Wrist Support in Focus: Benefits, Risks, and Helping Patients Wear It Correctly

A wrist support will offer one of the most flexible wearing experiences of any orthopedic brace. Many patients are anxious that orthopedic supports will hinder their daily activity and will shy away from proper use or even avoid wearing a wrist support altogether.

Certain wrist supports permit the wearer to move the finger and thumb joints, thus allowing the continuation of regular activities. People often use them for activities that demand more of the wrist and hands. These supports can also improve sleep by both protecting the wrist and immobilizing it, reducing pain as a result.

In fact, one recent study published by the Journal of the American College of Rheumatology found that patients wearing working wrist supports as much as possible during the day for a four-week period experienced a 32% decrease in wrist pain. They also experienced a 5% increase in grip strength.

Risks of Wearing a Wrist Support

There is a variety of reasons for patients to consider a wrist support when recovering from an injury or managing a chronic condition like carpal tunnel syndrome. However, there are also some risks of wearing a wrist support of which the patient should be aware. It’s important that physiotherapists and sports medicine professionals not only understand these often nuanced risks, but that they properly convey them to their patients. Many of these dangers pertain to wearing habits and the need to communicate the proper use of the support.

Failure to Wear the Support

One risk of prescribing a wrist support for a sprained wrist, arthritis or any other problem is that the patient will simply not wear the orthopedic support, thus hindering the healing process. There are many reasons individuals may not wear a wrist support, but it is often due to the level of discomfort many people feel when wearing them. Supports may increase the difficulty of some activities, and hard splints in particular may cause active resistance to wearing the recovery aid.

One way to counter this possibility is to ensure the wrist support is fitted correctly so that it does not rub, strain, pinch or squeeze the area. This goes for the hand and arm as well as the wrist. Communicate thoroughly with patients to ensure they are comfortable and follow up with them to ensure nothing has changed in the proceeding days and weeks. If there is discomfort, work with your patient to target the source and come up with a solution. You can try a different type of support or alternatively use extra cushioning around the bony areas of the wrist.

The material of which the support is made can be an important factor influencing patient compliance. Supports that are non-hypoallergenic or latex- or neoprene-free may yield significant benefits if the patient has a neoprene allergy or other similar condition.

Wearing the Support Only During Periods of Discomfort

Another of the common risks of wearing a wrist support is the tendency for some patients to limit its use to only short periods — usually when they are experiencing acute symptoms like swelling or pain. At other times, the individual may stop wearing the support. Ultimately, he or she may then abandon it too early and put an obstacle in the way of recovery.

It’s important to stress that in this scenario, physiotherapists and sports medicine professionals must be vigilant, both in communicating to their patients the importance of letting the support run its course and following up to ensure the patient is using it correctly and for the prescribed period of time.

It helps to talk to the patient and determine several goals and benchmarks with them regarding the wearing of the support. Patients may find that weekly progress reports and clear communication of times when their support may not be needed (e.g. at night or during rest) are helpful. This helps the patient to focus on not just the outward physical symptoms, but also all the other elements that go into a successful recovery.

Supporting Patients Through Wrist Support Use

The common thread running through these risks is the importance of communication. A wrist support only works if it is worn correctly and consistently — and patients are far more likely to wear it correctly and consistently when they understand why it matters, what to expect, and when they can safely take it off.

Clinicians can support compliance by:

• Fitting the support carefully and checking for pressure points, rubbing, or pinching
• Selecting appropriate materials for patients with allergies or sensitivities
• Setting clear expectations about how long the support should be worn and when it can be removed
• Establishing goals and benchmarks with the patient, and reviewing progress regularly
• Following up to catch problems early and adjust the plan as needed

By addressing both the physical and psychological dimensions of support use, clinicians can help patients get the most out of their wrist support — and avoid the setbacks that come from abandoning it too soon.

About Dunbar Medical

Dunbar Medical is a premier supplier of sports medicine and home health care products to pharmacies, physiotherapists and other clinics, and sports teams throughout Canada. The company distributes the leading brands in sports medicine through its national sales team and is known for its expertise in the field as well as its exceptionally high level of customer service and support.

For clinicians recommending a wrist support to their patients, Dunbar Medical offers access to leading brands such as Bio Skin, Mueller Sports Medicine, McDavid, Kinesio, LP Support and many others — including a range of wrist supports suited to different needs and activity levels.

To learn more about the range of wrist supports and other products carried by Dunbar Medical, please call 1-800-265-7126, visit https://dunbarmedical.com or email sales@dunbarmedical.com.