What is Orficast Thermoplastic Tape?
Orficast is an innovative casting and splinting tape that is applied directly to the patient after heat activation. Orficast is available in both Blue and Black colors, in 3 cm and 6 cm widths.
The material has a sufficient capacity of stretching which allows molding into a wide variety of small and medium sized orthoses, such as for mallet fingers or thumb immobilizations.
This blogpost features a series of Orficast instructional videos that show the making of 22 different orthoses and how Orficast can be combined with other materials.
Orficast can also be used to adapt all the tools for activities of daily living such as built- up spoon handles and other utensils: flatware, toothbrush or pen.
How to activate Orficast
This video shows three different ways to activate Orficast Thermoplastic Tape: in a water bath, by use of an Orfit Dry Heater or by use of a heat gun:
1) Full finger immobilization orthosis (wrapping method)
This video demonstrates a full finger immobilization orthosis using a wrap method. The goal of this orthosis is to immobilize the finger in a resting position so it can heal.
Used material: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm)
2) Full finger immobilization orthosis (pinching method)
This video demonstrates a full finger immobilization orthosis using the pinch method. The goal of this orthosis is to immobilize the finger in a resting position to help with pain management and edema control.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm), hook and loop tape
3) Capener orthosis
This video demonstrates a dynamic extension orthosis, known as the Capener orthosis. The goal of this orthosis is to increase the range of motion of the PIP joint by exerting light traction of the tight ligamentous structures.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 6 cm), 2 finger coil springs
4) Anti-claw hand orthosis (including thumb)
This video demonstrates how to fabricate an orthosis to prevent the claw-hand deformity.
Used material: Orficast Black (width: 6 cm)
5 & 6) 2 Anti-swan neck orthoses
This video demonstrates how to fabricate an anti-swan neck orthosis using the pinching method. The purpose is to prevent hyper-extension of the PIP joint in the swan neck deformity.
Used material: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm)
This video demonstrates how to fabricate an anti-swan neck orthosis using a rolled oval 8 method.
Used material: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm)
7) Thumb CMC
This video demonstrates how to make an immobilization orthosis for the thumb CMC.
Used material: Orficast Black (width: 6 cm), hook and loop tape.
8) “Thumbs up” orthosis
This video demonstrates how to fabricate a “thumbs up” orthosis, worn in cases of mild thumb sprain, keeping the trapezium free. This orthosis does not fully prevent adduction and/or abduction of the thumb.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 6 cm), hook and loop tape.
9) Thumb support orthosis
This video demonstrates how to make a functional orthosis in case of root arthrosis.
Used materials: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm), hook and loop tape.
10) Buddy tape
This video demonstrates how to fabricate buddy tapes, a common treatment for sprained finger joints. The goal of buddy tapes is to protect an injured finger by taping it to an adjacent finger to rest the injured joint ligaments as they heal.
Used material: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm)
11 & 12) Yoke orthoses for the infex finger and for the middle finger
This video demonstrates a yoke orthosis for the index finger.
This video demonstrates a yoke orthosis for the middle finger.
These orthoses can be used in a post-operative extensor tendon rehabilitation protocol. They can also be used to restrict motion of one PIP joint and to encourage motion at another PIP joint.
Used material: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm)
13) PIP dynamic extension with Orfitube
This video demonstrates a PIP dynamic extension orthosis with Orficast and Orfitubes.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 6 cm), hook and loop tape, Orfitube, Orfitube ends, elastic thread.
Read more on dynamic splinting components >
14) Trigger Finger Orthosis (ring design)
This video demonstrates how to make a trigger finger orthosis.
This design consists of a small ring fabricated around the base of the involved finger. It can also be used for a pulley protector after flexor tendon surgery with pulley reconstruction.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm), hook and loop tape.
15) Hinged PIP joint extension blocking orthosis
This video demonstrates how to make a hinged orthosis which will allow full flexion of the PIP joint but will block full PIP joint extension.
Used materials: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm), Orficast Black (width: 3 cm).
17) Anti-wrist radial deviation orthosis
This video demonstrates how to fabricate an anti-wrist radial deviation orthosis with a dynamic pull on the ulnar side, used for example in case of rheumatoid arthritis of the wrist.
Used materials: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm), Orficast Black (width: 3 cm), hook and loop tape, Orfitube, elastic thread.
18) Epicondylitis ring
Read our blogpost about Counterforce strap orthoses for the treatment of Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow here.
19) Orthosis for De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
This video demonstrates how to fabricate a radial gutter immobilization orthosis for patients with a diagnosis of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, a tendinitis of the extensor tendons of the first dorsal compartment.
Used materials: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm), hook and loop tape.
20) Anti-ulnar drift orthosis
This video demonstrates how to make a functional orthosis for patients with ulnar drift of the MCP joints of the fingers.
Used materials: Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm)
21 & 22) 2 Mallet finger orthoses (wrapping or pinching method)
These videos demonstrate how to make an orthosis for a tendinous mallet finger, positioning the DIP in hyperextension.
The first one uses a wrap technique.
The second one uses a pinch method.
Used materials: Orficast Black (width: 3 cm, video 1) or Orficast Blue (width: 6 cm, video 2)
All information on Orficast >
