Night Splints

https://www.facebook.com/Caring-Podiatry-157613897611885/

If you're like most people, you don't wear anything on your feet when you slip into bed. Your shoes are where you left them, by the door, when you came home. Your slippers stay at your bedside, ready to go to the bathroom at 2 AM when you wake up to pee, or get out of bed to make coffee in the morning. Socks are maybe the only thing you'd wear on your feet in bed, especially in the wintertime. Otherwise, isn't it just nice to feel the sheets on your bare feet after a long day?

Unfortunately, those of us with PF rarely get to enjoy going barefoot, anywhere, anytime. You either wear clunky sneakers stuffed with custom orthotic inserts or a walking boot all day. (I call my walking boot “the Franken-boot.”) It would be nice to just let your sore feet go free at night, but nope – there’s something to be worn at night, too. Night splints.

So, what is a night splint?

"Plantar fasciitis night splints are a device for pain relief from plantar fasciitis. A heel splint is a brace that attaches to not only the foot, but also the ankle and the lower leg and is worn at night when you go to bed. Its intended purpose it to stretch the plantar fascia ligament while you sleep." (www.heelthatpain.com)

When I started wearing night splints, at my doctor's recommendation, it felt like I was going to bed with a tall boot on. I'll include the link to the ones I ordered on Amazon at the end of this post.

There are different kinds of night splints. The kind I have, as you see below, have three straps to secure my calf and foot into the splint. There is also a detachable foam wedge to raise my toes, which stretches the plantar fascia ligament a bit more.

https://www.amazon.com/BraceAbility-Plantar-Fasciitis-Night-Splint-L/dp/B00BWQ3XNM?th=1

The other kind that I know of, which I haven’t tried, looks like this:

                                                           

https://www.amazon.com/Futuro-Plantar-Fasciitis-Adjustable-Stabilizing/dp/B0057M3TWC/ref=zg_bs_7491807011_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0JQYR2DFZSN8E7MBGCJR

So, what’s my take on night splints? They're a bit uncomfortable and can make your foot mildly numb, especially if you tighten the straps too much; but once you get in the habit of wearing them every night, you get used to them. Unfortunately, like most things I’ve tried so far to treat my PF pain, night splints are on my list of things that haven’t helped. Keep in mind, though, that my case, according to the four podiatrists I have seen, is an unusually difficult one. If you’ve read my other posts, you know that I encourage anyone suffering from PF to try anything and everything you can, after consulting with your doctor first. The one thing you think won’t work could be the thing that will, and night splints can be especially helpful if your PF pain is worst when you first get up in the morning.

In my next post, I will discuss my experience treating my PF pain with physical therapy.

As always, I can be reached on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/plantarwhat/ or via email (wsmalls12194@gmail.com) to answer any questions.

Thanks for reading,

Becky