Night splints for plantar fasciitis are a device that you wear over your foot that is aimed at radically reducing pain while you sleep. Usually worn in the night, night splints are attached to the ankle, lower leg and the foot.
The main purpose of using a night splint is to stretch the Plantar Fascia ligament while you sleep and to reduce morning foot pain – the time at which the fascia ligament hurts the most.
How do Night Splints work?
The idea of a night splint is to keep the foot at a 90 degree angle to the leg. The importance of this is because people with plantar fasciitis usually have excruciating pain first thing out of bed in the morning.
It is important for the ankle to be in relaxed position when sitting for long periods of time. This allows the posterior soft tissues to tighten.
The night splint should be placed on the foot before going to bed and should you feel the need to get out of bed at night, the night splint should be removed as no weight should be applied to it.
By keeping the foot stretched out from the leg at night it tends to reverse pain and inflammation by gently stretching out the calf muscle.
Most people find that morning foot pain is reduced drastically after making regular use of a night splint.
If you find it difficult wearing night splints throughout the night, they can also be worn while sitting, watching TV or reading. This is referred to as a ‘lazy splint’ and it is also a good way of slowly adapting the splint into your nightly routine.
What are the Different Types of Night Splints?
There are two type of night splints for plantar fasciitis. The Anterior and Posterior.
Anterior
The shell fits directly over the front of the shin and the sleeve fits over the fore foot. The velcro secures the foot at a 90 degree angle to the leg .
This is a comfortable, non-intrusive type of night splint.
Posterior
The posterior night splint is a boot you fit from the back of your lower leg. It has a buckle and velcro style system which secures the foot at a 90 degree angle to the leg.
The posterior night splint is rather bulky and larger than the Anterior.
Benefits of Wearing Night Splints
There are several benefits to wearing night splints, but the overall aim is to reduce pain and inflammation while you sleep. Below is the full list of benefits:
- They gently stretch out the calf muscle and fascia
- Holds your foot securely in a 90 degree
- Minimises pain first thing in the morning
- Reduces inflammation
- Can be used at any time of the day (not only during sleep)
- Sustaining the Achilles tendon and calf muscles stretch
- Offers the immediate reduction of serve pain
Night splints also protect the foot from other conditions
Apart from protection against the dangers that are associated with plantar fasciitis, night splints are also known to help with other foot injuries and conditions such as tendonitis.
Best Night Splints for Plantar Fasciitis
Cramer Dorsal Night Splint
The Cramer Dorsal Night Splint holds the foot in a neutral position during sleep, provides support specifically for pain relief, and has adjustable straps that give you a breathable fit tailored to your foot size.
It is less bulky than a traditional posterior night splint and very comfortable to wear at night. It has a non-intrusive design, is light-weight and doesn’t absorb much heat which keeps your foot cool.
Reports suggest that the Cramer Dorsal Night Splint is one of the most comfortable night splints on the market. It has three velcro straps. One on the foot and two on the leg.
There is a separate velcro piece that you can attach to the bottom of your foot after you have the night splint on. This is a non-slippery pad made of rubber with small bumps on the surface. The straps are all very soft and comfortable.
There is a fabric liner inside that has padding in it so you do have a nice level of comfort between your foot/ankle and the plastic.
MARS Orthopedic Posterior Night Splint
Although big and bulky in design, the MARS Posterior Night Splint is very lightweight. It has a sturdy outer shell, is made from breathable material and has three padded straps that hold your foot securely in place.
Inside the boot is a thin lycra covering that can easily be removed and washed.
The MARS Orthopedic Posterior Night Splint has dual tension straps which allows you find and lock in the optimum position for your foot.
Futuro Night Splint
The Futuro Night Splint is a cushioned-padded splint for use whilst sleeping, is a quick and simple solution to reducing pain and inflammation at night.
It is one of the more affordable foot splints on the market making it perfect for someone to try out as a test run.
The Futuro Night Splint is made from lightweight materials with a wrap-around mechanism that makes it easy to slip on and off.
The versatility of the Futuro Night Splint means that relief from the pain of plantar fasciitis can be obtained throughout the day; whenever you want to put your feet up and have a rest, you can slip on this splint for support.
This is a perfect on the go product that doesn’t require too many mechanics in order to feel instant relief.
Night Splint Studies
Several studies suggest that night splints are beneficial to plantar fasciitis sufferers.
See below for support documents and findings:
The effectiveness of dorsiflexion night splint added to conservative treatment for plantar fasciitis
This study evaluated the effectiveness of night splints on 44 patients. All patients received treatment and all were recommended that they wear a night splint in 5-degree of dorsiflexion for eight weeks
25 patients elected not to wear a night splint and 19 patients did.
Results: Patients without previous treatments for plantar fasciitis obtain significant relief of heel pain in the short term with the use of a night splint.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17876122
Plantar fasciitis: a prospective randomized clinical trial of the tension night splint
The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a tension night splint undertaken by a University based sports clinic in California.
40 patients with plantar fasciitis were entered into the study and were chosen at random to undertake different types of treatment.
Results: “When used in combination with a visco-elastic heel pad, stretching program and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the TNS is an effective treatment of plantar fasciitis.”
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8792046
Conclusion
Like all types of treatment, night splints come with a few downsides however, the good news is that they guarantee to improve the state of plantar fasciitis and ease pain and inflammation.
In addition to the splints, patients should use icing, stretching exercises or orthotics in combination. With several types of therapeutic care, studies show that night splints will become highly effective.
The most common complaints with night splints include poor design, larger straps that cause sweating, added pressure on the toes, to name a few. Its important to go with a night splint that is right for you. If this is your first time using a night splint, we recommend you go with a low cost low intrusive Anterior night splint that you can ease into.
Looking for a different type of night splint? Try the Strassburg Sock. It is extremely light-weight and provides a different style of stretching the calf muscle.
