The plantar fasciitis sock made by Strassburg is one of the most underrated products when it comes to helping your foot recover from fascia pain.
Although it might look a little silly, this simple product has been claimed to reduce or cure plantar pain almost overnight.
Compared to a normal night splint, which are more rigid, this sock has been designed to be a little more forgiving on the wearer and it allows you to keep a fair degree of movement of your feet and toes.
If you were to wear a normal plantar fasciitis night splint, your foot would be held in a more rigid position (dorsiflexion) and you would have no way to move it. It’s a bit like wearing a plaster cast. This sock will be more comfortable, whilst still giving aid to your foot problem.
How does a plantar fasciitis sock work?
The Strassburg plantar fasciitis sock works in the same way as a normal splint, pulling the foot forwards and upwards so that the plantar tissue and Achilles tendon are stretched out.
It works to help cure the pain by stretching the tissues that would normally become tight overnight, leading to pain first thing in the morning.
The sock is also adjustable too, so you can tweak it to your needs. It is also a good idea to slowly build up the tension over a series of weeks and the Strassburg plantar fasciitis sock allows you to do this.
The study, published in The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery, pitted two therapies against each other: the Strassburg Sock and a traditional calf-stretching regimen
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Each was used to treat a group of patients suffering from plantar fasciitis. The night splint was far more effective than stretching, helping patients recover in an average of 18.5 days versus 58.6 days for the stretching regimen.
Source: https://thesock.com/resources/
To wear it, you simply slip it on like a normal sock, although you have to pull it up as far as it will go. Then, take the strap from the tip of your toes and pass it up through the loop attached to the top of the sock and then Velcro it back to itself.
The tension can be adjusted by unfastening the strap and pulling it tighter. It is best to adjust the sock strap so that you can feel the tightness across the sole of your foot and your foot is at a 90 degree angle to your leg. Although, not too tight!
Some of the benefits of using the Strassburg Sock are:
- It is comfortable and is a proven method of relieving plantar fasciitis heel pain, Achilles tendonitis and also chronically tight calf muscles.
- An independent study found that the average recovery time when using the Strassburg Sock, was reduced by over 60%.
- Due to the fact that it was developed by a physical therapist, it has been used and recommended by chiropractors and podiatrists across the world.
- The plantar fasciitis sock is very lightweight and is made from a washable, breathable material. It is also fully adjustable too, so you don’t need to worry about it being uncomfortable.
- Many users of this sock have found that after trying many other remedies, this one really works for them.
- If you are using the sock, adding some fascia and calf stretches will also help improve your recovery time.
What are the downsides of using this sock?
Some people who have already bought the sock are complaining that the tension is not quite enough to pull their whole foot up and that it just curls their toes.
However, this may be because their fascia tissue or calf muscles are too tight at the moment and therefore they will need to wear the sock for longer to get the benefit.
You may also want to think of other options if you suffer from toe pain or “Mortons Toe“, where the second toe extends out past your big toe.
People with these kinds of feet may find that the tension of this plantar fasciitis sock is too concentrated in this area, making it uncomfortable.
Other people have also complained that the sock is either too small and cuts off circulation, or is too big and therefore is not effective.
Where can I buy the Strassburg sock?
I bought my sock from Amazon, as they offer the sock with free delivery rather than paying any additional shipping charges from online stores elsewhere.
- The ONLY medically proven soft night splint
- For Plantar Fasciitis, medical research shows...
- Also effective for Achilles Tendonitis and Tight...
- Recommended by top podiatrists, physical...
I could not find the sock stocked in any local stores too.
The prices are pretty much the same where ever you look, so Amazon is a good bet as they are a well proven distribution method of most things.