TRY THE WALGREEN'S CLAMSHELL SPLINT FOR NIGHT TIME USE. EASY TO USE, COMFORTABLE AND COSTS $5

Marian, I've registered with Photobucket and uploaded pictures with no problems. I think the reason they want your birth date is to make sure your over 18, but that's just my opinion.

I've worn the Inocare glove splint for about 5 months now and at least for me it's the best thing available, it's like wearing a golf glove to bed at night. Before I got the glove I tried a spring device and a metal finger protector with a "o"ring rolled down to the base and neither one would allow me to sleep for more than a hour before they woke me up.

I noticed Stefan Horn put a post up and they now market the glove under the name of Fixxglove, I assume it's the same thing as Inocare developed.

John

Wolfgang knows the doctor that invented this glove and told me that he too is German and he hasn't gone after the American market as yet. So, brush up on your German and I would assume they will ship to the US.

Nothing is better than a custom made splint, but from what W says, this is more "convenient" to use and modifiability. Most CHS don't believe that splinting can slow the bending of fingers. However, most CHS don't have a clue about NA either so who knows :-)

If overnight you have used a splint to straighten a finger joint (especially PIP) it is common to be sore and stiff in the morning. Once the tissue surrounding a PIP gets accustomed to it's bent position it wants to stay there. That's why you want to have it corrected ASAP. NA can be done at about 20-25 degrees.

One of my patients sent me this splinting update for Dupuytren's:

Clinical effectiveness of post-operative splinting after surgical release of Dupuytren's contracture: a systematic review


Splinting after contracture release for Dupuytren's disease of the hand is widely advocated. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the quantity and quality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of splinting in the post-surgical management of Dupuytren's contractures.

Methods: Studies were identified by searching the electronic databases Medline, AMED, CINAHL and EMBASE.

Studies were included if they met the following inclusioncriteria: prospective or retrospective, experimental, quasi-experimental or observational studies investigating the effectiveness of static or dynamic splints worn day and/or night-time for at least 6 weeks after surgery and reporting either individual joint or composite finger range of motion and/or hand function. The methodological quality of the selected articles was independently assessed by the two authors using the guidelines for evaluating the quality of intervention studies developed by McDermid.



Results: Four studies, with sample sizes ranging from 23 to 268, met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Designs included retrospective case review, prospective observational and one controlled trial without randomisation.

Interventions included dynamic and static splinting with a mean follow-up ranging from 9 weeks to 2 years. Pooling of results was not possible due to the heterogeneity of interventions (splint type, duration and wearing regimen) and the way outcomes were reported.

Conclusions: There is empirical evidence to support the use of low load prolonged stretch through splinting after hand surgery and trauma, however only a few studies have investigated this specifically in Dupuytren's contracture. The low level evidence regarding the effect of post-operative static and dynamic splints on final extension deficit in severe PIP joint contracture (>40 degrees) is equivocal, as is the effect of patient adherence on outcome.

Whilst total active extension deficit improved in some patients wearing a splint there were also deficits in composite finger flexion and hand function. The lack of data on the magnitude of this effect makes it difficult to interpret whether this is of clinical significance.

There is a need for well designed controlled trials with proper randomisation to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of splinting following Dupuytren's surgery.

Author: Debbie Larson and Christina Jerosch-Herold
Credits/Source: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2008, 9:104

Linda in California, U.S.A

kdinkler..
After I saw Dr. Eaton and had N.A HE HAD ME GO TO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND THEY MADE A HAND MOLD..I WORE THIS AT NIGHT.. iT SEEMED TO HELP HOLD THE HAND IN PLACE WHILE SLEEPING.. I USUALLY WANTED TO CURL MY HAND UP AND REST ON IT..My hand was a little stiff at first i n the morning but fit not last long...as I moved it.. I do believeit helped....relieve presure ,,It also helped to put my jand ina bowl of warm water and slowly move fingers for about five minutes to loosen tissue and tendons..I do not know if this is the right way, but it seemed to help..
Thank you for your input to this forum......
ALso after N/A with Eaton I took a bottle of water /frozen small enough to hold in one hand.. I carried this around all day to apply to the hand that had N/A/...AND WENT SIGHT SEEING......The regular ice bags did not last thatlong.. There was minimal pain....I had about 8 clips in my hand on cords...both hands