The evidence

We think you deserve to know exactly what the research says, and what it doesn't. Here it is in plain English, with links so you can check every source yourself.

What the clinical guideline recommends

In 2023 the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy published an updated clinical practice guideline for heel pain and plantar fasciitis in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. It sums up the research for physical therapists. Among its recommendations:

• Night splints: a 1- to 3-month program of night splints for people who consistently have pain with their first steps in the morning.
• Stretching: plantar fascia–specific stretching and calf stretching to reduce pain and improve function.
• Shoe inserts: prefabricated or custom inserts, used together with other treatments.

The Morning Relief Kit is built around those at-home steps: an overnight stretch (the soft night splint), daily stretching (the guide and massage ball) and heel support (the gel heel cups).

The honest part

• Research on night splints is mixed. A 2019 review in American Family Physician described the evidence for night splints as inconclusive. Most studies used rigid boot-style splints, so there is less research on soft splints like ours.
• The guideline is about types of care, not our products. Nobody has run a clinical trial on the Dawnstep kit, and we won't pretend otherwise.
• Consistency matters most. In the stretching studies, people did the stretch several times a day for weeks. The guide is designed to make that easier.

The hopeful part

Plantar fasciitis usually gets better. According to the 2019 American Family Physician review, about 80% of people improve within 12 months with non-surgical care, and many feel better much sooner.

When to see a clinician

Heel pain has other causes too. See a doctor if your pain started with an injury, if you have numbness, tingling, swelling, fever or pain at night while resting, if you have diabetes or circulation problems, or if nothing has improved after 6–8 weeks.

Sources

1. Koc TA Jr, Bise CG, Neville C, Carreira D, Martin RL, McDonough CM. Heel Pain – Plantar Fasciitis: Revision 2023. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2023;53(12):CPG1–CPG39. PubMed
2. Trojian T, Tucker AK. Plantar Fasciitis. Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(12):744–750. AAFP
3. DiGiovanni BF, et al. Tissue-specific plantar fascia-stretching exercise enhances outcomes in patients with chronic heel pain. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003;85(7):1270–1277.
4. DiGiovanni BF, et al. Plantar fascia-specific stretching exercise improves outcomes in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis: two-year follow-up. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006;88(8):1775–1781.

Dawnstep is not affiliated with or endorsed by JOSPT, the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, APTA or AAFP. This page is general information, not medical advice.