Making some splints: lab

Quick quiz- What is one major skill that sets OT's apart from other disciplines?    ...SPLINTING

Over the past few weeks we have been getting into more peripheral nerve injuries (ie Carpal Tunnel, Cubital Tunnel) as well as other hand injuries (ie DeQuervain's Tensosynovitis, Dupuytren's Contracture). Our first test was this week, and I will let you know how the practical goes (as it is after break).  These pics were taken in lab the other day.  My partner and myself fit these splints using some pre-fabricated splinting material that was heated in a simmering pan.  They are some of our first attempts at a wrist cock up splint.  We learned about how well the material molds, how to roll some of the edges so that it does not cause skin breakdown or irritation, and we made sure that it fit the right dimensions of our arm.  We also made a resting hand splint, which looks like the picture below.  We have been learning about the protocols behind making splints like what injuries to wear them for, the wear schedule, and what type of anatomical position the splint should be made in. These splints are not finished with the velcro straps to make sure that keep the splint in place.

The wrist cock up splint helps keep pressure off the Median Nerve, who is the main culprit in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  The splint helps keep the wrist from bending backwards (extension) or forward (flexion) too much.  This gives the wrist a nice neutral position to rest the 'Carpal Tunnel' which is comprised of nine tendons and the Median Nerve- kind of a tight squeeze already.  You hear of this injury in occupations that do a lot of typing, writing with bad hand position, chefs, doctors, housewives, musicians, cyclists etc. Anything to put a continuous stress on the tunnel squeezing the median nerve and tendons that run through the tunnel. 

OTS thoughts: The musculo class and lab has reinvigorated my love for occupational therapy.  We have learned about splinting and an overview of modalities that we will encounter in the clinic.  I enjoy building and making things, and it will be even more rewarding to know that it will have a functional purpose that will help someone get back to living their life. Hand therapy is a long road to get certified and is hard to get into, but as I focus more on my area of practice I hope to still be making splints in some area.