Orthoses Upper-limb

Uses

  • neurological
  • stroke
  • traumatic brain injury
  • multiple sclerosis
  • cerebral palsy
  • spinal cord injury
  • peripheral nerve injury (e.g. brachial plexus)
  • orthopedic
  • trauma
  • sports
  • work-related injuries
  • arthritis

Functions

  • Increase range of motion (ROM)
  • Immobilize an extremity to help promote tissue healing
  • Apply traction either to correct or prevent contractures
  • Assist in providing enhanced function
  • Serve as an attachment for assistive devices
  • Help correct deformities
  • Block unwanted movement of a joint

Types

  • Static
  • rigid support
  • fractures
  • inflammatory conditions of tendons and soft tissue
  • nerve injuries
  • Dynamic
  • assist movement of weak muscles

Classification

  • Clavicular and shoulder orthoses
  • Balanced forearm orthosis
  • high-level tetraplegia or Brachial plexus lesion
  • Supports the weight of the forearm and arm against gravity
  • May be attached to a wheelchair or table for tabletop activities
  • Arm orthoses
  • sling - scapular or humeral fractures, hemiparesis with subluxation

Includes the figure-8 sling, cuff sling, and glenohumeral support

  • Functional arm orthoses
  • for proximal arm weakness involving the shoulder and arm
  • shoulder saddle suspending a proximal forearm cuff by straps or a Bowden cable
  • SCI. peripheral nerve lesions
  • Elbow orthoses
  • Posterior elbow splints - for elbow immobilization in elbow surgery or inflammation
  • Serial cast - for prevention or correction of contractures by promoting soft tissue stretch and passive ROM
  • Air splint
  • maintains or increases elbow extension
  • Form of circumferential inflatable sleeve, also used for contractures and elbow immobilization
  • Dynamic elbow flexion orthosis - maintains the elbow in 90° of flexion in cases of elbow contractures, burns, and fractures
  • Forearm/wrist orthoses - wrist sprain, wrist or forearm fractures, arthritis
  • Wrist cock-up splint
  • Wrist extension splint
  • Ulnar gutter splint
  • Long opponens thumb spica splint
  • maintains thumb ROM in patients who have had burns
  • restricts motion in arthritis
  • for serial static stretching, such as in contractures and burns
  • stabilize thumb in opposition for 3-point chuck pinch in peripheral nerve, quadriplegia & other UMN lesions
  • Used in patients who have had tendon transfers/repairs, arthroplasty, and De Quervain tenosynovitis
  • forearm-wrist-hand
  • Immobilization for hand flexor and extensor tendinitis
  • tendon, nerve, or fracture repair
  • maintenance of passive ROM in patients with UMN lesions, burns & contractures
  • Hand
  • Static
  • proximal interphalangeal (PIP) orthosis - Boutonniere & swan-neck deformities (rheumatoid arthritis)
  • distal interphalangeal (DIP) orthosis - immobilize the DIP joints in extensor tendon and collateral ligament repairs
  • Dynamic
  • MP joint dynamic orthosis
  • tenodesis splints
  • wrist driven flexor hinge splint
  • externally powered tenodesis
  • Tone reduction

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