Effectiveness of adjustable dorsiflexion night splint in combination with accommodative foot orthosis on plantar fasciitis

Abstract

Abstract-Foot orthoses and night splints have been used separately to treat patients with plantar fasciitis, but were not always successful. Combined use of both orthoses might give better outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a soft and self-adjustable dorsiflexion night splint in combination with an accommodative foot orthosis for patients with plantar fasciitis. Twenty-eight patients were assigned to group A (foot orthosis only) and group B (combination of foot orthosis and dorsiflexion night splints). A Foot Function Index (FFI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the pain and functions of feet just before, 2 weeks after, and 8 weeks after the treatments. Results showed that subjects in group B had significantly reduced pain scores at week 2 (p < 0.001) and week 8 (p < 0.001). In group A, no statistical differences were noted in the pain (p = 0.15), disability (p = 0.56), activity limitation (p = 0.75), and total FFI (p = 0.35) scores for the three time periods. The application of foot orthoses with adjustable dorsiflexion night splints was found to be more effective than the application of foot orthoses alone in relieving foot pain in patients with plantar fasciitis. Clinical Trial Registration: Registered at HKU Clinical TrialRegister (HKCTR-1318); http://www.HKClinicalTrials.com

Comparative effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave, ultrasound, low-level laser therapy, noninvasive interactive neurostimulation, and pulsed radiofrequency treatment for treating plantar fasciitis

“…Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of adult heel pain, occurring in an estimated 10% of the population. Several treatment options are available to relieve plantar heel pain including rest, stretching, [ 1 ] foot orthotics, [ 2 ] night splinting, [ 3 ] and invasive therapies. For the majority of patients, plantar fasciitis is a self-limiting condition and can be treated effectively by nonsurgical treatments.…”

The Effect of Gastrocnemius Tightness on the Pathogenesis of Juvenile Hallux Valgus

“…1A, B). 4 The consequences of this tightness on the foot and ankle have been well documented, particularly for Achilles tendinopathy, 5-10 plantar fasciitis, [11][12][13][14][15][16] and generally for hindfoot disorders. 17 However, there are fewer studies of the effects of the gastrocnemius on the forefoot, particularly the association with hallux valgus deformity.…”

The addition of a tension night splint to a structured home rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis does not lead to significant additional benefits in either pain, function or flexibility: a single-blinded randomised controlled trial

“…It is important to note that these benefits were seen in patients with very chronic symptoms, with an average of 2 years, which is far longer premorbid symptoms than many other previously published works. 59 It is not clear if this duration of prior symptoms has had a direct effect on the outcomes seen, as most patients with plantar fasciitis symptoms will improve within 6 to 12 months, and there may be better results from earlier treatments, although this remains unclear. 1 …”