Splints
While commonly recognized as devices supporting broken limbs, splints offer more than just physical reinforcement. They deliver immediate pain relief by alleviating strain on sensitive areas, enhance flexibility by gradually extending rigid joints or soft tissues, and can even address joint dysfunctions, restoring former capabilities.
Symptoms
Most often, splints are used for healing the upper extremities such as the hand or wrist. But they can also be used in other areas to solve a wide range of joint and bone issues. That includes:
Joint Injuries
Broken bones
Degenerative diseases like arthritis
Soft tissue injuries
Some specific conditions they can help with are:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Trigger finger
- Skier’s thumb
- Mallet finger
- Chronic pain
- Arthritis
- Ligament sprains
- Post-surgical tendon repair
- Shoulder dislocations
- Hand fractures
- Wrist fractures
- Thumb fractures
- Leg fractures
- Boutonnière deformity (or swan neck deformity)
How do splints work?
Typically, splints work by restricting movement to help injuries heal properly and prevent further damage. But they come in many varieties to suit different purposes. Here are the most common types:
- Static splints provide support while allowing you to perform activities.
- Immobilization splints prevent movement and keep joints in a resting posture.
- Mobilization splints stretch your stiff joints and tissues to improve your range of motion. They are often used by physiotherapists or occupational therapists in combination with an exercise and stretching program.
Your Custom Solution
Our physiotherapists can identify when splinting will help and what type will be most effective for you. We can also provide splints that are custom-designed to meet your needs. These custom models can be molded to your body so they provide a perfect fit. This is important because if you buy yourself an over-the-counter version and it doesn’t fit properly, it can end up causing more issues.
And even if it fits properly, wearing a splint without guidance or a therapy program can lead to weakness and stiffness. But getting help from a professional like a physiotherapist will provide you with medical advice and education, an exercise plan, monitoring of your progress, and adjustments to your splint.
Cost and Coverage
Like many of our services, our physiotherapy treatments are often covered through employer, auto, or disability insurance. So treatments can be available at little or no cost to you. Get in touch or schedule a consultation to learn more.
