The Start
People who suffer with heel pain know how difficult those first steps out of bed in the morning can be.
Well, I found out that I wasn’t alone. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, approximately 2 million people are treated for plantar fasciitis each year. Although not always disabling, the discomfort can affect everyday activities.
After receiving treatment from two doctors and a couple of steroid shots in my heel, I decided I needed a way to alleviate those first painful morning steps and get on with my life. And as many others have found, I just couldn’t stand wearing that uncomfortable night splint boot my doctor had prescribed. I thought if I could just find a more comfortable way to hold my foot in a certain position, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so badly when I got out of bed in the morning.
Using a tube sock, a piece of material, and my wife’s sewing machine, late one night I devised a crude device to hold my foot in position while sleeping. The next morning, I felt a significant reduction in pain as I took those first steps out of bed. After a couple more nights wearing my “brainstorm,” the pain had almost disappeared. Not knowing exactly how it worked, only that it had helped me, I contacted a friend who was a physical therapist. Together, we worked out the details and applied for a patent.
Two years later, we received a U.S. patent. Today, the Strassburg Sock is a Class I medical device listed with the FDA, and Strassburg Medical maintains its FDA establishment registration.
Growth and Progress
Initial sales were to podiatrists. Then, in 1996, we established our presence on the World Wide Web, and our sales grew to include not only medical professionals but also individuals seeking relief from heel pain in places as far away as Indonesia, Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Over the years, we have built relationships with podiatrists, chiropractors, physical therapists, sports medicine clinics, and specialty retailers.
In the July/August 2002 edition of the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, a peer-reviewed study examined the Strassburg Sock as part of a conservative treatment approach for plantar fasciitis. The study reported favorable outcomes among patients using the Sock. Because the research involved a specific patient population and treatment protocol, individual results may vary.
In 2003, Runner’s World magazine published an article discussing the study and introducing the Strassburg Sock to a broader running audience.
In 2004, Running Times magazine also featured the Strassburg Sock in an article about running injuries, highlighting its design as an alternative to traditional night splint boots.
Today, the Strassburg Sock continues to be hand-sewn in the USA. Strassburg Medical remains a family-owned business dedicated to providing thoughtfully designed products that support the conservative management of plantar fasciitis-related heel pain.
For more than 30 years, our commitment has remained the same: offering a comfortable, practical night splint designed to help people manage heel pain as part of their overall care.
