Using low temperature thermoplastic, the therapist molds the material directly over the patient’s finger, wrist, or elbow providing a custom fit.

Dynamic splints – Dynamic splints use elastic components to stretch soft tissue and strengthen surrounding muscles to improve function of the fingers, wrist, and elbow

Static progressive splints – Are used with severe stiffness. The therapist fabricates a thermoplastic splint or uses a plaster cast providing a low level of stretch that is gradually molded over a series of weeks to improve range of motion.

Static splints – Are used to rest inflamed tissue. Static splints support painful or swollen tissues and joints to decrease pain and improve function. Some examples include carpal tunnel splints to decrease compression on the median nerve and thumb stabilization splints to decrease pain during pinching that occurs at the base of the thumb commonly caused by arthritis.

Post-surgical splints – Following surgical repair of tendons or replacement of joints in the hand, specialized splints are fabricated that restrict motion to a protected range, protecting the repaired tissue, minimizing scar tissue formation, decreasing stiffness, and improving functional outcome.