The Best Plantar Fasciitis Night Splints (2024)

FAQs

What is the best night splint for plantar fasciitis? ›

The Phantom Dorsal Night Splint is the perfect solution for those suffering from Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendonitis. Its lower profile design enhances patient compliance, and there are no hard surfaces to contact the opposing leg during sleep, making it easier for the patient to wear it during the night.

A night splint stretches the plantar fascia while you sleep. Although it can be hard to sleep with, a plantar fasciitis night splint works well and does not have to be used once the pain is gone. There are several styles of plantar fasciitis night splints available online.

Night splints work by stretching your foot arches and calves while you sleep. They come in hard and soft varieties, and are designed to be used for 1-3 months. They generally work best for people who've had plantar fasciitis pain and stiffness for at least six months.

You can wear night splints every night for up to several months. Then you can gradually reduce how often you use them as your symptoms go away. The brace usually is adjustable, so you and your doctor can adjust it to the proper angle.

However athletic tape should only be left on during the day, and removed at night to allow the skin to breathe. You can apply taping in the morning to give the feet support throughout the day, at night before you go to bed to avoid morning heel pain, or prior to exercise to keep it from stretching excessively.

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, it's essential to avoid sleeping in a prone position (face/belly down) to prevent contracture of the Achilles' tendon and calf muscle.. Instead, opt for sleeping on your back or side with a pillow placed under your knees or between your legs, respectively.

Applying ice to the injured tissue, massaging the area, or using a combination of both approaches 2 to 3 times daily for 5 to 10 minutes at a time can help to treat plantar fasciitis. Rolling the bottom of your foot on a plastic ball covered in soft spikes is an easy form of massage your doctor may recommend.

Hold a cloth-covered ice pack over the area of pain for 15 minutes three or four times a day to help reduce pain and swelling. Or try rolling a frozen bottle of water under your foot for an ice massage. Stretch your arches. Simple home exercises can stretch your plantar fascia, Achilles tendon and calf muscles.

One of the main reasons why plantar fasciitis takes so long to heal is because the plantar fascia is subjected to a lot of stress and strain on a daily basis. The feet bear the weight of the entire body and are subjected to a lot of impact, particularly when we engage in activities such as walking, running, or jumping.

Choose shoes with good support.

This includes your first few steps when you get up in the morning. It's common to feel plantar fasciitis then. So you'll want to keep some supportive footwear by your bed. You may also want to ask your doctor if it would help to wear inserts in your shoes.

Can plantar fasciitis get so bad you can't walk? ›

If your plantar fasciitis is so bad that you can't walk, try using medication temporarily, to get you on your feet again. This isn't a good long-term solution, but might help you start walking with less pain. Try physical therapy — Physical therapy is a long-term treatment method for plantar fasciitis.

At-home massage and stretching can help relieve pain and help prevent the condition from becoming chronic. Plantar fasciitis pain tends to be most severe first thing in the morning. Self-massage before you get out of bed and put weight on your feet can help relieve pain.

If you find yourself waking up with night pain from Plantar Fasciitis regularly, it may be possible to head off the problem completely by wearing a night splint or sock night splint while you sleep.

One can position splints with the foot dorsiflexed at 5 to 15 degrees to the leg. In addition, podiatrists may add a pad to the anterior aspect of the night splints to maximize the stretching of the plantar fascia and intrinsic musculature. Night splints provide constant, consistent strain.

Stretching exercises before getting out of bed

Stretching or massaging the plantar fascia before standing up can often reduce heel pain. Stretch your foot by flexing it up and down 10 times before standing. Do toe stretches to stretch the plantar fascia. Use a towel to stretch the bottom of your foot (towel stretch).

Many people who have plantar fasciitis wake up with pain in their heels each day. So wearing compression socks at night while you sleep can provide the benefits of reduced swelling in the bottom of your foot and less pain when you wake up.

Ice, Massage, Pain Relievers, and Rest

Reducing inflammation can help to alleviate pain associated with the condition. Applying ice to the injured tissue, massaging the area, or using a combination of both approaches 2 to 3 times daily for 5 to 10 minutes at a time can help to treat plantar fasciitis.

Complete rest is not advisable but it is important that you prevent putting the plantar fascia under strain in the early stages of healing. The movements over the page should be done 10 times, within your limits of pain, 3 – 4 times per day: 1.