Sore toes in football boots usually mean the boot is too short, too narrow or too low, and the same goes for pain in the forefoot. Check whether your toes can lie flat, whether the sides are pressing on your little toe or the ball of your foot and whether the toe box has enough height. If the pain lingers, see a podiatrist or your GP.
Below we go through the likely causes complaint by complaint and what you can change about the boot. This is fit advice, not medical advice, and it does not diagnose anything.
Why do I get sore toes in football boots?
Football boots are meant to fit snugly. In a boot that is too short, your toes jam against the front. In a boot with a toe box that is too low, they press against the top, and in a boot that is too narrow they get squashed together. A boot that is too short at the front can also hurt when you stop sharply and push off.
First check the size is right: see football boots too small or too big. Then pin down where it hurts: on top of the toes, along the side or in the forefoot. Whether an insole will fit depends on the insole and the volume of the boot, see football boots with insoles.
Why do I get blue toes or a dark nail after playing?
A blue toe or dark toenail can come from pressure or repeated knocks against the front of the boot. That points to a boot that is too short or has a low toe box. It is not a diagnosis, but it is a sign the boot is not giving you enough room in that spot. A blue nail is blood under the nail and clears up on its own, although that can take a long time.
Make sure your toes are not cramped and that there is between a few millimetres and about a centimetre of room in front of your longest toe. Get a dark nail or lingering pain looked at by a podiatrist or your GP, especially if you are unsure.
What can you do about pain on top of the toes?
Pain on top of the toes points to a low, pointed toe box. According to our sources that applies to models such as the Nike Tiempo Maestro, the Mizuno Morelia II, the New Balance Tekela v5 and the Sokito Kaizen. Go for a boot with a higher toe box, such as the Nike Phantom 6 or the Puma King.
If the boot is simply too short, half a size up will help. Do not expect a synthetic boot to gain height or room on its own. See leather or synthetic football boots. If a leather boot is only just too tight, read how to stretch football boots safely.
What can you do about pain on the side of the foot or the little toe?
Pressure along the side of the forefoot or on the little toe points to a boot that is too narrow. Tell-tale signs are hard skin on the side of the little toe, blisters and the feeling that your foot is trying to escape the boot. The answer is a wider boot, not a longer one.
Look at the Nike Phantom 6, the Puma King 20 or our page on extra wide football boots for wide fit options. There is more on pinching boots on our page about tight football boots and what to do.
What can you do about burning pain or numb toes?
Numbness, tingling or burning pain in the forefoot or toes can come from sideways pressure in a boot that is too narrow. It can also have another cause that we are not in a position to judge. Take the boot off, see whether it settles and try a wider boot.
Take symptoms that do not go away seriously. If you have numbness, burning pain or problems that last longer than a few weeks, see a podiatrist or your GP, and do not play on through the pain.
What can you change about the boot?
- Lacing: with pressure on the instep or forefoot, changing the lacing can help, for example starting one eyelet higher if your forefoot is wide. See lacing football boots.
- Socks: thick socks pinch on wide feet, so go thinner.
- Insole: an insole takes up volume. Only use one in a boot with room to spare and a removable insole.
- Stretching: leather only, and only a little.
Which football boots are better for a wide forefoot and high toes?
Look for a boot with a wide, roomy toe box. According to our sources these include the Nike Phantom 6, the Puma Future 9 and the Puma King 20. Boots with a low, pointed toe box, such as the Tiempo Maestro, are less suited to high or long toes. For a recommendation matched to your foot, use the football boot adviser.
When should you see a podiatrist or your GP about sore toes?
See a podiatrist or your GP if the pain lasts more than a few weeks or keeps coming back, if you keep getting blisters, if you have numbness or burning pain, or if you are unsure about a dark nail. A podiatrist can examine your foot and, if needed, make you a custom insole.