What is a plantar plate injury?
Do you feel pain under your second toe when walking? You may be suffering from a plantar plate injury.
The plantar plate is a thickening of the joint capsule that lies under each of the bases of the fingers. This structure is responsible for stabilizing the toes when performing the take-off phase and preventing the very common “hammertoe” deformity.
Plantar plate injuries can be caused by shoes such as high heels, walking barefoot on hard surfaces, and impact exercises that involve running and jumping.
Common causes
Common causes
1.Overload – an excessive weight load on the plantar plate. This usually happens when performing activities of daily living incorrectly such as walking, running or jogging. A mechanical overload can occur in patients who have deformities in the feet, who wear high-heeled shoes for very long periods and even in patients who have the second toe longer than the big toe.
2.Direct trauma: It is a common situation in athletes who, due to the discipline they practice, bend their toes very hard, generating hyperextension while the foot is stuck to the ground. It usually happens to triathletes, marathoners, footballers and many more.
Symptoms
The plantar plate, being an anatomical structure formed by different types of collagen, helps stabilize the joints of the toes. An injury to this structure can produce some symptoms such as:
- Pain in the metatarsal area
- Deformities in the fingers
- Fractures
An injury of this type is diagnosed by exploration, locating pain at the level of the plantar plate of the second metatarsophalangeal joint.
With methods such as MRI, it is possible to treat more severe cases, however it is common symptoms that help to identify the lesion in early stages.
Avoiding injury can be a daily task. Something as simple as walking can cause discomfort if not done correctly. Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes for many hours, not wearing shoes with worn soles, changing to the correct sneakers before playing sports and avoiding walking barefoot on hard surfaces are some of the basic recommendations to avoid an injury to the plantar plate.
Do you feel pain under your second toe when walking? You may be suffering from a plantar plate injury.
The plantar plate is a thickening of the joint capsule that lies under each of the bases of the fingers. This structure is responsible for stabilizing the toes when performing the take-off phase and preventing the very common “hammertoe” deformity.
Plantar plate injuries can be caused by shoes such as high heels, walking barefoot on hard surfaces, and impact exercises that involve running and jumping.
Common causes
Common causes
1.Overload – an excessive weight load on the plantar plate. This usually happens when performing activities of daily living incorrectly such as walking, running or jogging. A mechanical overload can occur in patients who have deformities in the feet, who wear high-heeled shoes for very long periods and even in patients who have the second toe longer than the big toe.
2.Direct trauma: It is a common situation in athletes who, due to the discipline they practice, bend their toes very hard, generating hyperextension while the foot is stuck to the ground. It usually happens to triathletes, marathoners, footballers and many more.
Symptoms
The plantar plate, being an anatomical structure formed by different types of collagen, helps stabilize the joints of the toes. An injury to this structure can produce some symptoms such as:
- Pain in the metatarsal area
- Deformities in the fingers
- Fractures
An injury of this type is diagnosed by exploration, locating pain at the level of the plantar plate of the second metatarsophalangeal joint.
With methods such as MRI, it is possible to treat more severe cases, however it is common symptoms that help to identify the lesion in early stages.
Avoiding injury can be a daily task. Something as simple as walking can cause discomfort if not done correctly. Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes for many hours, not wearing shoes with worn soles, changing to the correct sneakers before playing sports and avoiding walking barefoot on hard surfaces are some of the basic recommendations to avoid an injury to the plantar plate.
