What shoes are best for plantar plate tears?

You need a shoe to limit mobility around the plantar plate and aid healing. Such a shoe should have a strong metatarsal pad, a deep heel cup, a stiff sole, and a supportive arch.

Your other option is to wear an insole. Custom orthotics, in particular, will work to help minimize the tension in the area and prevent any toe deformity.

Upstep have plantar fasciitis custom orthotics that factor in your foot pathology as a long-term way to manage your torn plantar plate.

You can read a full review of these orthotics for more information about how they help treat the condition.

It’s all about finding a fair balance between cushioning and stability. A neutral supporting shoe will benefit the majority of people with plantar plate tears. If you have tight, stiff feet, search for shoes with good cushioning but not so soft that you can’t feel the ground. Rather, look for shoes with structure to hold the foot in the proper posture with each step. Great stability is especially vital for persons with flexible feet. This will aid people with flat feet to raise their arches and urge those with high arches to lower their arches to a more neutral posture. As a general guideline, if you can bend the shoe in half, it’s probably unsupportive. You also want to look for styles with more rigid heel counters, so that if you are a pronator, the shoe can keep your heel in a neutral position. This will take undue pressure off of your inflamed plantar fascia.

Shoes for plantar plate injury should have a stiff or rigid sole at the acute phase to immobilize the plantar plate and promote healing. Down the line, it becomes better to use shoes with rocker bottom soles or wide and open shoes with a low heel.

The best shoes for plantar plate tears should have a strong, unbending sole and good arch support. These components will help to limit strain on the torn plate, which will definitely help with pain.