Question
Good morning.
I recently took a long drive whereby my right foot was on the gas pedal for an extended period of time.  After the trip, I noticed that there was a bit of pain in the foot but nothing unbearable.  About a week later, a black and blue mark formed under the nail of my big toe and there is now numbness and tingling in the foot.  I can still walk/work out on the eliptical trainer but there is pronounced weakness in that right foot.  Is this a nerve issue?

Answer
Dear Donald,
You are right!
It is an injury to a nerve in your lower back or leg-called a neuropathy or neuritis.
The black and blue mark under your toenail is called a subungual hematoma. As long as it is pain free and appears to getting smaller, it is probably a clotted blood blister under the nail secondary to constant banging of your big toe on the tip of your shoe.
Check out your shoes, and if you can see or feel the tip of your toe touching your shoe-time to get new shoes. Even if the shoe sizer appears right-if your foot can slide in the shoe-then the big toe can bang the tip of the shoe
If the numbness and weakness of your foot improves daily-then maybe you had some temporary pressure on a nerve. If there is no improvement of the numbness and weakness of your foot-then please seek a consult from a Board Certified Podiatrist in Orthopedics,an Orthopedist-or Neurologist-sooner rather than later.
There may still be something  pressing on the nerve-and for that you may need treatment.
Good Luck Again!

We are specialists in neuropathies/neuritis of the Foot & Ankle

Dr George Tsatsos & Svetlana Zats
Podiatrist Chicago 60618 & Elmhurst 60126 Podiatrists
Board Certified in Foot and Ankle Surgery & Orthopedics
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