Customer Reviews

Ali-6581 A-force Dorsal Night Splint - Small

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm a runner who has had chronic problems with plantar fascitis. At first I tried the "sock"-type night split, but it tended to concentrate the pulling force on my big toe, and over half the nights the throbbing pain in my big toe caused me to tear off the splint. So I then tried the large "L-shaped" night splints, two different styles. They are all very bulky, making it cumbersome for you to turn over in bed, or get up for a pit stop. Also, at least one of the retaining straps for these types of splints runs over the front, right over the ankle. On many nights the pain in this area was also excruciating, and I always had an irritated area where that strap was.

So I finally tried the A-force dorsal night splint, sort of as last ditch - and I am impressed. The splint itself is well formed to fit the front of the shin and top of the foot, and has comfortable foam padding. The retaining straps are fastened in the back, around the fleshy part of the calf and foot arch, and cause no discomfort. The splint is light and small, and causes no trouble whatsoever in turning over in bed. And you can get out and walk with it on without feeling like Frankenstein. I wish I had bought this style of splint first instead of wasting several hundred dollars on the other models.

I agree with the previous writer that this is a very comfortable splint. I tried the sock type and disliked the toe pulling, then tried the one my doctor gave me, which was a slightly different sock/shoe type, and was even worse. I am a restless sleeper and didn't think I could manage one of the heavy L-shaped splints. Even though this splint says size small, it is adjustable enough to fit a larger foot and leg. This splint allows freedom for your toes and is light and comfortable. It's taken about 6 weeks of wearing it nightly to get good relief, so you really do need a splint that you will be able to wear consistently, and to give it several weeks of time. About 3 weeks ago, I began wearing a simple slip on elastic ankle support(Futuro Comfort Lift)during the day and this splint at night. This combination seems to have finally turned the corner to relief from plantar fasciitis pain.

I am a recent victim of plantar fasciitis due to an increase in running late last fall. I first tried anti-inlammatory medicine which reduced pain but did not eliminate the problem. I refused a cortisone shot in favor of a visit to a podiatrist. I now use the A-Force along with an achilles tendon support tool, orthotic inserts, a full range of stretching exercises and a new indoor bicycle trainer (cycling is a great way to replace running during plantar fasciitis recovery). Bottom-line, the A-Force is part of a regimen and that regimen has made a significant change in my condition over the past month. I agree wholeheartedly with the other reviewers...light, comfortable, easy to adjust, easy to walk with the device on your foot. A-Force as part of a regimen...definitely seems to be part of the answer.

I must admit I was skeptical on this purchase. I have had PF for almost a year now, although much worse in my left foot. I do alot of step aerobics, and jog/walking. I have been to a podiatrist, got cortizone twice, and really not that much relief from that. After going on line, I tried some new stretches, which involved stretching out my calves and hamstrings, this is very important to do. I did not realize till I was online, that the Plantar needs to be stretched out to promote healing. ( Wish my doctor would have clued me in on the stretching and how the Plantar needs to heal by being stretched out!) Enter the dorsal night splint. It has been about 3 or so weeks now, and finally! finally I feel as though it is starting to heal. Please buy this item if you suffer from PF, but do give it time. The splint is comfortable enough to wear at night, as a matter of fact I love the way the stretch feels. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was because even though I ordered a small in size, it loosened up on me. So this is what I did to help that problem. I placed a slipper sock on the top of my foot folded in half, then strapped the dorsal splint over it, this propped my foot up straiter giving more of a stretch while I sleep. There is almost no stretching to do when I wake up! So, with a combination of orthotics in the shoes, stretching exercises, stretching the calves mostly, and some hamstring also, cutting back a little on exercising, yet not eliminating, no sir, ice at night or when needed, giving yourself a nice foot massage cause it feels really good, but most importantly, this dorsal night splint, you will be on the road to recovery!

The A-Force Dorsal Night Splint is one of two splints I purchased for stretching my foot while sleeping because of my Plantar Fasciitis. Of the two (the other was the Alimed D2 Night Splint) the AForce worked better. It has two pieces of cloth that wrap around the leg to secure it, but they aren't huge and do not need to be overly tight to keep your foot in the neutral position. The toebox is wide enough that my toes never felt squashed and rigid enough to keep my foot in the proper position. This product could be a 5 star product if the makers were to make the toebox able to bend past the neutral position like the Alimed D2 or at least supply some lifts to put under the foot so that the foot can be stretched more once it's used to the neutral position. That's the only thing I would change about the AForce. Otherwise, it does just what it's supposed to do and keeps my feet from overheating at night. Good job!

I read the reviews and was enthused ... even hopeful, but I had my doubts. No more. When I wear this at night, I wake up in the morning with no foot pain. Before, it felt like I had knives stabbing the bottoms of my feet and I limped all day long from the heel pain. That's a thing of the past. This was a great purchase with outstanding results.

Ten years ago I had plantar fasciitis and it took about 2 years to get over it. During that time I saw a podiatrist who gave me a traditional splint that fits on the bottom of the foot, heal and back of leg. It stretched me well, but you couldn't walk in it and every night I'd wake up at 3 am and rip it off because my foot was numb. In other words, it was horrible. When my fasciitis returned recently I got this dorsal type. This one is so much more comfortable, you can walk around in it. Stairs are a bit tricky but manageable. And I never need to take it off during the night. My only complain would be that the amount it stretches your foot isn't adjustable. I'd like a bit more stretch. Your foot also has some freedom to relax because you can't get a perfectly tight fit (unless you want to strangle your leg). I'm not sure how to design it better, but it's something for the manufacturer to think about.

pros: Reduced pain, and comfortable to wear.
This splint definitely helped with the pain I was experiencing. When I used this splint I had very little to no pain the next morning, and while my pain would eventually return after several hours of being on my feet, it was usually not as bad as before I started using the splint. On the handful of occasions when I decided not to use the splint (typically just because I was very sleepy and didn't feel like bothering with it) the pain I had the next day was so awful I could barely walk in the morning and felt like crying towards the end of my shift at work. So, reduced pain? Check. I was also very happy to find I had very little trouble sleeping or walking around the house while wearing the splint. I had been worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep with it on and that I would have to take it off and put it back on every time I needed to get up in the middle of the night, but that was not the case. It is different, of course, sleeping or walking with your foot in this splint, but it is also fairly easy and comfortable.

cons: Gives only a mild stretch, poorly constructed.
The part that goes around your foot was too big on me (I'm a woman with a size 8 wide foot) and I felt it would have helped me get a better stretch if it had been tighter. And unlike some other night splints, you can't adjust this one to increase the stretch. I didn't feel like it was holding my foot at a 90 degree angle, it felt too relaxed. Also, the two straps that go around your leg were a bit of a pain. They sort of dug into my skin and I always had to wear long socks under the splint. The bottom strap stayed in place well, but the top strap tended to slide down my calf, making it looser. The straps have to be very tight or the splint won't hold your foot in the right position. The bottom strap came off after maybe a month of use. After that, I started wrapping an ace bandage around my leg to hold the front part of the brace tightly to my leg, which worked well, no more slipping and loosening. Unfortunately, I began to develop a permanent red patch of skin on the front of my leg as a result of the tight bandaging, so I had to stop using it. I now use a different night splint which is not as comfortable to wear.

I've tried many different night splints. I started with the sock (too much pressure on my bunion to be pulled like that all night). Then I went and got a cheap one from the local pharmacy (worked okay, but I tore the stitching of the velcro straps). Next came the "boot" type splints where my foot sat in the spint and had 3 straps that went over my leg. It worked, but was heavy and really cumbersome. Then I finally got the A-force. I love this splint!! The straps attach via velcro, so no fear of pulling stitching. It's so light weight, super easy to sleep with. Easier to walk around with too for those in the middle of the night potty "runs". Wish I would have found this splint sooner, could have saved alot of money :(

I have tried the other night splints and could not sleep with them at all. I found this one to be comfortable, easy to sleep in, and it makes a big difference in how my foot feels when I wake up in the morning. As soon as I take it off, I put on the arch bandage support until I put my shoes on and I have gone several days without pain using this protocol. I recommend this product to anyone suffering from plantar fascitis.