Don’t Ignore Ball-of-Foot Pain

The plantar plate is a fibrous structure underneath the foot that supports and stabilizes the joints between the toe bones and the bones of the foot. (These are the metatarsophalangeal joints [MPJ].) The plantar plate, which is made of collagen, consists of bands that provide attachments for ligaments that go to each toe and that go between toes. These keep toes straight (preventing them from drifting up) and also in alignment (preventing the toes from separating).