Skip to content
Glossary

Splint

A custom-moulded support that holds part of the body, usually the hand or wrist, in a specific position for healing or function.

A splint is a custom-made support, usually formed from low-temperature thermoplastic, designed to immobilise, protect, or reposition a joint. Hand therapists use splints after tendon repair, carpal tunnel release, fractures, burns, and in managing rheumatoid arthritis or cerebral palsy. A splint is not a plaster cast: it is lightweight, removable for exercise or hygiene, and adjusted as the tissue heals. Splints fall into two broad categories, static (no moving parts, pure immobilisation) and dynamic (with springs, elastics or hinges that apply controlled motion). Fitting is done by a hand-trained OT or certified hand therapist; a badly fitted splint can cause pressure sores or slow healing.