When should I give in and have plantar plate surgery?

If you are a runner struggling with a plantar plate sprain, it is probably going to be extremely frustrating trying to get it to heal so you can get back to running.  The plantar plate a very small ligament. It does not have a great blood supply. Every time you take a step, you put pressure on the plantar plate. Every time your heel comes up off the ground when you walk, you stretch the plantar plate. Because it is so difficult to heal, runners typically have frustrating setbacks.  That state of discouragement makes it pretty easy for a doctor to talk you into plantar plate surgery.  When should a runner just give up and have plantar plate surgery for a plantar plate sprain?  Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.