Plantar FXT Night Splint

Everything you should know about Plantar FXT Night Splints

Written by: Dr. Dina Elsalamony, MD, MScPH

Heel pain is a common complaint that often results from having plantar fasciitis. Suffering from heel pain can negatively impact your daily activities and quality of life. Night splints are effective devices that are widely used in the conservative management of plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia extensor night support (plantar FXT) is a type of night splints that was designed to treat the heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis. 

What is Plantar FXT Night Splint?

The plantar FXT night splint is considered to be a more recent design for plantar fasciitis’ night splints. Unlike other splints that are usually in the shape of a brace or boots, this splint is designed to resemble a sock which can be easily put on to cover the top and bottom of the feet and wrap around the ankle, while leaving the heel exposed. It has a semi-rigid strap that is attached to the front of the top of the splint, running downwards to connect to the part of the splint that covers the toes. This strap is designed to pull the toes upwards providing active dorsiflexion of the foot, which leads to the stretching of the plantar fascia. This splint is often made of specific types of layered and relatively thin fabric that has thermal properties to increase the blood flow to the area and promote healing. Additionally, the strap is often adjustable offering various degrees of dorsiflexion and plantar fascia stretching.

Plantar FXT Night Splints for Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia extensor night splint is an effective and very comfortable tool in the treatment of plantar fasciitis morning pain. In addition to maintaining a gentle stretch to the plantar fascia and surrounding muscles at night, the plantar FXT night splint also provides some level of compression, which assists in decreasing tissue inflammation and swelling. The plantar FXT night splint is often made of certain materials that have a heating effect, improving the blood flow to the skin, plantar fascia and feet muscles, and in turn, this helps to speed up the healing process.

Plantar FXT Night Splint Vs Original Night Splint

Although the purpose of both the plantar FXT night splint and the original night splint is the same, which is keeping the foot in a slightly dorsiflexed position at night, and providing stretch to the plantar fascia to reduce morning pain associated with the first few steps, both splints are different in design, material, and mechanism. The original night splint is a boot-like device that has a bulky design that covers all the bottom of the feet and the back of the leg (calf muscles), it is made of a certain type of prefabricated plastic and maintains the foot in a mild degree of dorsiflexion that often could be adjusted, this offers great yet gentle stretch to the plantar fascia, Achilles’ tendon and the calf muscles. On the other hand, the Plantar FXT night splint comes in the design of a sock that does not extend to cover the calf muscles and also leaves the heel exposed, allowing better airflow and a more breathable experience. Instead of using rigid and uncomfortable materials to keep the foot in a certain position, the plantar FXT night splint uses light flexible materials and functions by using a strap that pulls the toes upwards for active dorsiflexion of the foot. The plantar FXT night splints offer a more comfortable and tolerable experience, allowing for longer periods of use without the relatively uncomfortable and non-breathable design of the original night splint.

Benefits of using Plantar FXT night splint

1. Provides great relief from early morning pain.
2. Comfortable, light, and easy to put on.
3. Offers gentle stretch to the plantar fascia.
4. Promotes increased blood flow to the feet to speed the healing process.

More photos of the Plantar FXT night splint