Effects of lateral rotation splinting on lower extremity bone growth: an in vivo study in rabbits

To study the effect of lateral splinting on limb development, 14 immature rabbit femurs and tibias were marked with six parallel pins. Of these, the lower limbs of seven rabbits were splinted in lateral rotation for 3 weeks (1-year human equivalent). The static position of the foot in the splinted group was 23 degrees more lateral (p greater than 0.05) than in the control group. No significant difference was found in the axial alignment of the pins across the growth plate or diaphyses between the splinted or control groups. This study suggests that night splinting alters the joint relationships and not the shape of the femur or tibia.