Take the First Step Out of Bed Without the Stab
The NightShift Splint holds your foot in a gentle stretch while you sleep, so the tissue under your heel doesn't tighten up overnight. Start gentle on night one and dial it up. No shots, no $400 orthotics, no stiff boot you rip off at 2 a.m.
- Stops your foot from pointing all night, the setup behind morning heel pain
- A knob sets the stretch and an air cushion softens it, so you can start easy
- Buckle straps that stay closed when you roll over
- Give it 60 mornings, or get your money back
It's Not Your Age. It's Not Your Weight. It's the Floor.
Twelve hours on concrete. Tile that never ends. Shoes that feel fine at 7 a.m. and flat by noon.
You can't sit down at work, so your feet never get a break. And no amount of willpower changes the floor.
Doctors used to call this "policeman's heel," because it hit beat cops who walked pavement all day. It's a working person's injury. It always has been.
But here's the strange part. The worst pain doesn't hit at work. It hits the next morning.
Why Your First Step Is the Worst Step of the Day
When you fall asleep, your foot relaxes and points down. For six to eight hours, the band of tissue under your foot (the plantar fascia) rests in a short, tight position.
Then you stand up. Your full weight pulls that tight band all at once. That's the stab.
Think of a scab you rip off every morning. By mid-morning it loosens up. Tonight it tightens again. Tomorrow it starts over.
We call it Overnight Tightening. It's why the pain is worst first thing in the morning, or when you get up after a nap or a day's sleep after night shift.
Why New Shoes and Insoles Haven't Fixed Your Mornings
You've probably tried a lot. Maybe all of it.
- Better shoes and insoles help while you're standing. They do nothing once you lie down.
- Stretching and rolling a frozen water bottle feels good for a few minutes. The tightening comes back overnight.
- Ice and ibuprofen barely touch it for many people. Doctors now describe plantar fasciitis as more wear-and-tear than swelling, which may be why.
- Cortisone shots often wear off, and repeat shots carry real risks, like thinning the fat pad under your heel.
Every one of those works while you're awake. None of them touch the eight hours when the tightening actually happens.
So the fix has to happen while you sleep.
People Were Already Rigging Their Own Fix
On heel-pain forums, people started building DIY fixes. A sheet of plywood wedged at the foot of the bed. A foot jammed between two mattresses. Sleeping on the couch with their feet pressed against a cushion.
A lot of them woke up with less pain. Without knowing it, they'd found the answer: stop the foot from pointing all night.
Physical therapists agree. The 2023 clinical guideline for heel pain recommends a 1- to 3-month program of night splints for people whose first steps hurt.
Source: JOSPT Clinical Practice Guideline, Heel Pain – Plantar Fasciitis, Revision 2023.
So why do so many people give up on night splints?
Why Most Night Splints End Up in a Drawer
Most splints force a full stretch on night one. Your body fights it. Your toes go numb. Your calf aches. The Velcro pops open when you roll over.
At 2 a.m. you rip it off, and it never goes back on.
The idea was right. The starting point was wrong.
Meet the NightShift Splint: Start Gentle, Dial It Up
Your feet work a 12-hour shift. This works the other 12.
Turn-knob angle
Set a gentle angle on night one. Turn it up a little as your foot gets used to it.
Air-cushion strap
A small hand pump fills a soft cushion in the top strap, so it hugs your leg without digging in. A valve lets the air out in seconds.
No boot under your heel
The frame sits on your shin and the top of your foot, so there's no bulky shell under your heel.
Buckle straps
Buckles instead of Velcro, so it stays closed when the blanket moves.
Your First Week, Night by Night
You don't have to sleep in it all night on night one. You build up, the way physical therapists suggest.
- Nights 1–2Knob on the gentlest setting. Wear it for 30 to 60 minutes while you read or watch TV.
- Nights 3–4Wear it for the first part of the night. If you wake up and want it off, take it off.
- Nights 5–6A little more stretch. Most of the night.
- Night 7All night, at an angle that feels like a gentle pull, never pain.
Even half the night counts. Older physical therapy guidelines suggested wearing a night splint for 1.5 to 4 hours a night.
Loosen it if your toes tingle or go numb. Stop and check with your doctor if it doesn't go away.
Work Nights? It Works at Noon Too.
The tightening happens whenever your foot rests, day or night. Sleep at noon behind blackout curtains? Put it on then.
Your 3 p.m. first steps get the same gentle stretch as anyone else's 6 a.m.
Made for People Who Can't Sit Down at Work
- Nurses, CNAs and techs on three 12s
- Servers, bartenders and line cooks
- Retail, grocery and warehouse workers on concrete
- Anyone whose first steps out of bed feel like walking on broken glass
Have diabetes, neuropathy or circulation problems? Check with your doctor before using any night splint.
How It Compares
| Rigid boot | Sleeve | NightShift Splint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holds a gentle stretch all night | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comfortable enough to sleep in | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Start gentle, adjust each night | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| No bulk under your heel | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Straps that stay closed | Often Velcro | – | Buckles |
| 60-Morning Guarantee | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Choose Your NightShift Splint
Costs less than a pair of work shoes, and it's backed by the 60-Morning Guarantee.
Size chart
| Size | Foot length | Shoe size (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| S | 7.5–8.6 in (19–22 cm) | Women’s 5 and under |
| M | 8.6–9.8 in (22–25 cm) | Women’s 5½–8½, men’s 7½ and under |
| L | 9.8–11 in (25–28 cm) | Women’s 9–12, men’s 8–11 |
| XL | Over 11 in (28 cm+) | Men’s 11½ and up |
Measure from the back of your heel to the tip of your longest toe. Between sizes? Pick the larger one.
60-Morning Guarantee · Secure checkout · Ships in 1–3 business days
The 60-Morning Guarantee
Give it 60 mornings. Follow the first-week plan and wear it most nights. If your first steps don't feel better, email us and get every penny back.
Just email us your order number within 60 days of delivery. Read the full policy
Questions
Can I sleep on my side?
You can try. The frame sits on top of your foot, so there's less bulk than a boot. Most people find it easiest to start on their back for the first few nights while they get used to it.
What if I have to get up to pee at night?
You can walk in it, so a quick trip to the bathroom is no problem. If you’d rather take it off, loosen the buckles and it slips off in a few seconds.
Will it make my toes go numb?
It shouldn't if you start gentle. Numbness means it's too tight or the stretch is too much. Loosen the straps, let some air out of the cushion or turn the knob back. Stop if the numbness doesn't go away.
How long until my mornings feel better?
Everyone's different. Some people say they notice a change within days. For others it takes a few weeks. Physical therapy guidelines suggest a 1- to 3-month program, which is why you get 60 mornings to decide.
I tried a night splint before and it didn't work.
Most people quit because night one was too much. This one starts gentle and builds up over a week, so you can keep it on long enough to find out. If it still doesn't help, the 60-Morning Guarantee covers you.
One foot or both?
Each splint is made for a left or right foot. If both heels hurt in the morning, get the pair.
What size do I need?
Measure from the back of your heel to the tip of your longest toe. S fits 7.5 to 8.6 inches, M fits 8.6 to 9.8, L fits 9.8 to 11 and XL fits over 11. Between sizes? Pick the larger one. The full chart, with shoe sizes, is under the size buttons above.
Can I wash it?
Yes. Rinse the cloth parts in water, press out the extra water with a towel, then let it air dry.
Is it safe if I have diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation?
Check with your doctor first. Don't wear it over broken skin or open wounds.
Should I see a doctor?
If your heel pain came from an injury, is severe, or comes with swelling, numbness or fever, see a doctor. This splint supports a gentle overnight stretch. It isn't a diagnosis or a treatment.
How fast does it ship?
Orders ship within 1 to 3 business days, and most arrive 6 to 12 business days after that. You’ll get a tracking number by email when it ships.
How does the 60-Morning Guarantee work?
Wear it for up to 60 mornings. If your first steps don't feel better, email us your order number within 60 days of delivery. We refund the full price, shipping included.
Tomorrow Morning Could Start Different
Your feet carry you through every shift. Tonight, let something work the other 12.
Get My NightShift Splint60-Morning Guarantee
The NightShift Splint is a night splint designed to support a gentle overnight stretch of the foot. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Results vary. Stop using it if you feel numbness or tingling that doesn't go away, and talk to your doctor if you have diabetes, neuropathy or circulation problems.