Splints Flashcards
What splint should you use for a Flexor Tendon Injury?
Dorsal Block Splint:
- Blocks fingers from extending, prevents re-injury
- Keep it on for 6 weeks
What splint should you use for a Jersey Finger injury?
Dorsal Block Splint
Measurements for Dorsal Block Splint
Wrist: 20-30 degrees Flexion
MCP: 50-70 degrees Flexion
IPs: Full Extension
What splint should you use for RA?
Dorsal Block Splint
-With RA, the tendons become weak over time and are more vulnerable to tear
What is KEY to tendon healing? Why?
Early Immobilization !
-Prevents scar adhesion from forming and encourages excursion
For which condition would you use a DIP extension splint?
Mallet Finger (Flexion of DIP)
- Splint for up to 6 weeks
- This is CRITICAL for EI
- DIP joint is Zone 1 FYI
Which deformity describes a PIP joint flexion and DIP joint hyperextension?
Boutonniere
-Inability to extend PIP joint
What splint should you use with a patient who has Boutonniere deformity resulting from RA?
- PIP extension splint for up to 6 weeks
- Splint ONLY goes over the PIP joint to keep DIP free for AROM
- PIP joint is Zone 3 and prox. phalanx is Zone 2 FYI
What splint should you use if you have an injury in your MCPs or MCP joint?
Volar Wrist Splint for about 6 weeks.
- After a couple weeks, may shorten splint so the IPs can move
- After 4-5 weeks, move splint so pt can actively flex and extend MCP distally
What are the degrees for a volar wrist splint?
Wrist: 20 degrees Extension
MCPs: 0-10 flexion
What splint should you use if you have an injury in your carpal bones?
Volar wrist splint for about 6 weeks (same as with injuries at MCP joint/bones or carpals)
- After couple weeks, may shorter splint so IPs can move
- After 4-5 weeks, move splint distally so pt can actively flex and extend MCP
What kind of splint should you provide a patient with swan neck deformity?
- Pt has hypertension hyperextension and DIP flexion
- PIP is splinted in slight flexion
What splint should be worn for a radial tunnel injury as a nonoperative tx?
- Long arm splint with elbow flexed, forearm supinated, wrist neutral
- Along with massage or TENS for pain management, pain free ROM, nerve glides, activity modification avoid forceful wrist extension and supination
What splint should be worn for a radial tunnel injury as an operative tx?
- Long arm splint with elbow flexed, forearm supinated, wrist neutral for 2 weeks
- Then wrist cock up for 2 more weeks with passive and active pronation and supination
- At 3 weeks, do hand strengthening exercise, then resistive exercise at 6 weeks
What splint should be worn for a Radial nerve injury as a nonoperative treatment?
- Radial=wrist drop!
- Wrist cock-up splint with or without dynamic finger and thumb extension assist, passive and active ROM, isotonic strengthening exercises upon muscle reinnervation
What splint should be worn for a Radial nerve injury as an operative treatment?
- Static wrist extension splint 30 degrees
- After 4 weeks, adjust to 10-20 degrees extension
Splinting considerations for fractures of the hand
- Orthotic fabrications can be used as prescribed by the physician for safe splinting and functional splinting
- Materials should be chosen to fit the client and the condition
- Thermoplastic and casting orthoses are commonly used to provide support for healing structures
What splints can be worn for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
- With CRPS, splints are worn as a pain control technique
- Begin with static splint, then change to dynamic
Why is splinting used with Cumulative Trauma Disorder?
With CTD, there is trauma to the soft tissue caused by repeated force (overuse syndrome and repetitive strain injury). Static splinting can help with reduction of pain along with ice, contrast baths, ultrasound, iontophoresis, high-voltage electric and interferential stim. During the subacute phase, static splint can be used during activities that cause pain.
What kind of splint is used for Pronator syndrome as nonoperative tx?
- Pronator syndrome is the entrapment of the proximal median nerve between the heads of the pronator muscles
- Splint with elbow 90 to 100 degrees flexion, forearm in neutral
- Along with TENS for pain, gentle prolonged stretching supination and elbow, wrist, and finger extension, activity mod. avoid repetitive forearm rotation with resistance and prolonged elbow flexion
What kind of splint is used for Pronator syndrome as an operative tx?
-Half cast, AROM all UE joints while wearing cast, muscle strengthening in 1 week, full AROM gained by 8 weeks
What kind of splint should be worn for Median nerve injury as a nonoperative tx?
- Median nerve injury causes ape hand.
- For nonoperative tx, use static thenar webspacer splint
What kind of splint should be worn for Median nerve injury as an operative tx?
- Median nerve injury causes ape hand
- For operative tx, dorsal wrist blocking splint worn for 4-6 weeks
- AROM and PROM in splint for digits and thumb, tendon gliding, scar massage
- Discontinue splint at 6 weeks and begin strengthening
Which splint should be used for double crush syndrome?
It depends. A double crush injury occurs when a peripheral nerve is entrapped in more than one location. Treatment varies according to each nerve injury or syndrome, avoid movements or postures and aggravate the symptoms, nerve gliding, exercises for scapular stability, posture, core trunk strengthening
Which splint should be used for Carpal tunnel syndrome as a nonoperative tx?
With carpal tunnel, the median nerve is trapped as it courses through the carpal tunnel. Nonoperative tx includes:
-A carpal tunnel syndrome splint or wrist cock-up splint at 0-10 wrist extension to relieve pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel and control edema. A prefabricated wrist cock-up splint can be used if wrist position is adjustable.