The plantar plate ligament is a little ligament on the bottom of the ball of the foot, right where the toe attaches to the foot. The function of the plantar plate ligament is to reinforce the joint and support the toe by helping to hold it down against the ground.

Anatomically, the plantar plate ligament resists the motion doctors call "dorsiflexion," where the toe gets pulled up away from the ground.

Even though the plantar plate ligament is really small, its funcion is vital. 

Doing exercises to help support the plantar plate, can help to decrease some load on the ligament.

Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast, we're talking about the single most effective exercise to support the plantar plate in runners.