Heel Pain
Pain over one of or both of your heels can be caused by many things. That list includes injury, foot ulcers, bone fractures, and others.
One common cause is a condition called plantar fasciitis.
As the name with the -itis suffix suggests, it’s the inflammation of the plantar fascia structure. The plantar fascia is a band of strong connective tissue that connects the heel of your foot the base of your toes.
Inflammation of this important structure can be caused by excessive wear and tear from sports in younger people, and also by accumulating damage over the years in older adults.
As such, plantar fasciitis can be extremely painful, especially for the heel. A typical presentation would be sharp pain over the heel of the foot that worsens with every step you take.
People with plantar fasciitis would usually have the pain most when taking the first few steps after waking up from sleep. It can even be mildly relieved with exercise and returns when at rest. Different people will have slightly different presentations.
That sharp sting can cause distress as many of your daily routines become difficult to accomplish, even just going to the bathroom becomes a chore. In athletes, plantar fasciitis would set back their goals and make it difficult to train.
Night Splints
A night splint is a device that’s typically used for non-drug and non-operative treatment for heel pain. Of course, you can always get over-the-counter painkiller medications, but that comes with risks.
If you have a history of kidney disease or liver disease, it’s best to avoid oral painkillers. Plus, the risk of surgery is not worth it just for heel pain. So, a night splint would become helpful in this case.
The night splint is a device that helps to maintain your foot in the neutral position that stretches the plantar fascia. Stretching the plantar fascia helps because when the feet are left at rest, the plantar fascia will tighten.
Bearing weight by standing and walking after the fascia tightens overnight, especially after sleeping, will aggravate the pain to an unbearable degree. So, as the name night splint suggests, it should be worn overnight when sleeping.
By keeping the plantar fascia stretched at all times, the pain can be controlled even without painkillers.
What night splints should I buy?
There are a lot of options for night splints that are on the market right now. Some offer full coverage of the foot, and some are minimalistic but still serve their purpose.
We will share 2 main types of night splints that you can choose, according to your needs.
1. Rigid splints
These type of night splints stretches the foot with added comfort and support. With their added layers and bigger size, they’re also sometimes referred to as night splint boots.
Not only do they have an adjustable strap to control the amount of stretch that you want, but it also cushions the foot from the toes up to the calves.
If you’re a calm sleeper and don’t toss and turn much during sleep, then the rigid night splint is perfect for you.
They are typically made of hard plastic as a base material with foam and soft fabric to cushion the sole, ankle, and calves.
An example of a full coverage night splint is by United Ortho. They’ve been making high quality orthopedic products for over 40 years ranging from ankle braces to spine braces. Their United Ortho Adjustable Night Splint is perfect for treatment and prevention of heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
2. Soft splints
If you’re looking for something more lightweight and on the lower end of the price scale, then minimal night splints are for you. With their minimal and thin design, they’re also sometimes referred to as night splint socks.
A typical description of this type of night splint is that they’re made of soft fabric that hold the ankle and the forefoot that are connected together by one or two adjustable straps.
Being made solely with fabric and some reinforcing materials means that it’s easier for you to toss and turn when sleeping. In contrast, the rigid night splints are made with harder plastic that’s strong but with a drawback of less freedom for your body when sleeping.
Also, minimal night splints are lighter. When waking up, you don’t necessarily have to take them off when getting up of bed.
In fact, you can even wear them a few hours before bedtime for a more prolonged stretching period. You might not even notice that it’s there half of the time.
An example of a minimal night splint is made by BraceAbility. This company specializes in making all sorts of braces for different conditions. Their Night Splint Sock has a simple design made with lightweight material that’s also breathable.
3. Heel straps
Heel straps are a type of soft night splint that deserve its own category. They’re so minimal that you can even wear it inside of a shoe, all day long.
Heel straps are made of straps that hold the ankle and midfoot together, while not disturbing the forefoot. So, with all that room towards the toes, you can wear your shoe with no problem.
The downside to heel straps is that because of the lack of strong and rigid support, they can accumulate wear and tear over time. So even though they’re flexible to use at any time of the day, you’re also more likely to replace them often.
We recommend the Heel Strap made by BraceAbility. They use medical-grade fabric that’s resistant to water and sweat. Wear it while showering, no problem!
