New splint material...
 

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[Closed] New splint material - have you seen this before?

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I had a new splint on my hand to stop me bending my freshly k-wired (pinned) fing and they used this stuff.

I don't know how long it has been around and I haven't had any minor injuries requiring splints but was impressed with the easy of use and end result.

It is a thermal plastic that comes as a plastic sheet about 1mm thick that is shut to shape with scissors. It is then dunked in water at 60 degrees where it goes all soft and pliable.

The shape it to your hand and as it cools it regains stiffness and you have a nice, well fitting splint with a bit of spongy foam velcroed in place to stop it moving. It there is a rub, just heat quickly with a hair drier and roll the edge over for comfort.


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 9:19 pm
 igm
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Is it available for chainstays?


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 10:16 pm
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The physio gave me the spare bit from the sheet she cut my splint from so, yes it is available for chain stays - only my chain stays though


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 10:27 pm
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I have several wrist and thumb casts made from this. It comes in colors, perforations and different "set" pliability's.
I also have a roll of Orfit Orficast which is a fabric like thermoplastic tape which allows physios (or even me at home) to create custom casts very easily.

Here's what I had for a broken triquetrum cast


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 10:29 pm
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Neat stuff - I must break myself more regularly to keep up with these advances


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 11:09 pm
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Because I’m an idiot I’ve had a couple of these in the last few years.

One of the most soothing feelings I’ve had is as they shape the still warm material to your body part.

It gives such a feeling of deep warmth that it almost seems to be healing you simply as they fit it. Obviously it isn’t!


 
Posted : 11/02/2022 11:36 pm
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Low temperature thermoplastics have been used as splinting material for decades, but I guess you would only discover this after an unfortunate hand injury... errr...oh!


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 12:09 am
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I reckon that some interesting sculptures could be made out of the stuff. It's a modern papier mache p'raps?


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 1:01 am
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Yes I had that when I broke my hands falling into a bag of sand. Great stuff it is.

The only thing I find is it's not breathable and my skin went a bit mouldy and smelt so I drilled some vents in it. Saved weight too 😀


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 8:43 am
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Poking about in my garage the other week I found some plastic granule type material I bought ages ago that worked a similar way, boiling water apparently softeners them up and makes them malliable enough to mush together and shape, never actually used it though...


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 10:53 am
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Is it the same as this stuff?

https://www.jmldirect.com/at-home/utensils-and-gadgets/formcard-heat-reactive-pocket-sized-plastic-fixer-you-can-mould-by-hand

Got some for Christmas last year, looks useful but haven't had a use for it yet


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 10:55 am
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I reckon that some interesting sculptures could be made out of the stuff. It’s a modern papier mache p’raps?


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 10:58 am
 Kuco
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First came across this in the hospital about 15 years ago when I had to have a cast. I wanted black but being Christmas time they decided to use red and with the white sock underneath showing at either end it did look very festive. Mine was perforated though.


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 11:21 am
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Got some for Christmas last year, looks useful but haven’t had a use for it yet.

Ah, it's for fixing world class accidents.


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 12:55 pm
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/sofaboytt/2729047735/in/dateposted/

Looks not a million miles away from what I got in Utah in ‘08 when I dislocated a finger...


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 2:05 pm
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Bloody hell Metalhead, thats a hell of a lot of wrapping for a dislocated finger. I dislocated my index finger and all i got was. Right, this is going to hurt a bit 😆 Then I got the equivalent of two ice-lolly sticks and a bit of masking tape.

Thats the NHS for you 😆


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 2:24 pm
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I googled Kinetec (brand name on WCA's pic) as they're just up the road from me.

Now my front bottom feels a bit fizzy

https://www.kinetecuk.com/shop/hand-therapy/splinting-materials/ohiot/


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 2:37 pm
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@dyna-ti I had to have an op as 20 minutes with that thing that looks a web/trap that grips your finger while they manipulate it did nothing. It was at the knuckle and looked like this after a week or so...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sofaboytt/2731772497/in/photostream/

Oh and a total cost of >$10k for the hospital trip. TF for travel insurance!


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 2:38 pm
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Bloody hell Metalhead, thats a hell of a lot of wrapping for a dislocated finger.

Serious point: US hospitals over-treat because they are making a profit on the things they do.


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 3:15 pm
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This is interesting, I’ve developed a carpal-tunnel issue combined with arthritis in my wrist, due to years handling heavy loads of paper running a folding machine, and after a couple of courses of amyltriptyline (sp?) the doctor advised me to buy a wrist splint, which I’m supposed to wear at night. Certainly seems to help, along with a nighttime dose of Naproxen, but it’s a wee bit bulky, so something made of this stuff might be a useful daytime support. The perforated material might be better, but certainly neat stuff.


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 7:14 pm
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US hospitals over-treat because they are making a profit

Yeah, the bill when I had a bike accident on a work trip to California was staggering.
The booking in clerks eyes had $ signs like a Tom & Jerry cartoon when I flashed the companies insurance card.

40+ xrays, CT scan was probably a bit over the top.


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 7:58 pm
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I got sent a bill for $30 by the hospital for someone just to look at my x-rays...

And the second person I saw at the ER (after the triage nurse) was someone from finance/admin who wanted a test payment off a credit card ($250 iirc).

Oh and the thing I couldn’t remember was a chinese finger lock (used to try and reseat my finger).


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 8:20 pm
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Look for polymorph, used it before came in a tub as granuals of plastic. In hot water turned clear and mouldable.

Example linky


 
Posted : 12/02/2022 10:01 pm
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40+ xrays, CT scan was probably a bit over the top.

what if you sue them for getting cancer? That's a lifetime's exposure!

which is the other reason they over-treat, in case you sue them for not doing everything you could.

My sister had the same treatment on QA, Portsmouth and US. £9,000 in QA, $244,000 in Merkinland. Get your head around that.


 
Posted : 14/02/2022 12:56 pm
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I got "That should be okay, come back in 2 weeks" from Southampton NHS

I got "We can put that straight, 1 hour surgery under local"


 
Posted : 14/02/2022 1:01 pm

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