Maintaining the Safe Position in a Palmar Splint

Abstract

The injured and operated hand is routinely immobilized for a variable period of time in a palmar plaster splint. To minimize subsequent joint stiffness, the preferred position of immobilization of the hand is the “safe position”.

The true position of the hand in a splint was assessed on a lateral X-ray directly after application and just before removal 3 weeks later. It appears that in time the hand in a conventional palmar plaster splint loses its initial position because the bandage stretches. The “double-T” plaster splint maintains the safe position of the hand significantly better than the conventional palmar splint.