Factors that influence the duration of splint wear in peripheral nerve lesions

To assess the weekly frequency and overall duration of wear for splints used to treat peripheral nerve lesions and factors that possibly influence splint wear.

A total of 78 patients (23 women, 55 men) who had been treated with a hand splint for peripheral nerve palsy were interviewed by telephone, based on a preformulated questionnaire. The duration of wear, reasons for terminating use, the effect of the splint, the patients' assessment of splint treatment, the patients' instruction, and the patients' level of education were recorded. Survival analysis for the entire period of wear and logistic regressions to determine factors that influence splint wear were performed. Comparison of effect scores between lesions in the dominant those in the nondominant hand were carried out with a test.

The median duration of wear was 6 mo for daytime and 4 mo for nighttime splints. Daytime splints were worn by 85% and nighttime splints by 84% of patients for 5-7 days per week. The reported effect of the splint was the only significant factor that influenced the frequency of wear. The splint was reported to be significantly more effective in the dominant hand than in the nondominant hand. Numerically, radial nerve lesions and cock-up wrist splints were most common.

Regular splint wear was registered in the majority of patients and was positively influenced by a good effect of the splint, which was reported to be better in the dominant hand.