What's Inside
Some mornings when you wake up you are bound to feel a stabbing pain occur as you step your foot down. It persists for a while as you walk and then gradually fades. You don’t feel any other trouble except for this morning’s torture. Ever wondered what it could be? Well, you have, Plantar Fasciitis!
Plantar Fasciitis is an illness that causes heel pain. It mainly is caused due to the inflammation that results at the foot and connects to your heel bone. There will be stabbing pain that occurs generally soon after your sleep in the morning. It may last for a short period before it reduces. The illness is most common in runners as well as obese and diabetic individuals. The plantar fascia is of the bowstring shape in our legs. It supports the arch of the foot, absorbing shock when you walk. When the stress on this bowstring becomes too great, there can be small wear and tear of tissues. When it exceeds, it leads to stabbing pain resulting in plantar fasciitis.
There are many factors why one can develop plantar fasciitis. It can be due to age, certain types of exercise that give stress to your foot, obesity, improper shoes, etc. Diabetes is also a causing lifestyle disease that leads to a higher risk of causing plantar fasciitis.
Diabetes is a very common lifestyle disease. Over 85% of diabetics are overweight and hence there is a higher chance for patients with diabetes to develop plantar fasciitis. Type 2 diabetics need to be extra careful with their weight and health as they are at higher risk than type 1 patience.
Night Splints For Plantar Fasciitis
With a night splint, one can find great relief in the stabbing pain. The night splint helps to keep your feet at a 90-degree angle that helps to get a good stretch rather than shortening your plantar fasciitis. This helps you from tearing down the plantar fasciitis. It may look bulky, but is comfortable to wear and sleep with. The comfortable cotton and spongy legwear are mostly made of breathable materials.
They were initially made to heal down the morning pain. They come with different features and types and can be adjusted according to your needs. For a plantar fasciitis patient what is important is to stretch their foot as well as get proper rest. The stretching helps to lengthen the ligaments which help to increase blood flow. With the night splint, you get to stretch your leg while you sleep in a firm position that also helps the blood flow and circulation.
15 Best Night Splints For Plantar Fasciitis Available Online
There are various kinds of night splints of different rates available in the market. With proper research and professional consulting, you will be able to find the best fit splint. There are various features like adjustable straps, the material, the design, etc. to look into before purchasing a night splint.
Given below is a list of 10 best night splints that is available at the moment on Amazon with a rating above 4 out of 5.
The soft padded and contour posterior shell helps keep your leg in the proper position. It provides passive dorsiflexion that helps stretch your leg. Also, it comes with a removable liner that you can wash, this is to keep your hygiene in check. There is also a full-length toe wedge for an additional stretch of the plantar fascia.
This particular model comes in the size Large and is Unisex. Due to its universal design, you can use it for both your legs. It is sold on Amazon at $69.99 and has a customer rating of 4.5/5.
This night splint comes with a fully integrated inflation/deflation system. You also have an option to adjust the internal air bladder according to your need of dorsiflexion level. It also ensures a cool and comfortable fit with a soft natural tury liner. This product is one of the most rated and reviewed night splints on Amazon with customer ratings going up to 4.5/5.
They come in three different sizes and the prices vary according to the price. The small and large sizes are for $59.99 while the Medium size costs $69.99 excluding the shipping costs.
It comes with an anatomically designed forefoot pad and a thermoformed shell liner that is super comfortable and caters to both your foot and toes perfectly. The comfortable and tailored flexion provides support to your foot. You also get to have custom stretch along with a 3-point adjustment and a flexible hinge design that helps you to slide it in like a sock. It also provides adjustable straps to ensure your toes are secured. As it has a universal fit, the best part is with one single Aircast Dorsal Night Splint, you can use it for both your legs.
You can purchase this on Amazon where it has a 3.9 rating. The Small/Medium size is available for $57.92 excluding the shipping cost. The Large/X-Large size is available for $53.24 excluding the shipping cost.
The Healwell night splint is useful for people suffering from plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and painful night muscle cramps. It is made of cool breathable foam material and is very lightweight. As it is less bulky, it is extremely comfortable to sleep in. There is an opening at the ankle area so that there is no irritation on the ankle bone. You can adjust the dorsiflexion from 0-10 degrees and it has a built-in toe wedge. This model of night splint is foot specific, that is you will have to order differently for your right and left foot.
It is available on Amazon and it has a good 4.1 rating out of 5 with a lot of great reviews in the customer feedback section.
he Mars Wellness night splint is designed with the easiest application process. They have easy on and off the application with the buckles on both sides. They also come with three padded straps with buckles to ensure immobilization. The Dual tension straps help to increase the flexion and optimize the pain-relieving stretch. This lightweight night splint is made of breathable material. It is advised that you start wearing it initially for shorter periods and then gradually increase the time.
It is available on Amazon for $24.49 excluding the shipping charges. It is highly rated and the customer review section is filled with positive comments from satisfied customers.
This universal fit helps you wear it either on the left or right leg. The ProCare night splint is designed so that you can customize the bilateral dorsiflexion straps, adjustable calf, and ankle straps. It helps to sustain the stretch for a longer period by keeping your leg in a 90-degree angle fit. You can easily put it on and remove it, and once buckled up, you wouldn’t feel it heavy on your leg as it is lightweight.
It has a 4 out of 5 ratings on Amazon
This night splint is specifically designed so that it fits both the narrow and wide foot. With the easily adjustable straps under the foot as well as around the ankles it gives a snugly fit. It keeps your foot in a firm, comfortable, and neutral position in sleep. It is more comfortable to wear at night with the soft padding. The anti-slip pad helps wear it all-around your house as you are doing simple chores. It is made with a strong and durable clamshell and triple-stitched stretch strap for an effective stretch.
The product has a customer rating of 4 out of 5.
The Charminer night splint is made with lightweight, breathable material with a low-profile open heel design. It keeps the foot cool thus giving you a good night’s sleep. One size fits most of the adult foot and you can use the same splint for both your right and left foot. This easy to wear splint helps to maintain your foot at an 85-90 degree angle that gives the best arch for maximum stretch. It relieves the heel spurs and plantar fasciitis as well as acts as a support for drop foot.
It is available on Amazon with a customer rating of 4.4 out of 5. You can purchase the Charminer night splint at $20.99 excluding shipping cost.
Brace Ability designs ultra-soft night splint that helps to hold your leg at a 90-degree angle. The ultra-soft materials keep your skin from any kind of irritation. Including plantar fasciitis, it is also used to treat heel pain, heel spurs, and drop foot. The strong medical grade Velcro fasteners hold the brace in place all night without twisting or sliding. You can wear the splint on both legs without socks or with socks.
It is available on Amazon in three different sizes. The price of one unit is $34.99, regardless of the size. The customer rating on Amazon is 4.2 out of 5.
This model of BraceAbility is designed to give you maximum stretch. As it helps you keep your leg at the 90-degree angle, it helps your leg stretch so that your plantar fascia doesn’t strain throughout the night. With the rigid exterior design, you do not have to worry about the night splint moving while sleeping. It keeps your leg firm and in position till you wake up. Another advantage of this specific design is the guarantee that you can walk with this for a short distance, which becomes helpful as you do house chores that do not require a lot of pressure.
It is available on Amazon in three different sizes. You can purchase it for $27.99 regardless of the size. The night splint has great customer reviews and ratings. Amazon’s rating shows a good 4.1 out of 5.
Types of Night Splints
There are primarily two kinds of night splints. Both types are suitable for a person suffering from plantar fasciitis. The plantar (boot) is more of a traditional type while the Dorsal Style Night Splints is of a contemporary type. Both of these are used to heal plantar fasciitis as well as Achilles tendonitis, foot drop, and heel pain.
Plantar (Boot) Splint Style
This is more of a traditional style of a night splint. It is bulkier and is designed as a boot like a brace that rests on the back of the leg, calf, and foot. It is large compared to the dorsal style. It has a plastic outlier with a soft inside layer. If you are someone who wakes up quite often at night, this type of night splint can be a little difficult to wear.
The greatest advantage of the boot splint is that it is fully adjustable so you can set the stretch as you like.
A drawback of the boot style splint is that it can cause a kind of numbness in the toe area. It also can be bulkier and sometimes is on the heavier side making it hot, uncomfortable, and suffocating. Not all boot-style splints are made of lightweight breathable material due to their design and structure.
Plantar (Boot) Splint Style
The night splint is designed with hard plastic support that goes along with the shin and top of the foot. As compared to the traditional type of night splint, the Dorsal style is considered more comfortable to sleep in. The adjustable strap helps stretch toes upward to provide dorsiflexion. This is an apt style for people who are stomach or side- sleepers as it provides easy and comfortable night movement. The design of the dorsal night splint may cause a little slippage and so is used for less severe injuries. You may also feel a tingling sensation in certain designs due to the pressure on them.
What matters is that you do your research well. There are different sizes when it comes to a night splint. It is best to be sure you get the right size for your leg. There are also different levels of stretch and adjustable straps for each type and brand. Make sure you get expert advice on what is most comfortable for your leg. This is necessary so that there won’t be any adverse effects on your leg. For someone having extreme plantar fasciitis, this may not be a great option.
Benefits of Night Splints for Plantar Fasciitis
Having a stabbing pain at the first step you take in the morning can be terrible. The good news is you have the night splints at your service. They may look like a bulky bag but with the right size for your leg, they can be super comfortable.
Some of the benefits of wearing the night splints are given below –
- The night splints are designed to provide constant and consistent strain that helps to maintain the functional length.
- They also help to prevent the tightening up of plantar fascia. With an added pad to the anterior aspect of the night splints, it helps to maximize the stretching of the plantar fascia and intrinsic musculature.
- Night splints can function to heal drop foot.
- It also helps improve blood circulation and flow thus healing any scarred tissue.
- It speeds the process of healing your heel pain.
Final Take
Plantar fasciitis is a pretty common illness and it can be really disturbing. Mostly it occurs due to our lifestyle choices. The need to find a way to relieve yourself of the stabbing pain is a necessity. Night splints are designed to heal yourself from plantar fasciitis pain.
Above given are the best night splints present in the market. Plantar fasciitis can be different for each individual and so the healing process can vary. It is best to be careful about various factors while buying a night splint. First and foremost look into the type of night splints that you wish to purchase. There are features like a toe wedge, adjustable straps, padded or not to look into as well. It is best if you can get a professional consultant so that you have an exact idea of what night splint suits you. For someone with extreme plantar fasciitis, it is always suggested to use the boot style splint as they have more features that will help you customize to your needs.
It is best if you are consistent in using your night splint. Plantar fasciitis is not an illness that gets away overnight. You need to wear the splint continuously as long as the pain persists. Once you feel your feet heal and wake up to an easy and painless pace in the morning, is when you can take a break from the night splints.
