Do you need a wrist brace or a splint? Our brace experts at Doc Ortho are here to answer your burning questions about wrist injuries and the difference between wrist braces and splints.
Wrists tend to take a beating throughout the day. Whether you’re typing, texting, picking up a bag or getting up off the floor, you’re putting a lot of pressure and movement on your wrists, which can cause uncomfortable pain.
In addition to medication, therapy, and sometimes surgery, there are a variety of wrist braces, splints, and supportive devices that can help manage wrist pain and injuries.
What is a wrist brace?
Wrist braces are worn around the wrist to protect it from further injury. Braces offer support to the joints and sometimes provide heat compression to the bones and ligaments to allow for healing.
What is a wrist splint?
Wrist splints are a lot like wrist braces, but they have a rigid splint to restrict motion for extra support. While they may not always offer complete relief, they do minimize pressure on nerves while supporting and stabilizing your wrist for quicker healing.
Wrist Braces vs. Wrist Splints
At Doc Ortho, we have a range of wrist braces, splints, and supports that provide compression and support to the wrist, while easing pain and discomfort. Protect your wrist from further injury and speed up your overall healing process.
Wrist braces and wrist splints are available with a wide range of support levels and can be used during initial recovery for moderate to severe conditions requiring little to no movement of the wrist. Typically made of neoprene and metal, they can be used to treat arthritis, injuries, and other conditions to the wrist.
Wrist Braces
- For long-term use
- Keeps wrist in a neutral position
- Keeps joints steady
- Mainly used for sprains and tears
Wrist Splints
- For short-term use
- Offers stability and immobilization
- Immobilizes joints for quicker healing
- Mainly used for bone fractures
Whether you have carpal tunnel syndrome, recovering from surgery or, nursing an injury, talk to your doctor about whether a wrist brace or wrist splint will work for you.
Pro Tip: Excessive or continuous use of a wrist brace or wrist splint can lead to chronic pain and/or stiffness of a joint, or even muscle weakness.
