Use of orthoflex splints in rehabilitation
Use of orthoflex splints in rehabilitation
Use of “Orthoflex” Splints in Rehabilitation and Nursing Care.
Many patients in rehabilitation and /or nursing care treatment require long term protection for their feet, heels and ankles: to prevent pressure sores in the recumbent or immobile patient (especially to protect the heels), and to prevent heel cord contracture.
Rehabilitative and nursing home treatment is necessarily long term.
What therefore are the optimal properties of a protective splint that are convenient under such circumstances?
1. Ease of application by one carer (one pair of hands).
2. Efficacy of heel and foot border protection from pressure.
3. Ability to support the plantigrade ankle position to prevent Achilles tendon contracture.
4. Launderability: by washing and soft brushing with chlohexidine scrub soap or in a washing machine at 30 degrees C (do not spin dry).
5. Allow the use of a hospital nappy sheet within the splint to absorb sections
and maintain cleanliness.
6. Allow limited walking in the splint (not outdoors).
7. Easy storage of small package (in the deflated state) when not in use.
8. Reusable after laundering.
The Orthoflex short splint shares all of the above properties.
Hence it is cost saving, efficient, convenient, patient and staff friendly (staff compliance is excellent).
Prof Daniel Reis
