If you’ve ever dealt with the pain of plantar fasciitis, you know how debilitating it can be. And recovery takes time. Among the worst aspects of recovery is how painful the first few steps of the morning can be. Fortunately, I’ve found a product that helps with this considerably.

When you’re sleeping, the plantar fascia is relaxed, and, in fact, begins the healing process. Until you get up the next morning, that is, and start unwittingly stretching it as you take the first steps out of bed. This re-injures the ligament and starts the whole process all over again.

That’s where the Strassburg Sock comes in. This funny looking device keeps slight pressure on the plantar fascia while you’re asleep, so that when you awake, you aren’t just tearing the ligament all over again. Simple idea, right?

I have found that it actually works. After even the first night, you notice that the morning pain is lessened considerably. After a couple of nights, the ligament actually starts improving.

The sock isn’t cheap at $40, but it’s a small price to pay for relief from plantar fasciitis.  A couple of ordering notes: you get one (1) sock for $40, and you need to measure around the fat of your calf to determine which of the two sizes (regular or large) to order.