title: Plantar-plate disruptions: "the severe turf-toe injury." three cases in contact athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present 3 cases of plantar-plate rupture and turf-toe injury in contact athletes at 1 university and to discuss appropriate diagnosis and treatment algorithms for each case.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Turf toe is a common injury in athletes participating in outdoor cutting sports. However, it has been used as an umbrella term to describe many different injuries of the great toe. In some cases, the injury can be so severe that the plantar plate and sesamoid apparatus may be ruptured. These patients may be better managed with surgery than with traditional nonoperative interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Turf toe, plantar-plate disruption, sesamoid fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  For stable injuries in which the plantar plate is not completely disrupted, nonoperative treatment with casting or a stiff-soled shoe, gradual weight bearing, and rehabilitation is the best practice. Unstable injuries require surgical intervention and plantar-plate repair.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Turf toe and injury to the first metatarsophalangeal joint are relatively common injuries in athletes, but few researchers have detailed the operative and nonoperative treatments of plantar-plate disruption in these patients. We examine 3 cases that occurred over 4 seasons on a collegiate football team.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Turf toe represents a wide array of pathologic conditions involving the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Stress and instability testing are key components to assess in determining whether surgical intervention is warranted to restore optimal function. Stiffer-soled shoes or shoes with steel-plate insertions may help to prevent these injuries and are useful tools for protection during the rehabilitation period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY; Departments of.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Drakos
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Conor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Christopher W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: DiGiovanni
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D006214:Hallux / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008683:Metatarsophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012716:Sesamoid Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: football players; great toe; metatarsophalangeal joint