Wrist Splints

Wrist splinting has been shown to be effective in the management of repetitive strain injury, but few studies used standardized symptom scales, or measured functional deficit or compliance with the splint.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of upper extremity pain and paresthesias. Various treatment options include wrist splints, anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections and surgery.

Lightweight wrist splints that hold the wrist in a neutral position are more help for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) when worn full time than when only worn overnight, according to a recent study.

Carpal tunnel syndrome consists of pain and tingling caused by pressure on the nerve running through the wrist into the hand. Regardless of the schedule worn, wrist splints improved nerve measurements and symptoms in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

Wearing the wrist splints full time will give the best improvements in nerve function, but this improvement did not translate into superior symptom relief or improved ability to perform daily activities.

Perhaps, researchers suggested, the lack of improvements in symptoms and day-to-day functioning resulted from full-time wearers being more likely to take off their splints. Only 27 percent of full-time wearers kept the wrist splints on all day or nearly all day.