Why do plantar plate sprains take so long to heal in a runner?

One of the worst injuries you can actually get if you're a runner is a plantar plate ligament sprain. The plantar plate ligament is a very small ligament on the bottom of the foot, where the toe attaches to the metatarsal phalangeal joint, right at the ball of the foot. These can happen for lots of different reasons but it's a very small structure and the unfortunate reality is, is that every single time that you stand, you're stepping on the ligament. Why do plantar plate sprains take so long to heal? Well, that's a great question and that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run podcast.