Definitive Guide to Hand and Wrist Braces

 Contents:

1. Anatomy of the wrist and hand
2. Types of braces
3. Indication guide

Anatomy of the hand and wrist

Your hand and wrist form a complex section of your body. With 27 bones, numerous ligaments, tendons, and other muscles, it is dynamic enough to perform the wide range of movements needed for daily life.

This whole area can be divided into several different parts:

• The phalanges, commonly known as your fingers and thumbs, are responsible for fine motor skills.
• The metacarpal region, which is the middle of your hand. Your palm covers this area, and it acts as the foundation of any hand movement.
• The carpal bones, commonly known as the wrist, join your hand to your arm and guide movement.

Tendons

These are flexible rope-like cords of connective tissue that join muscle to bone. They run along your hand from the tip of your fingers to your wrist and mainly function to move the fingers.

Ligaments

Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that join bone to bone. While your hand has many bones, none of them are particularly large which means you have many smaller ligaments throughout the hand. They stabilise the joints and keep the bones moving in the right direction.

Bones

There are 27 bones in the hand and wrist, and they are split into three main sections. The interaction of bone and muscle in this area is one of the most complex in your entire body. Individually, these bones allow for complex, finer movements while also working together for stronger, broader movements.

Wrist braces and the injuries they treat

Whether it is a strained tendon, ruptured ligament, fractured bone, or an issue affecting the nerves, wearing the right brace or support can assist with symptom management, treatment and protecting against reinjury.

The support you select will depend on a few different factors including the injury or condition, your general health, lifestyle, and issues affecting other parts of your arm.

Brace type: Sleeve

Wrist sleeves cover the joint, they usually extend up to the top of the palm and down around a quarter of the way to your elbow.

Sleeves are often made from neoprene or elasticised polyester however higher quality sleeves use breathable materials which are much more comfortable to wear during warmer weather or for a prolonged period of time.

A wrist sleeve can range in complexity, sometimes as basic as a piece of fabric which covers the wrist. All the way to an anatomical fit with removable stays and adjustable strapping.

The main purpose of a wrist sleeve is to provide compression across the joint, which minimises swelling and pain, and to provide mild stability to the joint itself.

This type of brace is designed to allow the hand to still be used and they are most suitable for all day wear.

What wrist sleeves are best for

• Swelling
• Mild to moderate wrist pain
• Mild arthritis
• Mild instability
• Long-term post-op recovery from ligament and tendon damage
• Mild nerve issues
• Mild to moderate tendinitis

When looking for a good wrist sleeve, follow the below tips:

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A good sleeve should conform to the shape of your wrist, arm and hand and stay flush against the skin with minimal bulging through all ranges of movement.
• Sizing system: Check to see if there is an extensive sizing system that caters to your wrist and surrounding anatomy. Generic sizing systems offering one size fits all or a small/medium/large may not provide the comfort and desired therapeutic benefit.
• Medical grade compression: Rather than just being firm fitting, the ideal compression is medical grade as it provides support to the whole joint while giving strength back to the wrist.
• Breathable cool material: Wearing a sleeve all day can have great benefits, but if it keeps overheating and getting sweaty, itchy, and stuffy then it’s not going to be comfortable.
• Massaging and soothing: A sleeve with gel support minimises tension in the muscles and soothes.

The ManuTrain Wrist Support is an ideal sleeve. It combines medical-grade compression and gel support with a strap that allows for adjustable levels of support.

Brace type: Splint

Wrist splints are the next step up from a sleeve, designed to provide partial or full immobilisation of the wrist joint.

Often incorporating the core build of a sleeve, a splint contains rigid components which run along from the forearm below the wrist, up past to the centre of the hand. The rigid components are made from hard plastic or a lightweight metal alloy.

Strapping is ideal as it allows for the support to be adjusted throughout the recovery of your wrist.

Splints provide two primary functions depending on their design. Basic splints emulate a “half cast” design, which covers one part of the wrist to prevent movement in that direction.

More advanced splints provide adjustable rigidity along the whole joint, not only restricting potentially harmful movement but also unloading the joint to alleviate internal pressure on nerves and bones.

What splint wrist braces are best for:

• Moderate wrist pain
• Moderate to severe arthritis
• Nerve pain
• Post-op recovery
• Fractures
• Moderate to severe tendinitis

When selecting a splint, these are some key things to look for

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A good wrist splint should comfortably sit on your wrist without any bulky or protruding parts. If it has excessive pressure on any one part of your wrist, look for something more well-fitting.
• Sizing system: Check to see if there is an extensive sizing system that caters to your wrist. Generic sizing systems offering one size fits all or a small/medium/large may not provide the comfort and desired therapeutic benefit.
• Breathable lightweight design: A wrist splint that still allows air to circulate over the skin helps recovery of the wrist and a lightweight construction means you can get on with your daily activities with minimal interruption.
• Targeted restriction: A wrist splint should comfortably allow your fingers and thumbs to move as normal, and allow for slight movement of your muscles and tendons. If it completely locks your wrist and hand, then you are at wrist of muscle wastage.

Brace type: Digit splint

Your thumbs and fingers (collectively known as your digits) might seem to move independently, but they all stretch down to your wrist connected by tendons and ligaments.

When they are injured, it is important to immobilise them to allow for recovery. Most splints are made from a simple lightweight fabric with a rigid component, with some including strapping or Velcro to allow for adjustability.

What digit splints are best for

• Tendinitis of the thumb
• Jarred digits
• Fractures
• Nerve issues
• Arthritis

When selecting a digit splint, there are a couple of key things to look for:

• Slim fit: Any splint should keep the targeted digit supported and stabilised while still allowing for free movement of the rest of the hand.
• Comfort design: If your finger or thumb is in pain, a support should alleviate that. If it is causing undue pressure or pain, ditch it for something better.

While finger splints are quite uncommon, thumb splints are often used due to the thumb’s interaction with the wrist. The RhizoLoc Thumb Splint is a lightweight adjustable splint perfect for most conditions affecting the thumb.

Brace type: Combined wrist brace

The hand and wrist are made up of several main areas and they can be affected as a whole, or independently.

While most wrist braces target just one part of the wrist, a ‘combined support’ is able to target multiple areas to provide a more effective overall solution.

These supports most commonly integrate the same construction as a wrist splint and a sleeve, and can also incorporate digit splints, palm stays and more.

What combined wrist braces are best for

• Severe arthritis
• Chronic nerve issues
• Moderate to severe instability
• Spasticity, weakness, or contracture
• Severe or multiple fractures
• Post-op recovery

What to look for in a combined wrist brace

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A well-made combined brace should comfortably sit on your wrist and hand without any bulky or protruding parts.
• Sizing system: Look for an extensive sizing system that caters to your wrist and surrounding anatomy. Generic sizing systems offering one size fits all or a small/medium/large may not provide the comfort and desired therapeutic benefit.
• Breathable lightweight design: Being made from a lightweight construction means you can get on with your daily activities with minimal interruption.
• Adjustability: When needing stabilisation of multiple parts of your wrist and hand, it is essential that you can easily change the support and immobilisation of the support from day to day to suit you at any given point.

When looking at combined braces, you cannot go past the ManuLoc Rhizo. Combining the best in support, stability, adjustability, and comfort, it’s perfect for recovery, management and rehab.

Brace type: Wrist strap

Wrist straps are not technically braces but rather mild support. They are usually made from neoprene or elastic polyester, with more effective straps having a more rigid material that can be adjusted by strapping or Velcro.

These are normally quite small and simple, covering only the wrist joint and no other part of the arm or hand.

What wrist straps are best for

While they are simple, there are a range of conditions which they are ideal for treating, including:

• Mild instability
• Mild tendinitis
• Early indications of arthritis
• Recovery from mild injury

What to look for in a wrist strap

• Breathable cool material: Wearing a strap can have great benefits, but if it keeps overheating and getting sweaty, itchy and stuffy then it’s not going to help. Make sure it is something that you can play sports or work in comfortably.
• Stabilising: The strap should unload the wrist slightly, stabilising the joint and alleviating most of the pain.

The Sports Wrist strap is a lightweight breathable strap that is easy to adjust, exercise and work in.

Indication Guide

There are a wide range of conditions which affect the wrist, from nerve issues caused by strokes to tendinitis from repetitive strain. Whatever the issue, it is crucial to get the right support for your wrist.

Below are some of the more common issues affecting the wrist and hand, as well as what is most effective Bauerfeind Wrist Brace. If you cannot find your condition, or you would like more help, please give our office a call and one of our trained staff will help you find the right product for you.