Are you looking for a functional yet comfortable bracing option for Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis, Drop Foot or leg Pain after rest or night sleep? Were your previous night splints not comfortable enough? Or, have you been looking for a night splint lately and are nervous about the correct splint you are supposed to choose?
The answers are within Night Plantar Fasciitis Sleep Supports, Heel Casts, Heel Protectors and foot splints.
In this article, we are reviewing Ossur Exoform Dorsal Night Splint, which is considered one of the best dorsal night splints.
Let’s discover the Ossur splint first.
What is the Ossur® Exoform™ Dorsal Night Splint?
Let’s have a look at OSSUR Exoform Dorsal Night Splint, an innovative solution for all the foot conditions, which can be improved by foot bracing.
An easy to adjust, a comfortable and painless night splint is an excellent choice to consider for the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis (infection of plantar fascia), Achilles Tendonitis (inflammation of Achilles tendon), Drop foot and after rest leg pain (post-static pain).
Most of the people sleep in a position with the feet pointing downwards. This position allows the shortening of plantar and Achilles tendon. Night splints that are worn in while sleeping keeps the feet at an angle of 90 degrees. So the patient gets a good and constant stretch while sleeping, instead of shortening the plantar fascia.
The night splint could be bulky, but they work really well. And once the pain has gone, you can discontinue using them.
OSSUR Exoform Dorsal Night Splint users state that the night splint as highly comfortable and easy to carry when you sleep through the night. Buyers highly recommend the product.
So, without further due, let’s dig into the functioning and various other features of the Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint.
Tip: Need support to manage pain while you walk? Check it out how the Darco Offloading Shoes can help you.
How Does It Work?
Here are the key features of the splint.
- Adjustable and easy to use
The Ossur Exoform Dorsal Night Splint is an efficient treatment option for plantar fasciitis with a design of low profile, making it flexible
and easy to wear.
- Allowance of angle modification
The aluminum design is made to stay inside the dorsal shell, making it adjustable and allowing adjustments for the dorsiflexion angle.
- Foot support
The foot is held by full calf and heel strappings, which eliminate the risk of rotation and dislocation of the product.
[et_bloom_locked optin_id=optin_3][/et_bloom_locked]
- Thermoformed padding
The padding of the splint is thermoformed from the inner side, improving patient compliance and comfort.
- Elimination of pressure
The flex edges of the splint have over moldings which eliminate pressure points and also protect from bumping at the sleeping partner by any possible rough edges.
- The improved angle of dorsiflexion
The planter pad of the splint is semi-rigid reducing chances of any discomfort along the sides of the foot. It also provides a significant improvement in the angle of dorsiflexion.
- Easy-grip surface
The plantar pad has a non-slip surface, allowing better grip and prevents slipping. The bottom of the sole has tacky spots that increase friction and improves the grip of the sole on the floor. Thus, it increases the safety of the patient.
- Effective brace
The extensive, lightweight calf and heel straps of the splint maintain the contact of the foot with the brace to increase its effectiveness.
- Product aesthetics
The product has superior aesthetics (look) and low-profile styling.
- Customized stretch
The product design is shaped in order to provide the optimum degree of foot stretch. A more customized level of stretch to the foot can be achieved by either increasing or decreasing the angle and degree of foot flexion.
Tip: Did you know that a Knee Pillow can help you better manage foot pain? Check this out what we got to say about Calming Comfort and ComfiLife knee Pillows.
Indications – When You Should Use It?
The Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint is indicated to be used in the management of following conditions
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Drop Foot
- Post-static pain
Adjustments Tips
Follow these tips for the best outcomes of using the splint.
● Carefully put on the strappings of the splint and avoid tightening them too much.
● To provide optimum stretch level to the foot, position the toes at the end of the toe strap inside the soft good.
● Do not try to adjust or modify the shell angle unless and until you get some professional advice. Repeatedly modifying the shell angle may compromise the integrity of the shell.
Tip: Here’s our Futuro Night Plantar Fasciitis Sleep Supports Review. Always consider its Cons before a purchase decision.
Key Features of the Ossur Exoform Splint
Here are the key features.
● Increased foot functionality
The Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint significantly Increases and improves the functioning of the foot. It allows a comfortable foot movement and is easy to use.
● Easy to Use
The night splint comes with simple hook and loop fasteners making it easy to fit and adjust.
● Achievement of Therapeutic angle
It maintains the angle of the foot and lower leg at 85 to 90 degrees (which is the desired optimum therapeutic angle).
● Increased Patient Compliance
It Increases patient comfort by providing thermoformed padding.
● Efficient Treatment
It is an efficient and highly recommended treatment for Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis, Drop Foot and Post Static Pain.
● Maintenance of foot positioning during sleeping
It maintains foot positioning properly in bed for patients with foot drop.
● Low profile styling
Low profile styling allows the product to stay in place during use.
Tip: Foot Massaging for Planter Fasciitis could bring a more stable pain relief in the long-run.
Handling and Care Tips
Here are some care tips for the splint.
● Handle the splint with extreme care.
● Do not walk
while wearing the splint as it cannot bear body weight.
● Do not attempt to clean the splint with bleach or any strong detergent. Though, it may be cleaned with mild detergent and cold water.
● Wash the splint using hands and dry in air.
● Do not wash the splint in the washing machine, and do not attempt to spin-dry it.
Tip: Did you know, increasing blood circulation in your foot can result with a greater pain relief too? AccuRelief™ Ultimate Foot Circulator, OSITO™ Foot Massager and Human Touch™ Foot And Calf Massager are some of the best to help you in this area.
Pros – Advantages of the Splint
Here are the advantages of this splint.
1. Compatibility of splint design with the patient needs
It Increases the functionality of foot by providing comfortable and adjustable design. Soft padding allows comfort to the shin, ankle, and forefoot throughout the night.
Outer shell edges of the splint are rubberized to eliminate the possible rough edges and preventing injury to the other leg when coming in contact.
Dorsal Night splints are designed as such to cover the front and dorsal side of the foot, making them one of the most comfortable night splints for treating Plantar Fasciitis.
2. Effective Functioning in Plantar Fasciitis
It helps in the maintenance of foot-leg angle to a neutral 90 degree and allows the Achilles tendon and plantar Fascia to constantly stretch passively.
The constant stretching allows rest and healing, contributing to the effectiveness of the splint.
Additionally, constant passive stretching helps in preventing microtrauma at the interface of the plantar fascia-bone junction, when the patient takes the first step out of bed every morning.
3. Decreased dependence on Anti-inflammatory Drugs
The Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint serves as a cost-effective and useful adjunct to the already being used therapeutic regimens of Plantar Fasciitis such as Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), Tulia heel cups, Spenco liners and generally performed stretching exercises.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis seem to improve in patients that have undergone treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone
administration, shoe modification, and physiotherapy.
4. Improvement in patients with chronic symptoms
Patients suffering from chronic Plantar Fasciitis have shown significant improvement with the use of Dorsal Night splints along with a well-designed home exercise program.
5. Decreased pain
Having a strong and durable shell and a strap which is triple-stitched stretch resistant, the splint becomes easily adjustable around the ankle and under the foot.
It fits snugly to every foot size; either it is narrow or wide.
The design of the splint facilitates the required support to the arc and gives relaxation to the Plantar Fascia tissue. Thus, reducing the pain that is caused by Plantar Fasciitis.
6. Reduction in tension
The night splint allows the posterior (behind) and plantar structures (which include the Achilles tendon, triceps surea, intrinsic musculature, and plantar fascia) to elongate, contributing to reduced tension on the origin of Plantar Fascia.
[et_bloom_locked optin_id=optin_3][/et_bloom_locked]
7. Reduction in stress
It maintains the length of the plantar fascia during sleep.
It also provides consistent strain, thus maintaining the functional length and providing a net reduction of stress on the plantar fascia and intrinsic muscles.
8. Increased flexibility
Flexibility seems to improve with the use of night splint and benefits are clearly seen.
9. Use of foot orthoses and dorsal night splints for better results
Previously, foot orthoses and night splints were used separately in the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis but were not always effective.
Instead of using them separately, applications of foot orthoses in combination with adjustable dorsiflexion night splints prove to be much more effective in relieving foot pain in Plantar Fasciitis patients.
Tip: If you believe diabetes aggravates your foot or calf pain, refer to these Diabetes Leg Pain Relief Tips.
Cons – Disadvantages of the Splint
Here are them.
1. Challenging initial Patient Compliance
Patient’s compliance with the Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint could be challenging initially.
In most patients, a tolerance of almost two weeks is observed during initial use, and the patient starts feeling uncomfortable very soon.
Some patients even discontinue using the splint at night.
Wearing these splints may pose an adverse effect on the patient’s sleeping routine, lifestyle, and productivity of work. And generally, in these cases, the patient prefers to abandon the use of the splint.
2. Bulkiness in design
The dorsal night splints are bulky, this bulkiness is also challenging to patient adherence. Would that the weight is light, it would have been much easier for the patient to carry the splint.
Conclusion
The Ossur Exoform Dorsal Night splint, with its adjustable and patient-friendly design, is a much efficient and effective treatment option for Plantar Fasciitis. Its thermoformed padding ensures the patient’s comfort.
It is designed to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon comfortably during sleep. The Ossur Exoform dorsal night splint also helps in reducing contracture of muscle, heel pain, and inflammation that is associated with the first steps out of bed in the morning.
Ossur Exoform dorsal night splints offer an effective treatment modality to the podiatrists for the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis. These splints could be therapeutically effective as part of the extensive treatment regimen for patient care.
Tip: Have you heard about AirCast AirHeel? It can do magic to some people helping them to relieve Plantar fasciitis, Forefoot pain, Achilles tendinitis and arch pain.
0 Comments