Wrist Brace

Wrist Brace, Adult

A wrist splint holds your wrist in a position so it does not move. A splint supports your wrist like a cast, but it is not stiff like a cast (is flexible). You can take it off or make it looser. You may need a wrist splint if you hurt your wrist or have swelling in your wrist. A splint can:

• Support your wrist.
• Protect your wrist when it is hurt (injured).
• Help you not hurt your wrist again.
• Make your wrist stay still and not move.
• Lessen pain.
• Help your wrist heal.

It is important to wear your splint as told by your doctor. This helps you make sure that your wrist heals the right way.

What are the risks of Wrist Brace?

If you wear your splint too tight or you have a lot of swelling, blood may not be able to go to your wrist or hand. If this happens, you can get a condition called compartment syndrome. It can be dangerous and cause damage that lasts. Symptoms are:

• Pain in your wrist that gets worse.
• Tingling.
• Having no feeling in your wrist or hand. This is called numbness.
• Changes in skin color. The skin may look very light (pale) or kind of blue.
• Cold fingers.

Other risks of wearing a brace may be:

• A stiff wrist.
• A weak wrist.
• Skin irritation that can cause:
  • Itching.
  • Rash.
  • Sores.
  • Infection.

How to use your wrist brace ?

Your wrist splint should be tight enough to support your wrist. It should notblock blood from going to your hand or wrist. Your doctor will tell you how to wear your wrist splint and how long to wear it.

Splint wear

• Wear the splint as told by your doctor. Only take it off as told by your doctor.
• Loosen the splint if your fingers tingle, get numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint clean.
• If the splint is not waterproof:
  • Do notlet it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower
• Do notstick anything inside the splint to scratch your skin. Doing that increases your risk of infection.
• Check the skin under the splint every time you take it off. Check for any redness or blisters. Tell your doctor about any skin problems.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If directed, put ice on the injured area.
  • If you a have a splint that can be taken off, take it off as told by your doctor.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• Move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as told by your doctor. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you.
• Do exercises as told by your doctor.
• Ask your doctor when it is safe to drive with a splint on your wrist.

General instructions

• Do notuse the injured limb to support (bear) your body weight until your doctor says that you can.
• Do notput pressure on any part of the splint until it is fully hardened. This may take many hours.
• Do notuse any products that have nicotine or tobacco in them, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

Get help if:

• You have wrist pain or swelling that does not go away.
• The skin around or under your splint gets red, itchy, or moist.
• You have chills or fever.
• Your splint feels too tight or too loose.
• Your splint breaks.

Get help right away if:

• You have pain that gets worse.
• You have tingling and numbness.
• You have changes in skin color, including paleness or a bluish color.
• Your fingers are cold.

Summary

• A wrist splint is a flexible device that supports your wrist and keeps your wrist from moving.
• It is important to wear your splint as told by your doctor. This helps to make sure that your wrist heals correctly.
• Icing, moving your fingers, and raising your wrist above the level of your heart will help you manage pain, stiffness, and swelling.
• Your wrist splint should be tight enough to support your wrist. It should not block your blood supply.
• Get help right away if your fingers tingle, get numb, or turn cold and blue. Loosen the splint right away.

Wrist Brace, Pediatric

A wrist splint is a device that prevents the wrist from moving. A splint supports the wrist like a cast, but it is more flexible. It can be removed or loosened. The supporting part of a splint does not completely surround the wrist. It is held in place with an elastic band or straps.

Your child may need a wrist splint if he or she has hurt a wrist or has a condition that causes swelling. Depending on the type of wrist problem your child has, the splint may extend up the arm, onto the hand, or around the thumb. The wrist splint may be worn to:

• Support the wrist.
• Protect the injury.
• Prevent further injury.
• Prevent movement.
• Reduce pain.
• Help with healing.

It is important to follow instructions from your child’s health care provider about when your child should wear the splint to make sure the wrist heals correctly.

What are the risks?

The most dangerous complication of wearing a splint is having a reduced blood supply to the wrist or hand. This can happen if there is a lot of swelling or if the splint is too tight. Limited blood supply results in a condition called compartment syndrome and can cause permanent damage. Symptoms include:

• Pain that is getting worse.
• Tingling and numbness.
• Changes in skin color, including paleness or a bluish color.
• Cold fingers.

Other complications of wearing a splint can include:

• Skin irritation that can cause:
  • Itching.
  • Rash.
  • Skin sores.
  • Skin infection.
• Wrist stiffness. This can occur if your child has worn a splint for a long time.
• Wrist weakness.

How to use the wrist splint

Your child’s wrist splint should be tight enough to support the wrist without blocking the blood supply. How long your child needs to wear the splint depends on the type of wrist problem she or he has. Your child’s health care provider will instruct you and your child about how to wear the wrist splint and how long to wear it.

Splint wear

• Have your child wear the splint as told by your child’s health care provider. Remove it only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Loosen the splint if your child’s fingers tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint clean.
• If the splint is not waterproof:
  • Do notlet it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when your child takes a bath or a shower.
• Do notlet your child stick anything inside the splint to scratch the skin. Doing that increases your child’s risk of infection.
• Check the skin under the splint for any redness or blisters every time you take off the splint. Tell your child’s health care provider about any concerns.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If directed, put ice on the injured area.
  • If your child has a removable splint, remove it as told by his or her health care provider.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your child’s skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day
• Have your child move his or her fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Have your child raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of her or his heart while sitting or lying down.

Activity

• Have your child return to his or her normal activities as told by your child’s health care provider. Ask your child’s health care provider what activities are safe.
• Have your child do exercises as told by your child’s health care provider.
• If your child is of driving age, ask his or her health care provider when it is safe for your child to drive with a splint on his or her wrist.

General instructions

• Do not let your child use the injured limb to support (bear) his or her body weight until your child’s health care provider approves.
• Do notlet your child put pressure on any part of the splint until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child has wrist pain or swelling that does not go away.
• The skin around or under your child’s splint becomes red, itchy, or moist.
• Your child has chills or a fever.
• Your child thinks the splint feels too tight or too loose.
• Your child’s splint gets damaged.

Get help right away if:

• Your child has pain that is getting worse.
• Your child has tingling and numbness.
• Your child has changes in skin color, including paleness or a bluish color.
• Your child’s fingers are cold.
• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.

Summary

• A wrist splint is a flexible device that supports your child’s wrist and prevents it from moving.
• Follow instructions from your child’s health care provider about when your child should wear the splint to make sure the wrist heals correctly.
• Icing, having your child move his or her fingers, and raising (elevating) the wrist above the level of your child’s heart will help to manage pain, stiffness, and swelling.
• Your child’s wrist splint should be tight enough to support the wrist without blocking the blood supply.
• If your child’s fingers tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue, loosen the splint and get help right away.