Effects of Application of Night Splint in the Management of Plantar Fasciitis

Background: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. The condition usually comes on gradually without any injury. Clinically there is pain and tenderness in the sole of the foot, mostly under the heel, with standing or walking. The diagnosis of patient with planter fasciitis is essentially clinical. Treatment options for planter fasciitis include rest, stretching, strengthening exercise, shoe modification, arch supports, orthotics, night splints, anti- inflammatory agents, and surgery. Although injections and Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) bring relief, their effects are often only temporary. Stretching of the calf and plantar fascia may provide some benefit. In chronic planter fasciitis, surgical treatment is only advocated where adequate conservative management fails.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the application of night splint in the management of plantar fasciitis.

Materials and Methods: This randomised clinical trial included 50 (fifty) patients with planter fasciitis who were seen in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department of the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) in Dhaka. The patients were divided randomly into two groups, Group A and Group B. Patients in Group A were treated with NSAID, ADL and Night splint, whereas Group B patients were treated with NSAID and ADL. The patients were evaluated clinically, and data was collected from both groups in a pre-designed data collection sheet for Pain score, Tenderness index, and Visual analogue scale in every 2 weeks interval from the first visit for up to 6 weeks. All the data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.1.

Results: The present study showed pain and tenderness were significantly improved in Group A, who were treated with Night Splint, NSAID & ADL instructions than in Group B who were treated with NSAID & ADL instructions after 6 weeks( P<0.05).

Conclusion: Night splint is an easy, non-surgical and cost-effective one which can be applied with other modalities. Night Splint, along with NSAIDs and ADL instructions, is more effective in the reduction of pain and other symptoms in a patient with planter fasciitis.