For 9-12-year-olds with DMD, how many hours should night splints/AFOs be worn?

• A. 4 hours
• B. 8 hours
• C. 12 hours
• D. 2 hours

Answer: (B)

Night splints or AFOs are used to provide a gentle, continuous stretch to the calf muscles and plantarflexors during sleep, helping to keep the ankle in a more neutral position and slow the development of equinus contracture in boys with DMD. For school-age children around 9–12 years, a target of about eight hours each night aligns with a typical sleep duration and offers enough time for meaningful lengthening of the muscles and preservation of ankle dorsiflexion, while remaining practical and tolerable. Shorter wear times (a few hours) may not provide sufficient stretching to influence muscle length, and much longer wear can be uncomfortable and risk skin issues, potentially reducing adherence. Wearing night splints for roughly eight hours maximizes the therapeutic stretch during sleep without undue burden, making it the best choice for this scenario.