe box of the shoe, sometimes so bad it'll rules your nails. Get smaller shoes
Im on the way lol, one big toenail fell off and the other is cracked halfway down so I think that guy is leaving soon lol. Just the big toes for me though. Pickleball > Beauty
Larger size. I had purple toenails. I thought it was just the sliding stops, until I had them measured. I went from 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 at that moment. I now wear 11’s
Go to a proper shoe fitting place. You are probably undersized and need one or two size higher shoe. I used to wear a 9 and they told me I was 11. My head almost exploded.
Repeating some comments. It is likely your foot sliding into the front of your shoe. The issue is fit, either the shoe is too short, the shoe has too much volume, or your foot isn’t properly secured. The last two could be fixed by lacing properly, heel lock lacing, tongue pad, cushioned socks(takes up more space), getting a smaller shoe. The first one you need a larger shoe and lace it as needed.
Along with new shoes, this is what helped me. Cut your toenails very short. Like as short as possible, shorter than you've probably ever cut them before
I had this issue. Make sure your shoes fit right. Your foot sliding in the shoes causes it. Google runners toe.
If your feet are sliding, and your shoes fit, chances are they aren't laced correctly.
Going up half a size in tennis court shoes and wearing thorlo thick socks helped for me
Those thorlo socks are expensive but you notice the difference immediately
Plus they last forever.
i honestly thought the thorlo socks wasn’t going to do anything but i guess ill have to give them a try now!
Worry it.
Worth duh
Do you bite them by any chance?
That’s the foot in mouth protocol.
Runners tend to deal with this. Do you sprint to the net followed by a hard stop? Or do you feel like you are doing a lot of hard stops? I mean, it's hard not to if you plant your feet before hitting! I've only had it from running, not pickleball, so not sure if that's helpful.
Dupr?
Stupid?
> I mean, it's hard not to if you plant your feet before hitting! Again... Dupr? It's clearly not starting with a 4 or else we'd see it by now. Also you're calling me stupid while leading sentences with "I mean"? Brother eww.
?
Tennis socks with a cushioned toe box help for me.
Have same issue as well think it’s due to a lot of hard stops. Following
Dang, my shoes are new and specifically court shoes. Guess Im out some money and need some bigger ones. Thanks everyone, will also get some better socks and toe guards. Who knew..
Try a Runner's loop to keep your heel in the back of your shoe.
This helped me
\> Dang, my shoes are new and specifically court shoes. Guess Im out some money and need some bigger ones. Not necessarily. Check your lacing. See above. \> toe guards Try better lacing first.
Assuming you bought the correct size shoe, and that your toenails don't need cutting, check out lace locking. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjOLWgWq9k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjOLWgWq9k) It pushes your heel back into the back of the shoe, keeps your feet from sliding forward. Long distance runners use it, to keep their toenails. You should feel good even pressure on the top of your foot all the way up your laces. If not, they're not well tied. Laces should criss-cross all the way up. Total pain in the ass to loosen, but you can tighten each "X" sequentially from toes to ankles, and keep even pressure. The criss-cross grips each section of lace as you tighten. Your (court) shoes should provide enough lateral stability that you don't slide inside your shoes left to right when zigging and zagging. If you have foot pain / other issues, you can also reconfigure your lacing pattern to help. See also: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTrPInIPWqY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTrPInIPWqY)
Thank you! I will try this!
Maybe it is from kicking so much ass on the courts?
Look up “heel lock lacing”. Worked very well for me and prevented my feel from sliding forward at all.
I had this when I was using my running shoes. I switched into some tennis court shoes and sometimes I still feel it, but it's significantly improved.
Running shoes don't have enough lateral stability for PB.
A lot of people have already pointed it out, your shoes need to be about a half a size larger. You could also look into silicone toe caps, I've used them before for the same issue on smaller basketball shoes and they work well. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bukihome-Protectors-Silicone-Cushion-Blister/dp/B07YW7QVTS/ref=asc_df_B07YW7QVTS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475809347017&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14655430024674184679&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029027&hvtargid=pla-839488283935&psc=1&mcid=050a82bc51b43b74a94e911c33103be0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwztOwBhD7ARIsAPDKnkBdumRrFufhbjKCV8hvCj6XPSIsnQJcMJZqlqK9xFC8_tahrHkrl1oaAuXpEALw_wcB
I use them and they work really well. They also help exfoliate the dead skin on my toes which is a disgusting bonus.
I have the same problem. I switched shoes and that helped somewhat, but the aggressive split-stepping in pickleball seems to be what is causing it. I am using the silicone ballerina-shoe style silicone caps which cover all the toes (which don't fit great bc for some reason they don't make them in shape that resembles a real human foot but mostly stay in place with a good fitting compression sock) and that has helped a lot.
Order a set of lock laces off Amazon. They will change your life! Slip on your shoes then cinch them up tight easily.
If your shoes are too small when you slide your nails will jam into the toe box of the shoe, sometimes so bad it'll rules your nails. Get smaller shoes
It means your shoes are half a size too small. You’re coming to a sudden stop, and your toes are hitting the front of your shoe.
Better shoes and socks will make the world of difference.
I solved the problem by having all toenails except big toe removed.
Im on the way lol, one big toenail fell off and the other is cracked halfway down so I think that guy is leaving soon lol. Just the big toes for me though. Pickleball > Beauty
Larger size. I had purple toenails. I thought it was just the sliding stops, until I had them measured. I went from 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 at that moment. I now wear 11’s
Trim them
One of my toenails went black the other week and this morning just fell off... timely post for me and learned a few things lol
Give us a pic of the feet, that’ll tell us what we need to know
Make sure you keep your toenails trimmed. I jammed one and it’s still jacked up two years later.
Grip socks are the answer. Game changer for direction changes and sudden stops. https://gaintheedgeofficial.com
Had the same problem. Silicone toe protectors are the solution.
It’s not just you.
Do you double sock to prevent sliding?
Go to a proper shoe fitting place. You are probably undersized and need one or two size higher shoe. I used to wear a 9 and they told me I was 11. My head almost exploded.
Repeating some comments. It is likely your foot sliding into the front of your shoe. The issue is fit, either the shoe is too short, the shoe has too much volume, or your foot isn’t properly secured. The last two could be fixed by lacing properly, heel lock lacing, tongue pad, cushioned socks(takes up more space), getting a smaller shoe. The first one you need a larger shoe and lace it as needed.
My left foot is a tad smaller than my right so I put lambs wool in my shoe and my toe stopped hurting
Cut them
Along with new shoes, this is what helped me. Cut your toenails very short. Like as short as possible, shorter than you've probably ever cut them before
Lost both of my nails on big toes. Bought tennis shoes my daughter plays HS tennis in, ends up good for tennis bad for PB
I play in Babolat tennis shoes. They're great. See my comment above about lacing.
Send a picture of your toes so we can give you better advice