Splinting for rehab

After a sudden injury or a flare up of your chronic condition, you might be able to take it easy at first. Maybe you even applied the RICE method—rest, ice, compression and elevation.

But what happens when you need to return to regular activity? How do you make sure the injured area doesn’t move and make things worse?

Whether it’s prefabricated or custom-made, a properly placed splint can stabilize and protect your injury from further damage. Here’s all you need to know about splinting and how it could help you.

What is a splint?

A splint is a piece of medical equipment used to immobilize an injured part of the body, protecting it from further damage. Used after a surgery, fracture or other injury or for chronic conditions, splints can be purchased off the shelf (prefabricated) or custom designed to fit you. Splints can have parts made from neoprene, plastic, foam, metal or thermoplastic materials that can be heated, cut and molded to fit you.

Custom splinting gives your therapist a greater ability to isolate the specific joint that shouldn’t be moving, while allowing range of motion in surrounding joints, helping you avoid unnecessary stiffness. Therapists monitor your progress and make adjustments to your splint throughout your recovery.

Splinting is most commonly used on the upper extremities (such as your wrist or hand), but splints can also be made for your leg and neck.

Conditions treated with splinting

Splinting can be used to treat a wide range of injuries and conditions. It’s often used as a part of a comprehensive treatment plan involving other types of physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Common conditions treated with splinting include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Hand fractures
• Wrist fractures
• Thumb fractures
• Leg fractures
• Thumb tendinopathy
• Gamekeeper’s or skier’s thumb (UCL tear)
• Shoulder dislocations
• Trigger finger
• Mallet finger
• Post-surgical tendon repair
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Ligament sprains or instabilities
• Boutonnière and swan neck deformities
• Flexion contractures of the knee

4 types of finger splints

Finger splints are used to keep these vulnerable extremities in place while you heal from a finger sprain or break, or to help increase a limited range of motion from a chronic condition.

There are four main types of finger splints.

Buddy splints

Buddy splints involve taping two fingers together, above and below the injured joint. They are often used for injuries less serious than a fracture, such as when you jam your finger.

Static splints

Static finger splints hold your joint in a specific position, either completely straight or slightly bent. They’re often used to treat repetitive use injuries, fractures and tendon damage.

Stack splints

Stack splints treat injuries involving only the tip of your finger. They fit over the end of your finger and go down just past the first joint, so it can’t bend.

Dynamic splints

Dynamic splints are more complex, designed to stretch a joint with an adjustable, spring-loaded system. They’re often worn at night or while you’re resting, rather than during daily activities.

Splinting for arthritis

Splinting can help your arthritis by providing support for a joint during daily activities and also letting it rest in a secure, neutral position when you’re not using it. For example, a wrist splint can help reduce pain and improve grip strength for those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Additional resources

Take a look at how splints can relieve pain and help you rest joints when you have rheumatoid arthritis

Get more information on how splinting can treat carpal tunnel syndrome