Running shoe lacing that fixes heel slip and black toes

Many of the fit problems runners blame on their shoes can be fixed with the laces. A heel that slips, a black toenail after a long run, numbness across the top of your foot, and a forefoot that feels squeezed all have a lacing fix you can try in two minutes before you spend money on another pair.

Find your problem in the table, then follow the steps for that pattern. Every pattern works with the laces already in your shoes, whether you are lacing up for a parkrun or a marathon.

Your problem	Lacing pattern	What it does
Pressure or numbness on top of the foot, often with high arches	1. Open-up (gap) lacing	Leaves a gap over the sore spot
The whole shoe feels tight	2. Parallel (straight-bar) lacing	Spreads pressure evenly across the top of the foot
Heel slips out of the shoe	3. Heel lock (runner’s knot)	Locks the heel into the back of the shoe
Black toenails or sore toes	4. Toe box lift lacing	Lifts the toe box off the nails
Wide forefoot	5. Forefoot expansion lacing	Gives the front of the foot more room
Narrow heel that moves around	6. Narrow heel lacing	Pulls the back of the shoe tighter with a double heel lock
Bunion or big toe joint pain	7. Big toe unloading lacing	Keeps lace pressure off the big toe joint
Narrow foot or low arch	8. Close-fit lacing	Pulls the whole upper closer to the foot

Ian’s Shoelace Site has step-by-step diagrams for these and dozens of other lacing methods if you want to see each eyelet.

Lacing fixes by problem

1. Pressure on top of the foot or high arches: open-up lacing

If the top of your foot aches, or your toes go numb partway through a run, the laces are pressing on the nerves and tendons over your instep. Find the eyelets level with the sore spot. When you reach them, run each lace straight up the same side to the next eyelet instead of crossing over, then carry on criss-crossing above the gap.

The gap takes pressure off the high point of your foot, while the eyelets above and below it still hold the shoe in place. Ian Fieggen calls this gap lacing.

2. Shoes feel too tight: parallel lacing

If the whole top of the shoe feels tight even though the length is right, the crossing points of normal criss-cross lacing may be digging in. Parallel, or straight-bar, lacing runs the laces in flat horizontal bars across the top of the foot, with no crossings.

Start with a straight bar across the bottom pair of eyelets. Take one end up one eyelet on the inside of the shoe and straight across. Take the other end up two eyelets on the inside and straight across. Keep alternating, skipping one eyelet on the inside each time, until both ends reach the top. The flat bars spread the pressure evenly, so no single point pinches.

3. Heel slipping: the heel lock

If your heel lifts out of the shoe on every stride, or you get blisters on the back of your heel, use a heel lock. It is also called a runner’s knot or lock lacing, and it is what the extra top eyelet on most running shoes is for.

Lace normally up to the second-to-last eyelet. Take each lace straight up into the top eyelet on the same side, leaving a small loop. Cross the laces, thread each through the loop on the opposite side, then pull down and back before tying. The heel locks into the back of the shoe without you having to tighten the laces across the whole foot. The same lock works in trail shoes and hiking boots on long descents.

Lacing to the top eyelet also changes how the shoe loads your foot. In a 2009 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences, Marco Hagen and Ewald Hennig had 20 runners test six lacing conditions. Lacing that used the top eyelet produced lower loading rates and heel pressures than standard six-eyelet criss-cross lacing, and the runners rated it no less comfortable. Loose lacing cut impact forces, but only because the foot slid around inside the shoe.

4. Black toenails or sore toes: toe box lift lacing

If you lose toenails or finish long runs with bruised toes, the toe box may be pressing down on them. Toe box lift lacing pulls the front of the shoe up and away from your toes.

Start at the bottom eyelet nearest your big toe and run one end of the lace diagonally to the top eyelet on the opposite side, leaving most of the lace for the other end. Lace the long end back and forth through the remaining eyelets, finishing at the top. When you pull the laces, the diagonal lifts the toe box instead of pulling it down onto your nails.

Add a heel lock as well. Black toenails often come from the foot sliding forward on downhills, and the heel lock stops that slide. Thick socks or compression socks also take up room in the toe box, so lace with the socks you race in.

5. Wide forefoot: forefoot expansion lacing

If the front of the shoe squeezes your forefoot but the shoe is the right length, take the pressure off the lower eyelets. Start lacing at the second or third pair of eyelets instead of the bottom pair, or use parallel lacing across the forefoot and normal criss-cross lacing above it. The front of the shoe can then spread with your foot while the upper eyelets still hold your midfoot.

6. Narrow heel: narrow heel lacing

If your heel still moves after a heel lock, use every eyelet, including the top one, and tighten the lock. Lace firmly to the top, then make same-side loops through the top two eyelets on each side, thread the opposite lace through both loops, and pull down. The double loop pulls the back of the shoe closer around a narrow heel.

7. Bunion or big toe pain: big toe unloading lacing

If you have a bunion or the joint at the base of your big toe hurts, keep the laces off that joint. Skip the eyelet nearest the joint on the big-toe side, run the lace past it on the inside of the shoe, and avoid crossing over the joint. Lace the bottom section loosely and tighten above it.

8. Narrow foot or low arch: close-fit lacing

If your foot moves around inside the shoe or the shoe feels loose across your midfoot, use every eyelet and lace firmly in a standard criss-cross from the bottom up. Tighten each crossing before you move to the next, then finish with a heel lock. A closer fit keeps your foot from sliding inside the shoe and helps it feel secure.

When lacing will not fix it

If your toes touch the front of the shoe on a downhill, the shoe is too short, and no lacing pattern will stop the bruising. Go up half a size, then re-lace. If the shoe still pinches with the laces loose, it is too narrow for your foot, so look for a wide-fit version.

How I lace my own shoes

Carbon-plated super shoes such as Nike VaporFly and AirFly have almost no heel cup, causing the heel to lift on long runs. A heel lock (pattern 3) holds it in place.

I get the occasional black toenail on longer runs. Toe protectors like Toe Thingies protect the nail, and Injinji toe socks stop the toes rubbing against each other. Toe box lift lacing (pattern 4) deals with the cause by lifting the shoe off the nails.

My partner has high arches, so open-up lacing (pattern 1) is the one to try first.

Elastic laces for triathlon and duathlon

Elastic laces let you pull your running shoes on in seconds, which is why most triathletes and duathletes race in them. Keep them for races and race practice. In training, normal laces hold your foot more securely, and elastic laces tend to loosen over a long run.

Set them up before race day. Lace the elastic with a heel lock so the shoe grips your heel without squeezing the top of your foot. Most elastic laces come with a slider lock. If the slider creeps down, tuck it under the top cross-lace, or tie a permanent knot once the tension feels right. Practise the shoe change at home so your first one is not in transition, and use the triathlon race tips for the rest of your transition setup.

 

Quick answers

How do I stop my heel slipping in running shoes?
Use a heel lock, also called a runner’s knot. Thread each lace up into the unused top eyelet on the same side to make a loop, cross the laces through the opposite loops and pull down before tying.

Can lacing stop black toenails?
It can help. Toe box lift lacing lifts the front of the shoe off your toes, and a heel lock keeps your foot from sliding forward on downhills.

Which lacing pattern is best for high arches?
Open-up lacing works best. It skips crossing over the highest point of the foot, so the laces don’t press on the instep.

Should I use elastic laces for running?
Use them for triathlon, duathlon and race practice, where they save time in transition. Normal laces hold the foot better in training, and a heel lock keeps elastic laces secure on race day.

Further reading: sports science for endurance athletes and Nike Vaporfly 3.

Last Updated on 9 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner