Bizarre Sneaker Issue

I’m not quite sure what the deal is here. I’ve had these sneakers for a month now and look at the wear marks on the ankle area! The issue started actually probably after the first week but has just progressively gotten worse with every run.

I wish I could blame Nike but it’s one of those “it’s not you… it’s me” situations because my last pair of sneakers (which were Merrell) had the exact same issue.

Has anyone else worn out their sneakers like this? Am I tying my shoes wrong? What could be causing the material to wear prematurely?

Inquiring minds want to know… Am I total freak or do other runners experience the same issue with their sneakers?