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Medical Practitioners
Why should I recommend the
Strassburg SockTM?
How is it different from the
rigid night splint?
The Study:
An independent research study using the Strassburg SockTM
as the exclusive night splint was published in the July/August 2002 issue of the
Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery.
The hypothesis of the study was this. When other injuries occur,
standard medical practice is to place and maintain the damaged tissue in an
anatomically correct position for the duration of the healing period. If
the proper position is not maintained, then swelling, muscular contracture,
pain, and delayed healing are seen. The same concept can be extrapolated
to plantar fasciitis. Treatments for plantar fasciitis should be focused
toward addressing the abnormal pronation and placing the damaged ligament at
anatomic length, without uncontrolled stretching.
The Results:
This study, the
second largest ever to evaluate the effectiveness of a night splint consisted of
160 patients. 89 patients used the Strassburg SockTM and 71 were prescribed a gastrocnemius-soleus stretching regimen.
Patients using the Strassburg SockTM were told not to stretch
during this treatment period, but were instructed to wear the sock for at least
6 hours at night. The results of the study were as follows:
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the mean recovery
time for patients using the Strassburg SockTM was 18.5 days,
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97.8%
recovered within 8 weeks
-
all 89 patients were able to
wear the Strassburg SockTM as prescribed (We believe this to be an important fact because in
several other studies a significant number of patients did not complete the
treatment due to the night splint being uncomfortable)
All patients in the
study were at least a 7 on a 10 visual analogue scale for painful plantar
fasciitis.
Read the
fine print:
There have been 8
studies published on the use of night splints for plantar fasciitis. Of
these 8 studies, only three other products besides the Strassburg SockTM are
commercially available. The other four splints were produced in the podiatrist’s office with available
materials. This is very important because the majority of night splints
available do not have independent research studies that prove the clinical
effectiveness and comfort of their product specifically. Instead they
rely on the studies of others with wording such as "studies have shown" but do
not cite specific information on their product.
How is it different from the
rigid night splint?
Traditional hard plastic
night splints concentrate on ankle-dorsiflexion by holding the ankle in a
neutral or -5 to -10 degree position. The theory being that by resisting noctournal contracture of the gastrocnemius-soleus complex you will limit
plantar-flexion of the ankle and improve symptoms. The Strassburg SockTM, by dorsiflexing the toes engages the
Windlass
Mechanism and provides a more complete tissue-specific stretch to the
plantar fasciia. In the morning, when the Strassburg SockTM is removed, the fasciia
is already in its maximally stretched position where it has
been comfortably held all night.
The Strassburg SockTM
comes in two sizes, the regular fits a calf size to 16” around and the large
fits calf sizes 16” to 21” around. You put it on as you would a normal sock
putting the “D” ring just below the knee. For those with a shorter calf, pull
it up to the knee and slightly tuck the extra material under prior to attaching
the base strap.
After attaching the base
strap around the upper portion of the calf, set the ankle in a 90 degree
position and pass the toe (tension) strap through the “D” ring. Raise the toes
about 1” off of the ground and attach the Velcro strap. If you feel discomfort
in the foot or toes you have it on to tight and you should release
some of the tension. The Strassburg SockTM should not be uncomfortable.
Some doctors suggest
that their patients wear the Strassburg SockTM in the evening after dinner while
they read the paper or watch TV. This way they get 3-4 hours stretch combined
with 6-8 hours while sleeping. Now you’re looking at almost a half of the
day were the plantar fascia is healing in its maximally stretched position. Many patients tell us they
feel some relief after the first couple of nights use.
How can I carry the
sock in my office? Call
1.800.452.0631 or
E-mail Us
Send me some brochures I can give to my
patients.
(Click Here)
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