How to Trouble Shoot Contractured Hands

Trouble shooting for challenging contractured hands

We're pleased to feature this post, written with help from Restorative Medical, Inc, a long established partner of MMAR Medical.

For Radial Drift you have two options:   

1. You can order the hand splint appropriate for the patient and add UD Wrist Pads (the ladies that make them call them "pillows") which you will attach to the wrist straps on the lateral - little finger side with the black surface next to the patients skin.  It simply Velcro’s around the strap at the place that does the most good.  I put them where they come just above the plastic of the splint and they provide the "push" required to realign the Radial Drift condition.  $3 to add the "pillow"

2.  The other option is to order the hand splint appropriate for the patient and add Radial Drift Strapping.  This provides you with the "pillow" but also means you will receive your desired splint with the straps sewn on going in different directions to realign the wrist and hand. Basically, if a body part is going the wrong way, put a strap over it to tug it in the opposite direction.  Multiple straps that do the zigzag type of realignment are very effective.  $5 to make the splint with Radial Drift Strapping
 

In contrast, for Ulnar Drift you have two options. 

1. You can order the hand splint appropriate for the patient and add UD Wrist Pads (the ladies that make them call them "pillows") which you will attach to the wrist straps on the medial - thumb side with the black surface next to the patients skin.  It simply Velcro’s around the strap at the place that does the most good.  I put them where they come just above the plastic of the splint and they provide the "push" required to realign the UD condition.  $3 to add the "pillow"

2.  The other option is to order the hand splint appropriate for the patient and add UD Strapping.  This provides you with the "pillow" but also means you will receive your desired splint with the straps sewn on going in different directions to realign the wrist and hand.  If a body part is going the wrong way, put a strap over it to tug it in the opposite direction.  Multiple straps that do the zigzag type of realignment are very effective.  $5 to make the splint with UD Strapping

In addition - for many hands, there is a need for UD Finger Separators.  These will realign whatever is going on with the fingers - whether overlapping, Ulnar Drift like with Rheumatoid Arthritis, or extensor tone/hyper extension.  Remove the blue 3 bump finger separators and replace them with these black longer silky straps that have Velcro tabs at the end of each to separate and realign each finger.  They are long enough to comfortably, gradually bring fingers toward and to normal alignment. Velcro them to either side of the hand splint to tug fingers in the desired direction. 

For Hyperextension of fingers, the Dorsal Interphalangeal Flexion Assistance strap (2" wide strap that has elastic properties, that goes over the fingers and Velcro’s under each side of the hand splint. This can go over the blue strap of the hand splint, or can go directly over the fingers --- MAKE SURE there is no pressure or abrasion if you put it directly over the fingers. 

Please see this RMI/MMAR video for options that can be used with our prefabricated hand splints that provide even more ways to custom fit for individual patient’s needs.