Splinting Flashcards
What is a splint?
- an orthopedic device designed, fabricated, or selected in conjunction with a client to temporarily support, protect, or immobilize a body part
- splints and other orthoses can be classified as articular or non-articular according to the location, direction, purpose, type, or number of joints included
Important Features of Splints
- comfortable
- lightweight
- aesthetically pleasing
- convenient to use
- enable participation in valued occupations
What may splinting evaluations consist of?
- chart or medical report review
- interview and observation of the client
- palpation
- occupational assessment (ex. COPM)
- assessment of pain, edema, sensation, ROM, muscle strength, coordination, functional use, and psychosocial issues
- other considerations include work status, motivation, social support, and reimbursement source
What are material properties of low temperature thermoplastics?
- elasticity
- memory
- bonding
- durability
- rigidity
- perforations
- finish
- color
- thickness
How are patterns for splinting made?
-drawn on a paper towel by outlining the body part using two-thirds the width of the extremity and half the circumference of the bone, marking boney landmarks, and extending 1/2 inch to 2/3 inches past the fingertips and thumb
What are considerations when molding the splint?
- adding closed-cell padding before conforming the splint to the body part
- using gravity as an assist
What must be maintained when molding hand splints?
-the longitudinal, distal, and proximal transverse arches of the hand
What are steps of finishing a splint?
- applying reinforcement if necessary
- rounding all corners
- flaring the edges
- applying appropriate rounded end straps
- adding open-cell padding when appropriate
- making adjustments
- educating the client and/or caregiver in wear and care of the splint
- providing contact info for consultation if problems occur
- monitoring the client response to splint wear
What do static splints, static progressive splints, and serial casting all have in common?
-no moving parts
In what position do resting hand splints maintain the wrist and hand?
- wrist at 20-30 degrees extension
- thumb at 45 degrees palmar abduction
- MCPs at 35-45 degrees flexion
- PIPs and DIPs in slight flexion
Antideformity resting hand splints (burn intrinsic plus) maintain the wrist and hand in what position?
- wrist at 30-40 degrees extension
- thumb at 45 degrees palmar abduction
- MCPs at 70-90 degrees flexion
- PIPs and DIPs in full extension
What are ball or cone antispasticity splints?
- ulnar or volar based
- provide thumb palmar or radial abduction
- a hard surface in contact with finger flexors
- serial casting for the wrist, elbow, knee, or ankle to decrease soft tissue contractures
What are wrist cock-up splints?
- dorsal or volar wrist immobilization
- maintain hand arches, full thumb movement, and full MP flexion
What are thumb spica splints?
- volar thumb or radial gutter thumb immobilization
- used on the long or short opponens to provide CMC immobilization
What are different types of finger splints?
- PIP extension (i.e. Boutonniere, Capener, prefab dynamic extension assist, and serial casting) splints
- PIP flexion splints
- PIP hyperextension block (Swan neck) splints
- DIP extension (mallet finger, serial casting) splints
- DIP flexion splints
- silver ring splints
