What is a plantar plate rupture? Am I at risk?

Do you ever experience significant pain under the ball of the foot, most commonly under the base of the second toe.

The plantar plate may be the culprit: a firm fibro-cartilaginous ligament composed of type 1 collagen, this ligament functions to withstand the wear and tear of daily life activities. Although small, this  strong ligamentis vital to stability of the metatarsophalangeal joints. If it is sprained or torn, it can lead to digital deformities such as crossover toe, floating toe or eventotal dislocations of the joint! Small tears of this ligament, even with the absence of any visible hammertoes can be notoriously painful and cumbersome to treat.  Women who commonly wear heals are particularly at risk.

 

To accurately identify this often misdiagnosedetiology of pain in the ball of the foot, our podiatrists are trained to perform certain highly sensitive exams that can diagnose this problem right here  in our treatment rooms. In addition, we will often confirm the diagnosis with an ultrasound or MRI to gauge both the severity but also identify any other injuries.

If caught early, your pain can be relieved with taping/strapping methods/orthotics/shockwave therapy and physical therapy. When these injuries are severe or do not respond to conservative treatment, a surgical procedure may be required. Recent literature is promising that our newer techniques are more effective, reproducible and less invasive for a safe and timely return to shoe gear of your choosing.

If you are concerned you may have a plantar plate rupture and wish to be evaluated, the doctors at Advanced Podiatry will make sure to choose the appropriate treatment for you!

  

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