What is a wrist orthosis?

A wrist orthosis is a medical aid used to stabilize the wrist in case of injuries or diseases in the wrist area and to support healing. The wrist orthosis usually consists of a splint that runs from the forearm to the palm of the hand, as well as ligaments and straps for fixation. It must often be worn for several weeks after a sprained wrist or a fractured bone in the forearm, for example. For some wear-related illnesses, long-term use of a wrist orthosis may also be advisable to alleviate symptoms and maintain functionality. In some cases, a special orthosis with inclusion of the thumb is required.

Why do you need a wrist orthosis

A wrist orthosis may be required for various diseases and injuries of the forearm, hand, thumb or wrist itself. A common indication is the stabilization or fixation of the wrist after an injury such as a fracture of the forearm or the wrist. A wearing period of several weeks is usually specified until the injury has healed and wearing the wrist orthosis is no longer necessary.

An orthosis can be used both after surgical treatment and as an alternative to such treatment. Likewise, a sprained wrist due to a fall as well as various injuries or overstrain can provide indications for a wrist orthosis. Another large group of indications is wear and tear of the many small joints in the wrist and wrist area. A frequently occurring example is rhizarthrosis, which leads to a painful restriction of movement of the thumb and thus of the gripping function of the hand. A wrist orthosis is also frequently used for complaints that occur due to nerve irritation in the so-called carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

In many cases, a wrist orthosis can be used to treat symptoms caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. In carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve in a bony canal in the area of the wrist root (Latin: carpus) is constricted. Irritation of the conduction path known as the median nerve causes complaints such as tingling, pain and numbness, primarily in the palm and middle, ring and little finger areas.

In the course of the disease, muscle weakness can develop, which can lead to atrophy of the hand muscles. The complaints often occur at night or when the wrists are strained, especially when the hands are bent. A wrist orthosis prevents the wrist from being bent too much and can thus relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. However, treatment with an orthosis is often not sufficient and a small surgical procedure must be performed to split a ligament to widen the carpal tunnel in order to eliminate the irritation of the median nerve in the long term.