Wrist splint

1. What are wrist splints used for?
2. How long should you wear a wrist splint?
3. What is the difference between a wrist splint and a wrist brace?
4. Is a wrist brace as good as a cast?

What are wrist splints used for?

A wrist splint is a brace that looks like a fingerless glove. It stabilizes your wrist in a straight and sometimes slightly bent-back position. Wearing a wrist splint minimizes pressure on the median nerve and allows you a period of "relative rest" from movements that make carpal tunnel syndrome worse.

How long should you wear a wrist splint?

You should continue to wear a brace for at least 4 to 8 weeks or until your symptoms are gone. Wearing a wrist brace at night, can also help decrease any swelling and lessen the pressure on the nerve.

What is the difference between a wrist splint and a wrist brace?

Wrist splints are a lot like wrist braces, but they have a rigid splint to restrict motion for extra support. While they may not always offer complete relief, they do minimize pressure on nerves while supporting and stabilizing your wrist for quicker healing.

Is a wrist brace as good as a cast?

Splints Good As Casts For Minor Wrist Fractures -- When Kids Wear Them. Summary: Removable splints and plaster casts appears to be equally safe and effective for treating minor "buckle" wrist fractures in children, researchers report in a new review of studies.