Hand splints are mainly used to keep unstable limbs in a functional position, provide traction to prevent contractures, prevent or correct limb deformities and compensate for lost muscle strength, help weak limbs to move and so on, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the degree of disability and improving function. Splints can be categorized into fixed (static) and functional (dynamic) according to their functions. Fixed hand splints have no movable components, mainly used to fix the limb in the functional position, to limit the abnormal movement, so they are often used in the treatment of hand fracture dislocation, arthritis, post-surgery temporary stopping and so on. Functional splints allow a certain degree of limb movement to achieve therapeutic goals. Hand splints are an important part of hand surgery treatment and are widely used in clinical practice. The following is an introduction to the uses and indications of various hand splints commonly used in clinical practice.7.1 Hand resting position splint Function and use: to maintain the wrist and hand in the functional position or resting position. Shi Hongcheng, Department of Microsurgery, Changchun Orthopedic Trauma Hospital 7.2 Antispasmodic Splint Function and Use: To maintain the spastic hand in the best position and prevent deformity, consisting of hand resting position splint and back support splint. 7.3 Hand navicular bone fixation splint Functions and Uses:Fixation of navicular bone fracture; allow wrist thumb carpometacarpophalangeal joint and metacarpophalangeal joint to move. 7.4 Short forearm hinge splint Functions and Uses:Fixation of fracture, early movement of wrist joint under control; suitable for early fixation of comminuted fracture of distal radius, control of wrist joint deviation.7.5 Active wrist extension and driving flexor to finger splint Functions and Uses:Suitable for spinal cord injury patients who can actively extend the wrist, but the flexor muscles are paralyzed. 7.6 Kleinert Splint Functions and Uses: suitable for fixation after repair of rupture of flexor digitorum longus tendon, flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus tendon distal to the wrist; the splint maintains the wrist joint in 30° flexion. Metacarpophalangeal joint 70°flexion; in the range of control of the splint can actively extend the interphalangeal joints, the use of rubber bands passive flexion of interphalangeal joints. 7.7 Power Extensor Tendon Splint Functions and Uses: Suitable for fixation of the extensor digitorum longus tendon and extensor digitorum tendon in zones Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ, Ⅵ, Ⅶ after repair; the splint maintains the extended wrist in the 40° position; the interphalangeal joints can be flexed actively and the interphalangeal joints can be flexed passively with the use of rubber bands under the protection of the splint. 7.8 Extension Wrist Fixation Splint Functions and Uses: immobilizes the wrist joint; prevents wrist deviation; prevents and corrects wrist contractures; relieves pain. 7.9 Power wrist extension splint Functions and Uses: Gradual passive extension of the wrist to the straightened position; progressive resistance to flexion of the wrist; extension of the wrist; passive flexion of the fingers with the addition of a flexor retractor. 7.10 Dynamic finger and wrist extension splint Functions and Uses: Passive wrist and finger extension; after radial nerve injury, to prevent wrist and finger deformity caused by muscle imbalance. 7.11 Power Extension Splint for Median and Ulnar Nerve Palsy Functions and Uses: To prevent deformities resulting from palsy of the median and ulnar nerves. The splint maintains the thumb-on-finger position and the interphalangeal joints in a naturally straightened position, preventing hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joints. 7.12 Power Ulnar Nerve Palsy Splint Function and purpose: To prevent hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint when the interphalangeal joints of the ring and little fingers are extended. (Power Ulnar Nerve Palsy Splint 7.13 Metacarpal Fixation Splint Functions and Uses: Fixation of metacarpal fractures (1 to 5); pain relief. Metacarpal Head Fracture Fixation Splint Metacarpal Base Fracture Fixation Splint 7.14 Power Extended Metacarpophalangeal Joint Splint Functions and Uses: For cases in which the metacarpophalangeal joints are not able to be actively extended, e.g., dorsal interosseous nerve palsy. 7.15 Power Flexor Metacarpophalangeal Joint Splint Functions and Uses: passive pulling of the metacarpophalangeal joints to improve the range of flexion of the metacarpophalangeal joints Power Flexor Metacarpophalangeal Joint Splint 7.16 Flexor Finger Sleeve Splint Functions and Uses: suitable for cases of stiffness of the finger joints, mainly metacarpophalangeal joints with limited flexion; to improve the passive range of movement of the interphalangeal joints, especially the metacarpophalangeal joint. For daytime use only, 5min per session, several times per d. Contraindications for flexor finger splints: fractures; unstable joints; early after extensor tendon repair; poor circulation, e.g., fingers after reimplantation of severed fingers.7.17 Bunion herringbone splints Function and purpose: Maintains the thumb in external position; immobilizes the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint (with or without the interphalangeal joint included). 7.18 Bunion Stenotic Tenosynovitis Fixation Splint Function and Purpose: For acute stages of stenotic tenosynovitis of the radial tuberosity. The splint maintains the thumb in an abducted opposite position and the wrist in a neutral position, preventing increased stress on the tendon sheaths of the extensor digitorum longus and extensor hallucis longus muscles. Fixation splint for stenosing tenosynovitis of the radial tuberosity 7.19 Work splint for stenosing tenosynovitis of the radial tuberosity Functions and Uses: To assist in the extension of the thumb; to prevent hyperextension of the extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum brevis muscles. Work Splint for Stenosing Tenosynovitis of the Stem of the Radius 7.20 Power Thumb-to-finger Splint Functions and Uses: For palsy of the median nerve and palmar interosseous nerve; to allow the thumb to abduct and buttress. 7.21 Finger Web Splint Function and Purpose: Maintains and extends the finger web. 7.22 Power Thumb Web Extension Splint Function and Purpose: To maintain continuous web extension when the thumb is opposite. 7.23 Power Thumb Web Extension Splint 7.23 Extension Splint Function and Purpose: Maintains the PIP and DIP joints in an extended position; for proximal phalangeal fractures, the splint maintains the MP joint in 90° flexion and the interphalangeal joint in an extended position. 7.24 Powered Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Extension Splint (Base of Hand Splint) Functions and Uses: assists with finger extension; provides resistance to finger flexion exercises; corrects interphalangeal joint flexion deformity. Figure 23 Power Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Extension Splint 7.25 Power Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Extension Splint (Finger Splint) Functions and Uses: Corrects interphalangeal joint flexion contracture; assists with PIP joint extension (e.g., after extensor digitorum longus centralis tendon repair); provides PIP joint exercise movement after lateral collateral ligament tears; provides resistance to PIP joint flexion. Contraindications: fracture not healed; resistance to flexion practice exercises is not permitted.7.26 Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Extension Fixation Splint Function and Use: To prevent the onset of button deformity and exacerbation of flexion contracture; to correct finger flexion deformity. 7.27 Gooseneck Deformity Treatment Splint Functions and Uses: To prevent hyperextension of the PIP joint when the interphalangeal joint is flexed; to treat gooseneck deformity. 7.28 Syndactyly Function and Purpose: To maintain finger alignment and active movement of the interphalangeal joints. 7.29 Distal and Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Exercise Splint Functions and Uses: Provides individual, unresisted DIP or PIP joint flexion; provides graded individual DIP or PIP joint flexion (resistance training is possible with the addition of a resistive device); for the treatment of “boarder’s finger”: relieves intrinsic muscular stresses on the A1 gliding system; flexes the superficial and deep fingers; and treats gooseneck deformity. The therapeutic effect on the “boarder finger” is: to relieve the intrinsic muscular pressure on the A1 gliding system; to flex the superficial and deep tendons of the finger differently; to facilitate the circulation of synovial fluid within the tendon sheaths; to move the interphalangeal joints actively within the range of control of the splint, and to remove the splint in case of passive movement; to reapply the splint after the activity. Wear the splint at night 7.30 Dorsal Finger Block Splint Functions and Uses: for cases following revision of dorsal dislocations of the PIP joints of the fingers. Practice extension of the PIP joint within the control of the splint to prevent recurrent dislocation of the PIP in the acute phase. Dorsal Blocking Splint for Fingers 7.31 Flexor Sleeve Function and Usage: For improving the range of motion of the interphalangeal joints in passive flexion. Contraindications for Flexor Finger Sleeve: Poor circulation; oedema; open wounds; nail injuries; hammertoe 7.32 Interphalangeal Joint Immobilization Splint Function and Purpose: For external immobilization of unstable interphalangeal joints; immobilization of phalangeal fractures and prevention of fracture displacement. 7.33 Hammer Finger Splint Functions and Uses: Preventing flexion deformity produced by DIP extensor tendon injury; splinting to immobilize the DIP joint in hyperextension position. Hammer Finger Splint 7.34 Provisional Prosthetic Finger Indications: To assess site and position prior to toe-finger transplantation; as a temporary prosthetic finger for hand function training prior to toe-finger transplantation. 7.35 Lateral Collateral Ligament Fixation Splint Functions and Uses: to maintain PIP joint alignment after lateral collateral ligament injury; to allow active movement of PIP joints