Hand Therapist Nigel Chua Ulnar gutter splints hold the ring and little fingers, radial gutter splints the index and middle, with the knuckles bent. Why that position matters for boxer’s fractures and other hand fractures, and a typical timeline.
A yoke splint holds one finger slightly higher or lower than its neighbors, protecting a tendon while the hand keeps moving. How relative motion splints work, and what they’re used for.
Hand-based or forearm-based? Which thumb spica splint suits thumb base arthritis, skier’s thumb, De Quervain’s and scaphoid fractures, how long to wear it, and the problems to watch for.
A C-bar or first web space splint holds the thumb away from the index finger so the web can’t tighten after burns, crush injuries, surgery or nerve damage. Why the web matters and how long to wear it.
A metacarpal fracture brace holds a broken hand bone in line while the fingers keep moving. Which fractures it suits, which it doesn’t, a typical timeline and how to wear it well.
A PIP extension block splint stops the middle finger joint straightening past a safe angle while letting it bend. How it protects volar plate injuries and PIP fracture-dislocations, and the week-by-week reduction.
A humeral fracture brace holds a broken upper arm while the elbow and shoulder keep moving. A shoulder abduction splint holds the arm out after armpit burns and some shoulder surgery. How each works and what to watch for.
Silicone playing casts and padded splints can get athletes back to sport with a stable hand or wrist injury. Which injuries qualify, the types, and what to check before you play in one.
Static progressive splints and serial casts treat stiff fingers, wrists, forearms and elbows by holding them at end range and moving that point a little further each time. How they work and how to use them.
A cubital tunnel night splint stops the elbow bending fully while you sleep, easing pressure and stretch on the ulnar nerve. Options, what goes with it, and a typical three-month trial.