The effect of wearing a wrist splint on shoulder kinematics during object manipulation

Mell AG, Childress BL, Hughes RE. The effect of wearing a wrist splint on shoulder kinematics during object manipulation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005;86:1661-4. Objectives: To test the hypotheses that (1) wearing a flexible wrist splint while taking an object from a box increases known postural risk factors for shoulder disorders and (2) that the height of the front of the box modulates the effect on shoulder kinematics of wearing a wrist splint. Design: A controlled laboratory experiment with 2 factors (splint wearing, box height). Setting: Human performance laboratory. Participants: Ten consecutive healthy volunteers (5 men, 5 women; age range, 19-32y). Interventions: Experimental manipulation of wrist immobilization and box height. Main Outcome Measures: Humeral plane of elevation, humeral elevation, and humeral axial rotation. Results: Wearing a wrist splint increased the maximum humeral elevation angle (P <.001), and the height of the barrier also increased the maximum humeral elevation angle (P < 001). The average difference in maximum humeral elevation between the splint and the no splint conditions was 6.8 degrees. Conclusions: Wearing a wrist splint while performing a job that requires removing objects from a box can increase risk factors for shoulder disorders. Workplace analysis should be performed to avoid secondary injuries before a patient wearing a wrist splint returns to work. (c) 2005 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.