#761 Do bunions cause plantar plate sprain in runners?

Perhaps the most nagging injury, and most difficult to deal with if you’re a runner, is something called a “plantar plate sprain.”

The plantar plate ligament is on the bottom of the foot, usually at the base of the second toe.

I got a question from a runner who actually had a plantar plate injury. She also happened to have bunions. So, she asked:

“Do bunions cause plantar plate sprains in runners?”

That’s a great question and that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#755 Can MRI miss a plantar plate strain?

Plantar plate injuries are very common, and they are extremely annoying.

I get lots of questions and comments both from the podcast and from the Doc On The Run YouTube channel about plantar plate sprains.

Today’s episode comes from a question posted by Jason on the Doc On The Run YouTube channel. He asked…

“Can MRI miss a plantar plate strain?”

The short answer is yes, and I’m going to try to explain why.

Can an MRI miss a plantar plate strain?

Well, that’s a great question and that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#750 Best imaging study for plantar plate injury in runners

If you have been told you have a plantar plate sprain, you’re probably already really frustrated.

Even minor plantar plate tears can be nagging injuries that are very difficult to get better while you’re running on them.

The bottom line is, you’ve got to make sure that the plantar plate ligament improves because (in general) plantar plate sprains are either getting worse or they’re getting better.

One of the questions I get all the time from runners is what is really the best study for a plantar plate injury.

What’s the best imaging study for a runner who is suspected of having a plantar plate injury?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#748 Fracture that seemed like a plantar plate sprain

There are times when you might have a suspected stress fracture in your foot. If so, your doctor may order an X-ray.

There are other times when it’s extremely unlikely that you have a broken bone at all, but it is almost certainly just a soft tissue injury.

One of the questions I get a lot from runners with plantar plate sprains is how to make sure the pain is not from a stress fracture.

I have only seen one case where somebody had fracture pain in the exact same spot you would have pain when you had a plantar plate injury.

Can a fracture in the metatarsal seem like a plantar plate sprain?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#744 Was the plantar plate ligament injured before my MRI?

I was recently doing a second opinion consultation with a runner over a webcam to review the MRI of his foot.

What we found was that he had what looked to be attenuation and a partial tear in the plantar plate ligament on his MRI.

There was a lot of inflammation in the foot around the ligament, not just within the ligament itself.

He asked me was really good question:

“Could my plantar plate ligament been have injured long before I ever got an MRI?”

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#741 Worst imaging study for plantar plate injury in runners

If you are a runner with pain in the ball of the foot at the base of the second toe and start researching online, you may become concerned you have a thing called a plantar plate injury.

If so, you may be wondering whether X-rays or MRI imaging may be needed to tell what is wrong. Before seeing a doctor, it may be helpful to understand which are helpful, and which imaging studies are a waste of time.

What is the worst possible medical imaging study you could get if you’re a runner with a suspected plantar plate injury?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#736 Is there always bruising with a plantar fascia partial rupture in a runner?

You’re out on a run, and you suddenly start having extremely sharp heel pain.

You think it’s plantar fasciitis.

But when you look at your foot, you see a huge bruise.

That’s not plantar fasciitis. That’s where you ripped something.

Is there always bruising with a partial rupture or a tear in the plantar fascia?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#705 Does the plantar plate need to “heal” on MRI before I can run?

Plantar plate ligament sprains are a tough injury for runners. Plantar plate tears can cause a lot of pain in the ball of the foot. Unless you treat them correctly, that pain can persist for a long time. As a result plantar plate injuries can be super frustrating.

Unfortunately, plantar plate tears are often diagnosed when you get an MRI of the foot. I often get questions from runners asking me whether or not they have to wait for another MRI before they can run.

Does the plantar plate ligament need to heal on an MRI before I can run?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#663 How can a dancer’s pad lead to plantar plate sprain?

I just got a great question from a runner who had been using a thing called a dancer’s pad.

A dancer’s pad is sometimes used to help an injury to these little bones under the big toe joint called the “sesamoid bones.”

If one of the sesamoids is painful and irritated and you’re trying to take the pressure off of it, an easy way to do that is to place a dancer’s pad in your shoe.

How can a dancer’s pad lead to a plantar plate sprain?

Well, that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

#646 Should I run with a pad for plantar plate sprain?

Today’s episode actually comes from a question sent in by Melissa.

She signed up for the Plantar Plate Masterclass and she asked a very specific question.

She asked:

Should I run with a pad for a plantar plate sprain?

Great question! And that’s what we’re talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.