You may not have heard of possible Night Splint side effects. However, the article will help you disclose some potential Night Splint side effects you may experience during your Plantar fasciitis recovery.
Night splints are either hard plastic boots or soft socks worn in bed. Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy are two conditions that can be treated with the help of these braces.
While you rest, the braces prevent your plantar fascia from becoming tight. As a result, you will experience less pain when you remove the splint in the morning.
You can get out of bed every day and make a few steps as you go about your day.
Night Splint Side Effects
#1. It Can Result in Toe Numbness
One of the Night Splint side effects is toe numbness. After wearing a Plantar Fasciitis night splint, you’ll experience numbness in your toes.
The numbness happens when you wear your splints too tight or choose the wrong fit. It can also be because you have high feet arches.
This can also happen if you’ve chosen the wrong Night Splint. If the posterior is too restrictive and you have high arches, you may experience numbness. Ensure you get the right fit for your foot.
Unfortunately, choosing the right equipment may require trial and error.
#2. It Causes Discomfort
Some people say sleeping with the Night Splint is quite uncomfortable during the night. They, therefore, find it difficult to sleep with it on.
However, wearing them shouldn’t be painful. There are adjustable night splints that you can choose from. You need to find the best fit for your needs to help with the discomfort.
Wearing a Night Splint can lead to a stretch along the sole of your foot. This stretch helps the plantar fascia maintain its length even when you aren’t on your foot.
#3. It’s Bulky
The Night Splints cnatoo bulky, making patient adherence challenging. It may not be among Night Splint side effects, but it is one challenge you should be aware of while sleeping on them.
#4. It Can Take Time to Get Used To It
I know it’s not among the night splint side effects, but it takes time to get used to the splints. Putting something restrictive on your foot overnight feels unnatural.
You can, however, overcome this with a little persistence and eventually return to your normal sleeping pattern.
#5. It Does Not Relieve Long-Term Pain
Among Night Splint side effects is that they don’t relieve long-term pain. Some patients who have used the Night Splint say the braces do not help in long-term pain.
If symptoms last more than a month, ensure you visit a doctor to get treatment because you may have chronic pain.
How Night Splints Work in Relieving Plantar Fasciitis Pain
Rest is crucial to your healing if you have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Rest, however, prevents quick recovery from happening. Sometimes rest exacerbates plantar fascia pain making the pain even worse.
According to Dr. Glover, the secret to relieving plantar fasciitis pain is to balance rest periods with mild stretches. He recommends a set of specialized stretches to relieve tension in your foot, heel, and ankle.
Night splints are useful in this situation. Combining these two therapies will help the night splints provide pain relief for plantar fasciitis.
When wearing the night splint, you help maintain the length of the plantar fascia. When the plantar fascia is outstretched, it increases blood flow, reducing inflammation and pain.
How Are The Splints Worn?
The night splints are worn on your foot before you go to sleep. The splints have a mechanism that keeps your toes and/or ankles stretched as you sleep.
It works by lifting your toes and holding your foot in a gentle stretch all night long. They hold the foot with the toes pointing upward.
The plantar fascia receives a steady, gradual stretch in this position. You’ll feel a stretch along the sole of your foot.
The braces assist in keeping the plantar fascia and calf stretched as you sleep. Doing this can lessen some of the discomfort felt beneath the heel while getting out of bed in the morning.
The splints are said to be a very safe treatment that is unlikely to cause any adverse effects. However, below are little-known night splint side effects that you should know.
Why Night Splints Are Your Best Treatment Choice
Night splints are one of the most effective conservative treatments for your plantar fasciitis. This is because they are drug-free and noninvasive. Additionally, the night splints aid in long-term healing and provide short-term pain relief for plantar fasciitis.
The use of night splints will help you get bacon on your feet with less pain. However, you should incorporate other treatments for quick recovery.
Some of the treatments that can help your plantar fascia heal include daily stretches and custom orthotics. Additionally, you can use Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroid injections.
How to Step Out of Bed With Your Night Splint
You must avoid standing on the tips of your toes when you first wake up. It’s acceptable to be afraid of the sharp pain you experience when you step on your heel.
However, getting out of bed with your heel on the ground as soon as you wake up is crucial. The plantar fascia and Achilles tendon are activated when you do this.
For your heel to touch the ground, they abruptly stretch back to their neutral position at the ankles. The plantar fascia experiences pain due to the fast change in tendon and fascia length over such a brief time.
The same reason that causes you to experience dreadful, immediate, intense, and unyielding pain.
Qualities of a good Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint
A good night splint should;
Provide Comfort
A goodnight splint should provide comfort to all the areas of physical contact, that is, the foot, heel, and leg. You should always go for a splint that is built for comfort.
Although the splints are designed to treat pain in your feet, some can make you uncomfortable while wearing them.
The discomfort negatively impacts your sleep, which can affect your health and healing process.
Provides Room For Adjustments
Always look for a night splint that can be adjusted to make you feel more comfortable. It ought to accommodate your foot’s size and shape.
Don’t overlook this feature because being able to adjust the tightness is also important for your level of comfort.
Additionally, it’s important to be able to tighten your night splint at the leg and foot attachment points.
The Capacity to Maintain a Flexed Foot Arch
To heal your plantar fasciitis, your foot has to be flexed. Therefore, you should look for a splint to adequately keep your foot arch flexed.
This way, you can increase blood flow around the area and reduce inflammation.
Conclusion
Night Splints are an effective treatment in healing plantar fasciitis. The splints help in your plantar fascia, increasing blood flow to heal the condition and reduce inflammation.
The night splints keep your foot and the tissue flexed to reduce morning foot and heel pain. Hence one of the best options for your pain with very few Night Splint side effects.
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