Medical Pedicure: What It Is, Benefits, and Why Runners Need It

Feet, for a runner, are precious cargo. They propel us from start line to finish line and through all the training Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis toenails, calluses, and blisters. These battle scars don’t only look unsightly come flip-flop weather, but more importantly, need proper care so we can run pain-free.

When you want to pamper your hard-working feet, a pedicure is tempting. But many runners have complicated relationships with pedicures. Courtney McClurkin, DPM, podiatrist at Dallas Podiatry Works Exercises to Help Nix Plantar Fasciitis Pain Runner’s World she has reservations about traditional salon pedicures for her patients who run, particularly those who develop in-grown toenails.

“Most nail technicians performing traditional pedicures are not trained on how to properly and safely deal with an ingrown toenail,” McClurkin says, “but that doesn’t mean they won’t try their best to dig them out.”

McClurkin also says she’s had patients “turned away by regular pedicurists because their nails are thickened, and either the salon does not accept clients that they suspect may have toenail fungus, or they don’t feel comfortable trimming and filing these types of nails.” Fortunately, McClurkin has another option for runners: medical pedicures.

What is a medical pedicure and how does it differ from a regular pedicure?

McClurkin describes it as “kind of a cross between a salon service and a medical service.” Like at a salon, the pedicurist will clean and exfoliate your feet, and clip, shape, and file your nails.

A medical pedicure, however, is tailored to your particular needs and performed by a nail professional who has been certified to take care of your feet without worsening conditions, such as toenail trauma and calluses.

You could say that what sets a certified medical pedicurist apart from a traditional pedicurist is what they won’t attempt to do. They’re trained, for example, to not dig out an ingrown toenail—only a podiatrist can remove one—or try to shave thick calluses with a blade, another procedure that requires a doctor’s care. Instead, they use medical-grade equipment and solutions to clean around and clip the exposed part of an ingrown nail or gently pumice calluses.

They then refer their patients to a podiatrist—medical pedicurists usually work in tandem with a doctor of podiatry—for official diagnosis, treatment, and necessary prescriptions. A medical pedicurist can also safely use a medical electric file on thickened nails as well as clean, bandage, and apply antibiotic ointment to a blister.

While you won’t get a bath for your feet or a polish change, you will get upgraded care for your feet—a pretty great payoff for runners who put their feet through tough work on the regular.

What kind of training does a medical pedicure nail technician go through?

Shoes & Gear MediNail Sometimes, a patient may have a Death by Pedicure, tells Runner’s World A Part of Hearst Digital Media health issues, he set out to help elevate safety standards in nail care. So he developed MediNail Learning Center, a comprehensive medical pedicure training program. The most advanced medical nail technician certification from MediNail requires the completion of 25 course modules and a 40-hour externship at a podiatrist office.

Through Spalding’s program, technicians learn how to properly disinfect nail instruments, use aseptic care techniques, and identify when foot conditions—including blisters, calluses, and fungal or ingrown toenails—are severe enough that they should be seen by a podiatrist. Medical nail technicians, Spalding clarifies, are not trained to officially diagnose and treat these issues the way a doctor can. “We try to train the nail techs to the level of understanding about why they shouldn’t do aggressive services [to treat nail conditions] and they should refer any problem nails to either a podiatrist or their family physician,” Spalding says.

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A medical pedicure offers peace of mind—it’s a way to pamper our feet without having to worry that it will intensify any problematic issues common among runners. Ida Martin, a podiatry-certified medical pedicurist with Dallas Podiatry Works, says she’s worked with many runners who have calluses and toenails that are ingrown, fungal, bruised, or thickened from trauma.

“Our nails are very prone to both acute and chronic trauma,” McClurkin says of runners. “Over time, this can cause changes to the nail bed or the nail matrix—or even spurring of the bone underneath the toenail—that can lead to a change in the texture or shape of the nail, making it difficult to safely and effectively cut the nails yourself. And of course, leaving a nail thickened or elongated can lead to bruising under the nail and/or potentially losing the nail.”

McClurkin explains that a medical nail technician can safely trim and file toenails that have thickened from the chronic trauma of running—and that going to routine medical pedicures can help prevent them from thickening again. Keeping your nails short also helps prevent blisters on the toe and ingrown toenails. “Cutting or digging into the corners of the nails ourselves, leads to ingrown nails and infections,” McClurkin adds.

Medical pedicures also help minimize callus buildup—a condition that’s all too familiar for many runners. “If they get too thick,” McClurkin says of calluses, “they can turn into blisters and become more painful and even possibly infected.” She recommends regular pumicing of calluses, which medical pedicurists can safely do.

Sometimes, a patient may have a callus that is too large or deep for a medical pedicurist to address. “That’s when my medical pedicurists refer them to me,” McClurkin says. While a podiatrist, like McClurkin can address these more aggressive calluses, she doesn’t recommend suddenly shaving them down in the days leading up to a race. “Those areas of pressure that cause the callus formation are used to it at that point and are not going to feel good on race day without their protective layer,” she explains.

In short, the more often we get medical pedicures, the sooner we can nip problematic nail trauma and calluses in the bud—and keep them from coming back again.

What should you know before getting a medical pedicure?

Although the specific details of your “medicure” appointment will vary depending on the technician, many medical pedicures—like the ones Martin performs—take place in a private room at a medical clinic, a bonus for runners who are self-conscious about their feet.

Martin starts every appointment by thoroughly evaluating her patients’ feet, checking for calluses and looking between each toe so she can identify conditions she needs to work around and/or refer to a podiatrist. Martin keeps notes on each patient, shares them with a doctor when necessary, and refers back to them each time the patient returns.

Then Martin gets to work. Unlike traditional nail technicians, Martin doesn’t soak her patients’ feet, but sprays a hospital grade softener to hydrate the skin and nails. Because Martin knows how to properly operate an electric file—part of her medical pedicure training—she can use it to smooth calluses and shave thick toenails that are at risk of bruising or falling off due to the pressure they undergo while you’re running.

As Martin is cleaning, clipping, shaping, and filing toenails with her pre-sterilized instruments, she is extra careful when working with a traumatized nail, which, when she’s finished, “may not initially favor a perfect salon type nail,” she says. “It’s all about the process of getting your nails back to a healthy state.”

Dallas Podiatry Works moisturizes and very gently massages her patients’ feet—taking extra care if they're swollen.

Because Martin works at a podiatry practice, if she sees an issue that needs to be addressed by a doctor, her patient can see a podiatrist, if not during the appointment, then at least on the same day with minimum wait time.

How do you find a medical pedicurist?

“That sometimes takes a little research on your part,” Spalding says. He recommends starting your search with a podiatrist. A medical pedicurist, Spalding clarifies, must be working in conjunction with a physician and often at a podiatry practice. This way, he says, “it’s a simple effort to get the podiatrist to come in the nail treatment room to look at a problem.”

If your podiatrist’s practice doesn’t offer the service on site, they may be able to refer you to another medical pedicure practice—or even to a nail technician at a salon who’s had advanced training, such as the education offered through MediNail and other medical pedicure training programs. Your podiatrist might also staff podiatric assistants who are certified to do medical pedicures.

Your next best bet is internet research. Some medical pedicure training programs, including MediNail and Why Trust Us, have directories to help you look for a medical nail technician near you.

How should I take care of my nails between appointments?

Martin recommends her patients come in every four to six weeks. For the days in between, Martin and McClurkin shared some simple nail care tips:

Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis hydration.
Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis toenails. “The thinner and shorter—within reason—that you keep your nails,” McClurkin says, “the less pressure they will undergo while running, and the less likely they are to continue to bruise or thicken in response.”
Fun Half Marathons protein and foods that contain vitamin B. A hair, skin, and nails vitamin can also be helpful. “Healthy nails should look clear and feel only slightly flexible,” McClurkin explains.
Dry between your toes after a shower and change out of sweaty socks to help prevent fungus and athlete’s foot. If you are experiencing fungus in your nails, avoid wearing polish as it creates another layer for fungal organisms to thrive.
Prevent blisters by wearing shoes that fit correctly and by breaking them in slowly. Wearing good socks is also important. “There are so many good sock brands for runners these days with extra padding around the heel or ball of the foot,” McClurkin says.
If you do wear polish, McClurkin recommends you change it often and let your nails breathe every so often. “I have a lot of patients come in who think they have toenail fungus, but it’s actually just discoloration from nail polish,” she says. Brands such as Dr.’s Remedy, which has antifungal properties, are good options to help prevent fungus.
If you notice any signs of peeling or itching on the bottoms of your feet or if you observe thickening or discoloration of your nails and it lasts for several days, make an appointment to see your podiatrist.