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Maintaining the safe position in a palmar splint. The "double-T" plaster splint
K O Taams1, G J Ash, S Johannes
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Journal of Hand Surgery (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|June 1, 1996
Summary
The conventional palmar plaster splint shifts the hand position over time, increasing stiffness. A double-T plaster splint better maintains the hand's safe position, reducing joint stiffness after injury.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Hand surgery
- Biomedical engineering
Background:
- Hand immobilization is common after injury or surgery.
- Maintaining the "safe position" minimizes joint stiffness.
- Conventional palmar plaster splints are typically used.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hand position maintenance in conventional palmar vs. double-T plaster splints.
- To determine the effectiveness of splint types in preserving the "safe position" over time.
Main Methods:
- Lateral X-rays assessed hand position immediately after splint application and after 3 weeks.
- Comparison of position changes in conventional palmar and double-T plaster splints.
Main Results:
- Conventional palmar splints showed significant loss of the initial hand position due to bandage stretching.
- The double-T plaster splint demonstrated superior maintenance of the hand's safe position compared to the conventional splint.
Conclusions:
- Conventional palmar splints are suboptimal for maintaining hand position during immobilization.
- The double-T plaster splint is a more effective orthotic choice for preserving the "safe position" and potentially reducing post-immobilization stiffness.