What is a dip splint?
What is a dip splint?
The Static Progressive Positioning Splint PIP and DIP Flexion is designed to increase the range of motion of the fingers around the PIP and DIP joints. The hook & loop straps allow for customized tension for patients in order to gradually relieve joint stiffness and help correct elastic extension.
What type of position would you splint mallet finger?
Treating mallet finger Your finger will be put in a plastic splint, which keeps it straight, with the end joint slightly bent backwards. You’ll still be able to bend your finger at the middle joint.
Why does my dip joint hurt?
DIP joint pain is often due to arthritis, usually osteoarthritis or psoriatic arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis is relatively widespread and is the leading cause of disability in adults in the United States. The overall risk is of developing arthritis is higher in females than males.
Is my mallet finger healing?
If your tendon is only stretched, not torn, it should heal in 4 to 6 weeks if you wear a splint all the time. If your tendon is torn or pulled off the bone, it should heal in 6 to 8 weeks of wearing a splint all the time. After that, you will need to wear your splint for another 3 to 4 weeks, at night only.
Are there different types of mallet finger splints?
There are many variations in the design of splints, but the principle is the same (Fig. 2). All mallet finger splints are designed to maintain full extension or slight hyperextension at the DIP joint. Commonly used splints are plastic stack splints, thermoplastic, and aluminum form splints.
Is there non-operative management of mallet finger?
The authors feel non-operative management of mallet finger is indicated in cases of all soft tissue mallets and bony mallets which are well reduced in a splint without DIP joint subluxation.
What happens if a mallet finger is left untreated?
Abstract. If left untreated, mallet finger can lead to a swan neck deformity from PIP joint hyper extension and DIP joint flexion. Most mallet finger injuries can be managed non-surgically, but occasionally surgery is recommended for either an acute or a chronic mallet finger or for salvage of failed prior treatment.
What causes a tendon tear in the mallet finger?
The most common mechanism of injury in mallet finger is a sudden flexion of the DIP joint with the resistance force directed along the long axis of the finger [43]. This leads to terminal extensor tendon tear or tendon avulsion with a bony fragment.