Night Splints for Plantar Fasciitis

Night splints for plantar fasciitis are corrective devices which can be highly effective for treating the morning foot pain associated with this condition. They are not an out and out cure, but they can be beneficial for pain prevention, and ensuring that further damage is not inflicted by the sudden stretching of the plantar fascia when the first steps are taken in the morning. Night splints for plantar fasciitis are put on at bedtime, and are worn continuously throughout the night. They keep the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon in a slightly stretched state to prevent contraction while sleeping.

There are numerous designs, which can simply be an plantar fascia arch brace which is slipped over the foot to apply compression to the foot arch, to the calf, ankle and foot splints which are more cumbersome, but arguably more comfortable to wear. These devices either pull up the toes, or decrease the angle between the toes and the lower leg.

Advantages of Night Splints

The main advantage of these splints is that they can be worn comfortably throughout the night whilst sleeping and will prevent morning foot pain when the first few steps are taken. Since this is the most common period when pain is experienced, night splints for plantar fasciitis can be used on their own to eradicate pain and prevent further injury.

This is not to say that plantar fasciitis night splints are a universal cure which will work with every single patient without other steps also being taken, but they can be highly effective. Depending upon the seriousness of the condition, the patient may need to undertake other options for the conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis such as:

• Wearing shoe inserts, especially heel seats
• Using orthotics for improved arch support and cushioning
• Ice massaging the affected area
• Physiotherapy and plantar fasciitis stretches
• Medication to reduce inflammation
• Plantar fasciitis braces for day use

Each of the above methods has its own merits; however it is best to get a recommendation of the best treatment regimen to use from a podiatrist or doctor, as this advice will be tailored to your own condition. An important point to note before buying either night splints or orthotics is that these are sold in a range of sizes, so carefully check that they match your foot size. They are often sold in small, medium and large, but if you have particularly small or large feet, make sure that your shoe size is covered, or choose a different model. If you do not choose the correct size, they will be uncomfortable to wear, and may not have any effect.

Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint Cost

High quality plantar fasciitis night splints will set you back between around $40 and $70. This is a significant outlay, but you will have to gauge how bad your condition is and whether the cost is worthwhile. If you rarely suffer from morning foot pain, the expense may not be worthwhile. Fortunately however, you can pick up a good quality rigid night splint for treating plantar fasciitis for as little as $20-$25, with the splints by Bird and Cronin offering particularly good value.