Best Plantar Fasciitis Night Splints For 2024
Brandon Forder May 7, 2024 4:02 AM
If you have plantar fasciitis, you know how painful it can be.
What's more, some people may experience more or less discomfort depending on the task at hand or the time of day.
Plantar fasciitis discomfort is commonly experienced first thing in the morning after getting out of bed.
Wearing a plantar fasciitis night splint can help reduce the pain you feel in your feet first thing in the morning if you have plantar fasciitis.
In this piece, I will define plantar fasciitis and discuss how a night splint may help you deal with the discomfort you feel in your heels first thing in the morning.
Here, I'll go over some of the top night splints available so you can make an informed decision.
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Last update on 2024-05-07 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API
Types Of Night Splints
There are two primary styles of night splints for plantar fasciitis: dorsal and posterior.
So, which is the most effective brace for plantar fasciitis? There is no universally applicable solution. In short, it all comes down to what you require.
Posterior Night Splint (Boot Splint)
The most common splint worn at night is a posterior splint. A fancy term for a boot support. Many of these braces can be adjusted to fit your needs, but they may be too cumbersome to wear to bed. Numbness may result from wearing them, however this is usually remedied by repositioning the straps.
Keep in mind that going to the restroom in the middle of the night while wearing a dorsal brace may be challenging, as many individuals do.
Doral Night Splints
Dorsal night splints, on the other hand, tend to be less bulky and more comfortable. In contrast, they typically do not require quite as much of a foot stretch. The shinbone is supported by a rigid plastic bar in this splint design. You may sleep soundly knowing that your foot will remain at a comfortable 90-degree angle thanks to this material.
Dorsal braces have the potential to slide or shift along the foot and may not provide adequate support. They might get uncomfortable for the toes and make you sweaty.
Effectiveness
We would have guessed as much, but it bears repeating: the night splint has to work for it to be worth wearing at night.
So, what factors into how successful something is? The essential objective of any night splint is to make sure it holds your foot in the appropriate dorsal flexed position.
Fail to do so, and the plantar muscle may shorten during the night, causing unpleasant morning pain from plantar fasciitis.
For plantar fasciitis relief at night, you need a splint that won't let your foot shift about.
Comfortability
Night splints for plantar fasciitis, however, are not always the most pleasant of inventions.
Many night splints are cumbersome and heavy due to their robust construction, which is necessary for keeping your foot in place while you sleep.
This is tolerable during the day, but at night, when you're trying to get some rest, a brace can be really uncomfortable.
Good night splints are lightweight and compact.
The night splint shouldn't be so snug that it causes your foot to overheat while you sleep.
A good splint will have plenty of vents to let air to circulate.
Size
An improperly fitting night splint could lead to serious foot problems in the morning.
There are plantar fasciitis night splints that come in a universal size, and there are others that you need to measure your foot for.
While custom-made night splints tend to be the most effective, finding the right size can be a challenge.
Seek Support.
You’ll generally want brace support that concentrates on your foot, ankle, and Achilles tendon. You need extra padding in your arch support brace if your arches are high. If you have problems with your ankles, you may want to seek for a shoe that also serves as a brace.
Focus on Fit.
A sleep brace should be snug but not painfully tight. Common braces are available in multiple sizes. There are also variants that feature dual-tension straps that may be adjusted to the user's preference.
Just Breathe
Choose a sleep brace that allows your body to breathe freely while you're wearing it. Having sweaty feet first thing in the morning is the worst.
How Does a Plantar Fasciitis Splint Work?
The conservative treatment for plantar fasciitis often consists of rest and stretching. Foot adhesions can be broken up, pressure on painful heel spurs can be reduced, and healing can be aided by increased blood flow to the affected area by stretching the ligaments and tissues in the feet. Rest allows the injury to recover without more strain, new traumas, or problems.
A plantar fasciitis night splint helps combine these two excellent conservative therapy methods–keeping your foot or feet softly flexed in a stretch while you sleep. If you suffer from morning pain, a good night splint can assist ease the transition from rest to activity without the piercing pain that often comes with taking those first few steps after waking up.
Do Night Splints Work for Plantar Fasciitis?
Several critical research suggest that wearing a night splint “significantly improves” symptoms of plantar fasciitis.
When combined with orthotic inserts, stretching, and ice throughout the day, the usage of night splints can be quite useful in reducing pain and speeding recovery. This method keeps the arch stabilized and comfortable while on the go, lessens inflammation that can slow recovery, and allows conservative treatment to continue working through the night.
How Can Different Types of Ankle Splints Help Treat Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendonitis?
Inflammation of the plantar fascia is what causes plantar fasciitis (the flat band of tissue or ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes). When the ligament that holds the arch of the foot together is overstretched, this disease develops. Ankle splinting, in the form of either a night splint or a special device designed for plantar fasciitis, is used to alleviate the pain associated with this condition. The brace or splint will help hold the foot with the toes pointed up and with the foot and ankle at a ninety-degree angle. And because a common symptom of plantar fasciitis is the tightening up of the plantar fascia at night, the brace or splint is worn overnight to allow mild stretching of the plantar fascia and to prevent it from tightening up.
Pain in the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone, is a symptom of Achilles tendonitis. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. The Achilles tendon can endure tremendous pressure, but it is also vulnerable to tendonitis due to overuse and wear and tear. Achilles tendinitis can be alleviated by using an ankle brace. One of the best ways to alleviate the pain and discomfort of Achilles tendonitis is to wear a supportive ankle brace.
It may take some time to find the ideal night splint for you.
As noted there are several elements that determine people’s desire for night splints.
Sizing is crucial.
Before making a purchase, you should check the manufacturer's instructions on how to properly measure your foot.
Many people have made mistakes in measuring their foot improperly and buying a plantar fasciitis night splint that doesn’t fit.
Second, it's crucial to know where you fall on the convenience-efficiency spectrum.
Morning plantar fasciitis discomfort can be especially debilitating, so you may have to forego some sleep in exchange for a splint that actually works.
On the other hand, if your pain is only modest, you may be able to trade a larger bulkier boot for something more comfortable.
