Any illness or disability takes a little extra time to heal in elderly people than in young people or children. While age increases the duration of recovery, concurrently, the incidence of injury also increases with age. And slips and falls cause delicate fractures and displacements in bones and joints especially.
The thumb spica splint is a medical accessory that separates the thumb from the palm and other fingers. Worn like a finger glove, it helps to decrease movement in the thumb and wrist by isolating it from the other healthy fingers on the hand. The motion and activities of the four other fingers remain unaffected with a thumb spica splint. Also known as an orthopedic splint, the thumb spica splint is used by elderly people when the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb is torn or damaged, or if there is an intra-articular fracture like Bennett’s fracture of the thumb, or also when there is a scaphoid fracture, that is, when one of the small bones of the wrist breaks after a person falls onto their outstretched hand.
And, as the name of this elastic bandage suggests, the thumb spica splint has a splint covered by the fabric. This means there is a long, flat object that acts as a support for broken bones to help it remain fixed securely in a particular position while it heals. This inexpensive bandage keeps the patient comfortable and relaxed by alleviating unnecessary pain and making the recovery process faster. By fixing the thumb in a particular position and allowing the performance of most normal activities, the inconvenience caused by sprains and fractures or post-operative healing is minimized. Also, inflammation is reduced to a large extent with the thumb spica splint.
Used usually in non-emergency situations, the soft, lightweight, ergonomically designed thumb spica splint stretches well to protect the thumb and wrist from further injury and damage by providing support and alienating them.