Welcome to the Podiatry Blog of Dr Richard Blake of San Francisco. I hope the pages can help you learn about caring for foot injuries, or help you with your own injury.
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Plantar Fasciitis/Achilles Tendinitis Rest Splint Video
The use of a posterior sleeping splint for plantar fasciitis or achilles tendinitis was first introduced I believe by a physical therapist Don Chu, PT, in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1980s. It has become a mainstay in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. The Bird & Cronin one is dispensed in our practice (and demonstrated in the video above), but I have used many. This is the basic style that I like. It can take 1 or 2 weeks before you can wear all night, so there can be some interrupted sleep initially. Patients, like my son Steve the attorney, who sit alot all day, can wear during the day also. It is better called a rest splint than a night splint. Anytime you can wear it for 30 minutes, go for it. You want the splint to hold your foot near a right angle with the ankle, and the side strips for pulling your foot upwards flexing the ankle, should be very loose. Many of my patients never need to pull any tighter. When you start wearing the splint, keep the side strips very loose, and be ready to take off the splint at 1 or 2 am for a week or so, especially if you are a light sleeper. The gentle prolonged stretch on the plantar fascia or achilles tendon is felt immediately with relief of the classic morning stiffness. This pain relief tends to carry on with less pain throughout the day also. It should be worn 1 month longer after the symptoms of plantar fasciitis and/or achilles tendinitis has resolved. When asking patients particularly about their treatment of plantar fasciitis, 20% responded that the splint was the most important factor in their treatment, and 60%+ responded it was helpful. It may be very helpful for you. Good luck.
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Thank you very much for leaving a comment. Due to my time restraints, some comments may not be answered.I will answer questions that I feel will help the community as a whole.. I can only answer medical questions in a general form. No specific answers can be given. Please consult a podiatrist, therapist, orthopedist, or sports medicine physician in your area for specific questions.