Yesterday I had my first fitting for finger splints. As someone with a connective tissue disorder I am bendier than most (think Gumby) and for me my small joints in my fingers and toes are the most hyper-mobile. This causes many issues with things such as gripping, typing, and writing. Ring splints in my case plastic Oval-8’s are used to stabilize the joints and restrict motion into a more normal range thus preventing degrading the joint surface which would eventually lead to arthritis.
This photo depicts my current sizing. These aren’t my hands I simply added the numbering for illustration purposes.
As you can see my thumbs on each hand are not the same size. Same goes for a few others but the splints do not come in traditional half sizes so I chose the size providing me with a little extra room in case of swelling and other changes. You can reverse these splints for a bit more wiggle room in the sizing.
If you are interested in ring splints my Physical Therapists sizing kit came from 3 Point Products and isn’t terribly expensive if your doctor or therapist is unfamiliar with these products. The splints are also available for purchase at the same site though currently Amazon has the slightly better price if your size is available.
Please refer to this video for the various ways you can wear Oval-8’s for each condition. As well as the video below from YouTube about one users practical experience.
Though not the most aesthetically pleasing option they are effective, reasonably durable, and affordable. The average price range for Oval-8’s is $11 – 15 per splint. Versus a variety of metal splints with a price range of $80 – 130 per splint. Oval-8’s give you the opportunity to see if ring splints are a useful tool for you before making a large investment. Just trying them on I can see how they will take some getting used to but word of mouth advice is to give 6 to 8 weeks to determine if they are useful enough to deem an eventual upgrade if you choose to do so.
My hope is that these splints can provide me with more control and dexterity while minimizing the pain of hyper-extension.