Managing Your Plantar Plate Tears With Era Health
Plantar plate tears can be very distressing and very painful. There is no set age or gender for people to suffer with Plantar plate tears, but it tends to happen to middle aged women more in Australia. It can be distressing, as the pain is often persistent, even when the foot is then being used, and the swelling can sometimes take hold at inconvenient times.
What causes it? What are the symptoms?
There are numerous causes of Plantar plate tears, but the most common is seen in people that overpronate. Persistent pain is often followed by swelling around the ball of the foot, which makes walking quite difficult and running very painful. Many people feel pain under the ball of the foot, which may extend out into the toes. Most people complain that their middle toe hurts.
What does the Plantar Plate do?
It protects the head of your metatarsal from pressure, which then prevents your toe(s) from overextending. Plantar plate tears are often associated with Hammer Toe and a bunion. The Plantar Plate also helps to stop your toes from splaying when you have no shoes on.
How are Plantar plate tears diagnosed?
When you have Plantar plate tears, you may notice your toes splaying when you do not have any shoes on. You may also notice clawing too. An Era Doctor will examine your foot for telltale signs, which also includes redness, and will ask numerous questions about your pain and how it affects you.
The foot is a very complex part of your body, but luckily, the doctors and podiatrists at Era health are highly qualified and very experienced. Examinations will be given to determine the extent of the tear, and an X-Ray and/or ultrasound may be performed to rule out other problems. The main goal is to rule out other conditions and to determine the severity of your problem.
How are Plantar plate tears managed?
Symptom relief is the first step, as the pain and swelling can be quite distressing. Your Era Health doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory medication, and our podiatrist in Melbourne will give advice for activity modification and altered footwear. Your toe may be strapped or off-loading padding may be used.
Biomechanical assessments may be needed to determine the best course of action, and in many cases, the Era Health podiatrists are able to cure the condition if it is caught early enough. Further modifications in footwear and daily activities will then be recommended to stop the condition reoccurring or getting worse.
