The Night Splint is an AFO (Ankle Foot Orthosis, also known as brace) intended for stretching a shortened calf muscle. The night splint is available in two versions: a Dynamic and Static Night Splint. On this page you will find more details about our Static Night Splint. If you are more interested in the Dynamic Night Splint, click here.
Shortening of the calf muscle
With the Swift Static Night splint, a slim and stiff adjustable orthosis, shortening of the achilles tendon / calf muscle can be prevented or treated. Shortening of the calf muscle is very common for people who suffer from spasm in the calf muscle. Because the muscle is held in short position by the spasm for a longer period of time (where the ankle is brought in Plantar flexion, with other words: the foot is pulled in equinus position.), shorten it in the long run. The ankle can then no longer be brought completely into dorsal flexion (foot up).
Treatment is necessary
“This can lead to pain, an altered gait pattern where the toes strike the ground before the heel, and eventually even to knee-related issues such as hyperextension. Therefore, treatment is essential.
Take your time
Muscle shortening doesn’t happen overnight. You won’t simply wake up one morning with a shortened calf muscle. These kinds of changes in the body typically occur gradually over time and the recovery process is no different. Regaining flexibility through stretching also takes time and doesn’t happen automatically or quickly. Importantly, when it comes to stretching, time matters more than force. Prolonged, gentle tension applied to the muscle at its end range is more effective than brief, intense pulling. This is due to the viscoelastic properties of muscle tissue and the body’s internal regeneration and growth processes, both of which are time-dependent.
