A dorsal blocking splint sits along the BACK of the forearm and hand after a flexor tendon repair.
It holds the knuckles bent and stops the wrist and fingers straightening together, so the repaired tendon can’t be stretched apart.
Inside it, you do specific, controlled finger exercises that stop the tendon scarring down.
It stays on day and night for around six weeks, and heavy grip waits until around twelve. It’s the splint in hand therapy where following the rules matters most.
What it does
- Blocks the stretch. The splint is on the back of the hand, so you can bend your fingers but you can’t straighten the wrist and fingers together, the movement that would pull the repair apart
- Allows planned movement. A repaired tendon that doesn’t glide gets stuck in scar. A tendon that’s pulled too hard ruptures. The exercises sit between those two
- Protects against the reflex grab. When you trip or catch something falling, the hand grips hard without asking. The splint limits the damage
The repair is strong enough for the exercises you’re given, and not much more.
What it’s used for
- Flexor tendon repairs in the fingers and palm, usually after a cut
- Jersey finger repairs, where the tendon was pulled off the fingertip bone
- Some nerve and artery repairs in the finger, where the same stretch would strain the repair
The versions you might see
- Full forearm-based splint, wrist held slightly bent or near neutral depending on the protocol
- Short hand-based splint, used in some early active programs, leaving the wrist free to move in a controlled way
- Older elastic band designs, which pulled the fingers down passively. Many clinics now use early active movement programs instead
A typical timeline
- Weeks 0 to 3: splint on full time. Exercises exactly as taught, several times a day. The repair is at its weakest in these weeks
- Weeks 3 to 6: splint still on full time. Exercises progress
- Weeks 6 to 8: splint off. Light use, no gripping or lifting
- Weeks 8 to 12: gradual strengthening. Heavy grip and contact sport from around 12 weeks
The rules that protect the repair
- Don’t take it off, even to wash, unless your therapist has taught you how
- Don’t use the hand to grip, carry, push up from a chair or hold a phone
- Don’t test the finger to see if it bends on its own
- Do every exercise session. Skipping them is how the tendon gets stuck
Get it checked urgently if
- A pop or snap, then a finger that no longer bends the way it did yesterday
- Spreading redness, swelling or a fever
- Numbness or color change in the fingers
- The splint is broken or no longer holds its position
This is one of dozens of splints a hand therapist makes.
See what a hand therapist does for the full list, and life with one hand after surgery for the practical side.
Splint on, exercises done, and no gripping until your therapist says so.
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.