Which splint would you recommend to correct pronation?

The RM Customer wrote:  A therapist is asking me this question – she can extend her patient’s hand out to neutral as long as the hand splint is adjustable.  She said, “The patient has a lot of tone.” And, “She needs   support in the wrist as well.”

ANSWER:

The patient’s thumb typically determines the hand splint if the lost range is less than a moderately to a tightly closed fist.  I am picky about all joints, but especially about patients’ hands, because we know we can do such precise corrections.

When the patient also has lost range in their elbow and they require a “Flex Elbow” splint (flexion lost range) or a HyperExtension Elbow (either extension or hyperextension of the joint) splint, Restorative Medical makes a Pronation Strap (20736prone adult, or 20736prone ped) that attaches the two devices and tugs the hand in the direction required to comfortably and safely bring it back toward normal alignment to correct either pronation or supination. It works great.  Non rigid, comfortable and effective.  The lower part of the elbow splint can overlap the hand splint, or there can be a gap in between the two splints.

Rarely do we see wrists that are contracted or are in danger of contracting, with increased tone or not, that do not benefit from a full length hand splint distally and not just a palm insert.  Leaving the wrist unsupported is asking for wrist flexion.

Email Karen.Bonn@restorativemedical.com with questions or comments.