If you have a Plantar Plate Tear, you are probably looking for some relief, often time in the form of a brace. Since this injury is a little obscure it is actually pretty difficult to find a brace or sleeve that was designed specifically for plantar plate injuries. Fortunately, I have had A LOT of experience dealing with plantar plate tears and I have found some high-quality options.
While there are almost no actual braces directly geared towards plantar plate tears, there are indirect supports. The Budin splint, compression metatarsal pads, and other compression can all aid in the healing process. Utilizing these while avoiding the carbon fiber insoles can speed up recovery time!
Budin Splint
Once you have torn your plantar plate, you and Budin Splints are going to be friends for the rest of your life. Budin Splints are almost the only tool available that simultaneously shortens the plantar plate ligaments, preventing further overstretching and tearing, while also providing some cushioning under the ball of the foot. Now personally I think the three-toed option works better than the two-toe option, and honestly, the one-toe guy doesn’t do much of anything. You need to get a Budin Splint as soon as possible and you are going to need several. Due to the Budin splint being under your foot it gets torn up pretty quickly. You’ll need to replace them frequently. Fortunately, they are very inexpensive and worth their weight in gold. Budin Splints work best when combined with toe taping techniques and high-quality footwear.
Metarsal Pads and Sleeves
Metatarsal pads and sleeves are a good 2nd option to Budin Splints. If for some reason a Budin Splint just doesn’t work for you you can start trying some of these options. These come in a lot of different styles and options and that is the main reason they aren’t as effective as a Budin Splint. They aren’t as uniform or consistent and you have to do some guessing. The best place to start would be to find a metatarsal sleeve that will cushion the ball of the foot area while having a light amount of compression around the forefoot. This will reduce the impact forces on the ball of the foot area and provide a little extra blood flow.
Compression
Compression can be helpful in promoting blood flow. With the Plantar Plate region being avascular it can be difficult to get enough blood circulating through to promote healing. Compression socks and sleeves can slightly improve blood flow to this area aiding in healing. Compression sleeves won’t have much of a protective impact to the area but still are beneficial.