Is inflammation good or bad for plantar plate sprain

I was just on a call with a runner suffering from a plantar plate sprain.

He had a great question:

Is inflammation really bad or is it good when you have a plantar plate sprain?

Physicians commonly prescribe anti-inflammatories. There are many approaches used by injured runners to manage inflammation, reduce inflammation, and hopefully make your foot feel better.

If inflammation is bad for the plantar plate ligament, part of your recovery plan should include some sort of anti-inflammatory treatment.

But if the inflammation is good for the plantar plate, you should not try to interfere with the inflammatory response. 

Is inflammation good or bad for a plantar plate sprain? 

Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run podcast.