Hi Dr. Allen.  I have read your website and watched your videos.  Please help me.  What is the next step?

I have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, postibular tendonitis, and neuroma. I had a stress fracture on my left foot in June and wore an air cast boot for 6 weeks. I’ve had several months of physical therapy using utrasound, laser, ion (something), exercises and water exercises. I wear a night splint and do stretching exercises daily at home. I’m also taking Mobic, which I think has helped the most. I am 64 years old and pretty active. I have walked several half marathons and 5 k’s. I jog a little. My second toe on my left foot has been crooked for several years. The middle toe is now becoming a hammertoe. I am interested in the possibility of it being a plantar plate sprain. I had never heard that term before until reading your article about it. I would like to know if there is a doctor you could recommend in the Louisville, KY or Indianapolis, IN area? Thank you. I cannot be as active as I would like to at this point and hope to get healed enough to return to my activities.

Let me start by saying how sorry I am about your foot situation.  I also need to tell you that I am highly skeptical about your 3 diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, neuroma and posterior tibialis tendonitis.  I have treated foot and leg conditions for years and rarely have I seen 3 issues at the same time.  Usually I have seen incorrect diagnosis and mismanagment of patients conditions.  Your description of your toes deforming sounds like a plantar plate sprain. Plantar plate sprains are much more common that people think.  Plantar plate sprains cause pain in the ball of the foot or metatarsal region.  A plantar plate sprain is the same as saying a plantar plate tear.  Plantar Plate sprains come in 3 degrees of severity.  A grade 1 plantar plate sprain is equivalent to an overstretched ligament.  A grade 2 plantar plate sprain is equivalent to a partial tear.  A grade 3 plantar plate sprain is equivalent to a full tear or rupture and typically requires surgery.  Grade 3 plantar plate sprains ore not common.  I would like to help you so will need you to do a few things.

  1.  Take a picture of your feet looking down sitting and standing and send them to me.
  2. Mark your foot where the pain is.  Take a picture and send it to me.
  3.  Which pain area started FIRST?
  4.  Do any shoes help?  Barefoot?
  5.  Does anything help or make it worse?

Please go to my website and fill out the new patient intake forms https://www.mychirotouch.com/patientintake/?clientid=SDRI0001  then call my office at 858-268-8525 and schedule an appointment. .The cost is only $237.  While you are here in San Diego I will do a thorough exam and provide you with options.  I can tell you from my experience that many people with metatarsal pain and plantar plate tears can be helped through the proper placement of a metatarsal pad on a custom, soft and flexible orthotic. If the plantar plate tear is severe enough I may recommend additional treatment such as a Platelet Rich Plasma injection to help the ligament repair.  I will also recommend specific shoes that should help by offloading the plantar plate area.

If you would like further information on Plantar Plate Tears Click here

For more information on Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy click here

if you require further information on your condition email info@sdri.net or call 858-268-8525 to schedule an appointment

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.