Customer Reviews

Futuro Plantar Fasciitis Sleep Support

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

As the name implies, these are splints you wear at night. Most of them look like big boots, which is why I like the Futuro Plantar Fasciitis Sleep Support brand- it's just less bulky to wear at night than most.

Now the idea behind these splints is to try and keep the foot and ankle structures stretched out all night in order to promote healing and avoid morning pain and stiffness that is so common in plantar fasciitis. Only a few randomized controlled trials have actually tested out this interesting idea. For instance:

-volunteers in one study were randomized to get either custom foot inserts, anterior night splints, or custom foot inserts and anterior night splints (Roos 2006). At 12 weeks, all groups improved significantly with no significant differences found in pain among the three groups at any point in time.

-in another study, patients wore either custom shoe inserts, over-the-counter arch supports, or night splints (Martin 2001). At 12 week follow-up, all groups improved with no significant differences between them.

-night splints were compared to no night splint use in this randomized controlled trial (Powell 1998). After one month, the group that wore the night splints showed greater improvement compared to the control group.

As you can see, these night splints ARE effective in treating plantar fasciitis-but note that they seem to be just as effective as over-the-counter or custom foot inserts too. Therefore, since night splints can be a pain to sleep with for a lot of people, I recommend you try them as a last resort after you've tried more conservative things such as foot inserts. Plantar fasciitis sufferers wanting more info on plantar fasciitis might also want to check out The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution.

This summer my plantar fasciitis flared up worse than it ever has. After a day on my feet, I was limping and almost in tears from the pain. My sister had a similar problem a few years ago and found a night splint brought her relief when nothing else did. Not wanting to invest $50.00 or more in a night splint when I wasn't sure it would help me, I opted to buy the less expensive Futuro Sleep Support.

Initially, the support made a big difference in my pain level. That first step out of bed in the morning was not as excruciating as it had been and my pain was less during the day. Unfortunately, the improvement only lasted a few days, and then the support did not seem to make a difference and I stopped wearing it consistently after a couple of weeks.

So I consulted a physical therapist who specializes in the treatment of foot/gait problems. He thought the sleep support would be somewhat helpful, though not as much as an actual sleep split, and recommended I resume wearing it. After six weeks of treatment, including stretching and strengthening exercises, my feet were much improved. I continue the regimen of exercises and wear the sleep support most nights. I have resumed my exercise walking and still am mostly pain-free.

If you have minor plantar fasciitis, the Futuro sleep support alone might help. However, if your pain level is severe, as mine was, I do not think this support alone would bring relief from pain, but as part of a more involved treatment plan it might have some benefit.

While I like the idea for this splint, it didn't work for my fairly small foot and larger calf. It just didn't fit properly and made my foot go numb almost immediately!

If you're reading this, you either think you have or have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. One day in early July out of the blue my left heel started to hurt. I've never had foot problems so I didn't think much about it. Two days later I could barely walk. Every step was sheer agony. After some checking on the internet I quickly realized I had the classic symptoms of plantar fasciitis, i.e., the pain would decrease very slightly after walking for awhile (I found out that was because the ligament was being stretched), the pain was always so much worse after driving, and in the morning the first step upon getting out of bed was absolutely excruciating. I followed doctor's orders. I iced it, did all the stretching exercises and rolled my foot around on a frozen soup can. Nothing seemed to help. The doctor never once mentioned using a night splint. I ordered this splint after reading about it in a plantar fasciitis on-line chat room. It completely lived up to its promise. It arrived much sooner than anticipated and after using it for 3 or 4 nights I could walk again without having to hold onto the furniture and wanting to scream out in agony. After using it for about 10 nights I was completely pain free and have been ever since. It simply keeps your foot in the proper position while you sleep so the ligament can heal. It's not uncomfortable at all and never interfered with my getting a good night's sleep. If you've been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, take my advice. Do not hesitate. Do not hobble around in agony for weeks like I did. Order this immediately. I wish I had known about it sooner.

Cheryl Fayder
A Very Satisfied Customer
Liverpool, NY

I have used the Strassburg Sock and a boot similar to the Royce Formfit Night Splint. The sock in REGULAR size fit my calf way too tight, and I'm a pretty thin person. it also put a lot of pressure on the tip of my big toe from the strap that pulls the toes back. I always ended up taking it off at night. The boot was bulky which didn't bother me as much as the pain I got on the outside of my foot due to my foot pronating as it relaxed. The pressure along my pink toe and further down the bottom of my foot caused me to take this off in the middle of the night as well.

I read a few reviews and decided I would try this. As a previous reviewer stated they found theirs at CVS, I checked online and Walgreens carries them. No CVS here. Online it says only available online but I called our local store and they carry it. They also said they'd take it as a return if it didn't work for me, no problems. I bought it last night and went home to try it out. I was pleased! It took some adjusting but that's expected having been the first time, but I actually wore it all night with minimal pressure issues on my foot (which were corrected by finding the appropriate adjustment with the velcro. I like how it leaves the heal open to breath but pulls the toes and front of the foot up at the right angle, literally.

I have a strange situation with my foot. On the top of my foot a few inches back from my big toe I have a pinched nerve which doesn't help the plantar fasciitis issue. I feared the structure of this splint being mostly on the top of the foot would irritate my pinched nerve. Fortunately, in my case, it did not bother it

One thing I found by experimenting this morning was that if you stand up and place the splint it fits better. I had been putting it on the night before while I sat up in the bed and I think that didn't get a good "fit" like standing and adjusting did. I put it on then laid down on the floor and it didn't loosen up or move much at all, yet still felt as comfortable as a night splint can be.

I can only hope the coming days are just as if not more satisfying in how I feel about this device!

It's comfortable, but its not easy getting it fixed just right. And sometimes I wake up and it's off. So if you toss and turn a lot it might not be right for you. What a pity since its light weight and I had hope I could avoid the bulky night splints.

i was using the prostretch before & after bed for a couple months with minimal improvement. so i bought this thing @ cvs on sale. i wear it at night and hobble with it to the bathroom as needed. i feel much better in the morning and don't have to warm my foot up for the first 1-2 hours of my day. doesn't cut off my circulation and i put it on pretty tight. the only negative i have to say is the velcro waking up my wife, so now i hobble to take it off elsewhere.

I got 2 of these for my plantar Fasciitis in my right foot and to prevent a reoccurrence in my left. It was ok at first but very quickly I noticed that the velco on the splint would wear out and it was too easy for my feet to wriggle out of them. Also, I had to tape the ankle velco to my leg with duct tape to get it to stay. Anyway, I got this because it was a lot cheaper and looked more comfortable, but its clearly not a good product for weeks of extended use. So I am going to get the boot-type ones instead.

After weighing all the options, I decided to try the Futuro night splint for my plantar fasciitis. The Futuro has a strip of plastic in front and the rest is soft fabric with velcro fasteners. By the way, the info on the box says: ". . . The adjustable fasteners create a customized fit for most body types. Measure the circumference approximately 2" above the ankle bone." "Adjust to fit 8-15 inches." So, if the measurement of your leg above your ankle bone is less than 8 inches or more than 15 inches, this splint will either be too big or too small for you. My leg measures 12 inches and I wear a size 11 women's shoe. The splint is comfortable to wear and has helped to alleviate the horrible heel pain I had every morning when I got out of bed.

I found it almost impossible to adjust it to keep my foot in the proper position. If I made it loose enough that it didn't cut off circulation in my foot (or calf), then it would slip down the calf and my foot would end up pretty much in its normal position. If I made things tight enough to somewhat hold my foot in the position it should be in for a device like this, then my toes would start to tingle and foot fall asleep right away or there would bee a lot of pressure on my lower leg/ calf area.

Basically, if your foot flexes downward (away from the knee, which is what you're trying to prevent) then it just causes the velcro around the calf to slide down unless you make everything incredibly tight.

Like some others, I had to rip it off after not wearing it for very long in order for me to fall asleep (rather than just having my foot asleep, that is).

I think the concept of "pulling up" on your foot from the top may just be flawed, as opposed to having something under your foot to "push up" on it or hold it up.

Complete waste of money for me. Maybe it would work for some depending on the size and structure of your foot and calf.