A humeral fracture brace is a clamshell sleeve around the upper arm that holds a broken shaft of the humerus in line, while the ELBOW AND SHOULDER KEEP MOVING.
A shoulder abduction splint holds the arm out from the body, and is used after burns in the armpit and some shoulder surgery.
Both sit above the hand, but a hand therapist often makes and manages them, because the hand is what suffers if the arm above it stiffens or the nerves are affected.
Humeral fracture brace: how it works
- Two shells, front and back, strapped around the upper arm
- Compression does the holding. Squeezing the muscles around the fracture keeps the bone ends aligned, and gravity helps straighten the arm
- Straps are tightened daily as swelling drops, so the compression stays firm
- Elbow and shoulder stay free, so they don’t stiffen during the weeks the bone takes to heal
The brace works by squeezing. A loose brace is just a sleeve.
A typical humeral fracture timeline
- Weeks 0 to 2: a temporary splint and sling while swelling settles, then the brace is fitted
- Weeks 2 to 6: brace full time. Gentle elbow, wrist and hand movement daily. Leaning forward and letting the arm hang to swing gently, as instructed
- Weeks 6 to 12: brace continues until X-rays show healing and the arm is no longer tender at the fracture
- After healing: shoulder range and strengthening
The nerve to watch
- The radial nerve wraps around the shaft of the humerus, and some fractures bruise or stretch it
- The sign is a dropped wrist: you can’t lift the wrist or straighten the knuckles, and the back of the thumb may be numb
- Many of these recover on their own over months. In the meantime, a wrist and knuckle splint keeps the hand usable and stops the joints stiffening. See dynamic splints
- Report a new wrist drop immediately, especially if it appears after the fracture has been manipulated
Shoulder abduction splints
- Burns in the armpit: scar across the armpit pulls the arm into the side. Holding it out keeps the skin long while it heals. See burns
- Some shoulder surgery, such as certain tendon repairs and tendon transfers, where a pillow or wedge holds the arm away from the body
Problems to watch for
- Swelling in the hand and forearm below the brace. Keep the fingers moving and the hand up when resting
- Skin rubbing in the armpit and at the brace edges. Keep the skin clean and dry
- A stiff elbow or hand from protecting the whole arm
- A brace that has slipped down towards the elbow
Get it checked urgently if
- You can’t lift your wrist or straighten your fingers
- New numbness or tingling in the hand
- Severe or rising pain, or the arm changing shape
- Skin breaking down under the brace
This is one of dozens of splints a hand therapist makes. See what a hand therapist does for the full list.
Squeeze the fracture, move the joints, and watch the wrist.
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.