A wrist cock-up splint holds the wrist tilted slightly BACK, in the position you naturally use to grip, while the fingers and thumb stay free.
It’s used for wrist sprains, irritated wrist tendons, painful arthritic wrists, radial nerve palsy, and after some wrist surgery and fractures.
It is NOT the right splint for carpal tunnel syndrome, which needs the wrist held straight.
Why slightly back
- Grip is strongest with the wrist a little extended. Holding it there lets the hand work while the wrist rests
- The tendons that lift the wrist relax when the splint holds that angle for them
- A sprained or arthritic wrist hurts at the end of its range. The splint keeps it in the comfortable middle
Cocked back for sprains and tendons. Straight for carpal tunnel. Same shape of splint, different angle, different job.
What it’s used for
- Wrist sprains once a fracture has been ruled out
- Irritated wrist tendons, such as intersection syndrome and wrist extensor overload
- Arthritic or inflamed wrists, including rheumatoid arthritis, during painful tasks or flares
- Radial nerve palsy, to hold the wrist up so the hand can grip
- Some tennis elbow programmes, to rest the wrist extensors during a flare. See tennis elbow
For carpal tunnel, see the carpal tunnel night splint.
Volar, dorsal, custom or prefab
- Volar (palm side): the most common, supports the wrist from underneath
- Dorsal (back of the wrist): leaves the palm clear for sensation and grip
- Prefabricated: fine for many sprains. Check that the palm piece stops before the knuckle crease so the fingers bend fully
- Custom thermoplastic: for exact angles, swollen or deformed wrists, and after surgery
How long
- Weeks 0 to 2: during activity and at night if pain wakes you
- Weeks 2 to 4: for heavier tasks only, with gentle movement out of the splint every day
- After 4 to 6 weeks: weaned for most sprains and tendon problems
For arthritis, it may be kept long term for specific tasks. See wrist splints: which type and how long.
Problems to watch for
- A stiff wrist from wearing it all day for weeks
- Stiff fingers if the splint blocks the knuckle crease
- Tingling from straps pressing over the wrist crease
Get it checked if
- Thumb-side wrist pain after a fall, even with a normal X-ray. See scaphoid fracture
- Numbness in the fingers
- No improvement after four weeks
This is one of dozens of splints a hand therapist makes. See what a hand therapist does for the full list.
Wrist slightly back, fingers free, and weaned as soon as the wrist allows.
Every article on this site is written using the Closing Window Method: name the window your condition runs on, find where you are in it, and act while it’s still open.