Plantar Plate Repair

Based in the heart of NY, Advance Foot and Ankle Solutions offers the best facility for performing Plantar Plate repair, while catering to all other various foot and ankle problems. Look no further when you can have direct access to the globally acclaimed specialist team of foot and ankle surgeons, supervising & managing your Plantar Plate repair with diligence and dedication.

Advance Foot and Ankle Solutions support team is absolutely attentive to your requirements related to Plantar Plate repair. Call & book an appointment right away for professionally diagnosed, treated and empathetically cured foot and ankle issues, to lead a wholesome, enviable lifestyle.

Plantar Plate Repair: Plantar Plate Overview By Your Expert Doctor

The plantar plate is a soft tissue, strong ligament made of collagen/fibrocartilage located on the bottom of the foot, on the underside of the MTP joints. The ligament connects the base of the toe to the metatarsal heads (ball of the foot).

Pain on the underside of the forefoot is usually associated with tears of the plantar plate under the 2nd MTP joint, though it can occur at any of the MTP joints. This is due to the fact that the 2nd metatarsal is often the longest of the metatarsals and therefore, bears full force during the propulsion phases of walking and running. It is also referred to as predislocation syndrome, floating toe syndrome and crossover toe deformity.

Plantar Plate Repair: Functions Served By The Plantar Plate

The plantar plate serves the following important purposes:

  • Stabilize The Metatarsophalangeal Joint to keep the toes in place
  • Assist In The Windlass Mechanism due its attachment to the plantar fascia
  • Resist Overextension Of The MTP Joint to prevent its drifting
  • Absorb Compressive Loads to provide stability

Plantar Plate Repair: Causes Leading To Plantar Plate Tears

Plantar plate tears and ruptures may be attributed to the below stated factors:

  • A Short 1st Metatarsal
  • Elevated 1st Metatarsal
  • A Long 2nd Metatarsal
  • A Short 3rd Metatarsal
  • Bunions Or Flatfoot Exerting Excessive Pressure On The Plate
  • Biomechanical Anomalies Causing Overload Of The Metatarsal Heads
  • Limited Motion Of The Big Toe
  • High Levels Of Physical Activity
  • Wearing High Heeled Footwear
  • Injecting Steroids (Cortisone) Into Joint Or Around It

Plantar Plate Repair: The Associated Signs & Indications

Plantar plate tears are characterized by the following symptoms:

  • Dull Or Sharp Pain Under The Metatarsal Head
  • Persistent Pain & Swelling Under The Metatarsal Head (Ball Of Foot)
  • 2nd Or 3rd Toe That Appears To Be Shifting Towards The Adjacent Toes
  • Neuroma That Remains Unresponsive To Treatment
  • Pain In The Toes, Particularly The Middle Three Toes
  • Instability In The MTP Joint
  • Walking With A Limp
  • Limited Motion Of The Big Toe Joint
  • Sensation Of Walking On The Bones Of The Foot
  • Hammertoe/Crossover Toe Condition
  • Swelling at the top of the foot
  • Chronic Plantar Plate Injury Leading To Cartilage Erosion & Arthritis

Plantar Plate Repair: Evaluation & Diagnosis Course

Evaluating and diagnosing the plantar plate tear extent are carried out with the aid of the following tools and procedures:

  • Physical Examination to ascertain the level of deformity & location of pain
  • Imaging Techniques such as:
    • X-Ray Imaging
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
    • Ultrasound
    • Arthrogram (Inexpensive, Highly Accurate, Swift Result)

Plantar Plate Repair: The Treatment Course

Usually, a plantar plate injury can be treated without the need of undergoing surgery. The more severe cases of tears may often end up with complete rupture of the plantar fascia that requires to undergo surgical procedures.

The Conservative, Nonsurgical Mode Of Treatment: The noninvasive options available for managing and treating plantar plate tears include:

  • Proper Rest to recover from plantar plate sprain
  • Applying Ice Packs to reduce swelling, pain & discomfort
  • Taking Pain-killer Medication such as NSAID’s
  • Wearing Special Footwear such as comfortable, stiff-soled boots
  • Using Orthotics with metatarsal cookie to reduce pressure on the joint
  • Applying External Topical Gel for relieving painful condition
  • Employing Special Taping Technique such as ribbon taping
  • Plantarflexion Strapping Of The Digit to reduce load under the MTP joint

The Surgical Mode Of Treatment: Surgical means of treatment is recommended when non-surgical measures fail to alleviate symptoms/pain to a tolerable level. Your podiatric surgeon would take the following measures in a stepwise process:

  • To repair the plantar plate, the podiatric surgeon will typically first perform an osteotomy procedure of the 2nd metatarsal bone.
  • The next step of the procedure is to tighten the plantar plate and anchor the structure to the base of the proximal phalanx of the toe.
  • The osteotomy of the 2nd metatarsal is then fixated with a stainless steel screw.
  • Typically, there is an associated hammertoe deformity of the 2nd toe and this, too, is often corrected at the time of the plantar plate repair.
  • Plantar plate repair surgery is typically performed at a specialized clinic or medical center under general anesthesia.