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Educate Yourself

This page contains educational information on our splinting materials.

Learn more about orthotic fabrication with our materials by browsing the instructional videos, the guides for fabrication of static and dynamic splints and frequently asked questions, or look up the upcoming workshops in your area.

Videos
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Multifit NS Resting Hand Orthosis

Multifit NS Dorsal Wrist Orthosis

Isoforce Outrigger Static Progressive Orthosis Fabrication with Thermoplastic Sheet Material

Isoforce Outrigger Dynamic Orthosis Fabrication with Orficast More

Blog
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Rock Climbing and Injuries to the Upper Extremity
Indoor and outdoor rock climbing have gained in popularity over the last few years. Enthusiasts of the sport claim many physical and mental health benefits associated with this activity. Many individuals might start climbing indoors and move to the outdoors as they become more experienced. It is a much…
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Comfortable and lightweight orthoses with Orfilight NS
When patients are required to wear their orthoses for long duration during day and night, it is always helpful to consider the size of the patient’s extremity, the specifics of the diagnosis and the weight of the selected material for the orthosis. Orfit offers Orfilight, an extremely lightweight material that might be appropriate for many of your patients, regardless of the specific diagnosis.
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Workshops
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Photo of Debby Schwartz
Debby Schwartz, OTD, OTR/L, CHT

Deborah A. Schwartz, OTR/L, CHT is a hand therapist with over 36 years of experience.

Debby presents on a variety of hand therapy topics both at national and international conferences and has written a number of articles for hand therapy publications. She teaches orthotic fabrication courses featuring innovative immobilization and mobilization orthoses for all applications.

Contact Debby Schwartz at debby.schwartz@orfit.com to see how you can set up a training at your facility and earn valuable continuing education credit. Select from a variety of immobilization and/or mobilization orthoses to create a custom workshop to meet your clinical requirements.
Host a workshop
Orthotic Fabrication Boot Camp! Orthoses for the Hand, Fingers and Thumb Made Easy.
Philadelphia, PA

Orfit works closely together with its distributors to offer orthotic fabrication workshops that enhance your skills and introduce new innovative ideas in the world of orthotic fabrication.

Contact your regional manager to inform about workshops in your area.

Marc Blij

Europe, Central Asia and Maghreb

+32 (0)3 608 01 28
Hans Deprettere

Asia Pacific & Middle East

+32 (0)3 360 94 14
François-Xavier Davalo

Latin America and Africa

+55 (11) 99411-4708
Portrait of Jan Bosquet
Jan Bosquet

Europe and Central Asia

Academy
Learn from Orfit’s Product and Educational Specialists. Anytime, anywhere. Courses are free. Payment is only required when taking the exam for accreditation. Improve your orthotic fabrication skills now. https://www.orfit.com/academy
Guides
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The following are some basic principles, which will help you choose the right orthosis for a given prescription.

Static hand splints are often used to support normal anatomical hand arches. These are resting splints which are normally fitted volarly thereby offering pleasant resting comfort. Immobilization splints to replace plaster casts are best made circumferentially. Static corrective splints are particularly suitable to assist the growth of shortened tissues (muscles, skin), to make joints move freely again. Static splints are also prescribed to stabilize joints.

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Hand resting splint
Positioning or resting of the wrist, hand and fingers.
Conical resting splint
To support the wrist, hand, fingers and hand arches.
Rheumatoid resting splint
Positioning of the wrist, hand and fingers in a corrected position. Muscle relaxation and pain relief.
Wrist immobilization splint – with self-adhesive materials
Immobilization of the wrist.
Wrist immobilization splint – with slightly or non-sticky materials
Immobilization of the wrist.
Wrist and thumb immobilization splint
Immobilization of the wrist, basal joint and MCP joint of the thumb.
Long thumb splint
Immobilization of the basal and MCP joint with extension stop for the distal phalanx.
Thumb stabilization splint
Immobilization of the thenar shaft. Positioning of the thumb.
Ulnar drift splint
To prevent the ulnar deviation of MCP joints II to V.
Dorsal cock-up splint
Immobilization of the wrist in a functional or antalgic position.
Tone reducing splint for long flexor muscles
To inhibit muscle tone by lowering the stretch reflex.
Tone reducing splint for intrinsic hand muscles
To reduce muscle tone by lowering the extensor reflex.
Elbow extension splint
To promote elbow extension.
Epicondylitis resting splint
To rest all the epicondyle muscles.
Tennis elbow tension ring
To provide relief to the proximal insertion points of the epicondyle muscles.
Cervical collar
Support of the cervical vertebrae or compression therapy for neck burns.
Scapulo-humeral shoulder cuff orthosis
Scapulo-humeral recoaptation without immobilizing the shoulder.
Dorsal dropfoot splint
Positioning of the foot in bed-ridden patients.
Functional dropfoot splint
Positioning of the ankle joint and the foot.
Ankle orthosis
To prevent hyperangulating movements while enabling running and ball game practice.
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Dynamic splints are characterized by their mobility and their energy which is derived from elastics, springs fixed on good static splints. The objective of dynamic splints is primarily twofold: firstly, to encourage the patient to recover their mobility as quickly as possible (ex. After surgery) procedure) and thus prevent the adhesion of soft tissues. Secondly, to assist muscle imbalance in order to prevent muscular contractures and to enable the hand to rapidly regain its functional use.

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Dynamic splinting basics – Instructions for use for the Orfitube
In order to adjust the tensile force and the direction of the dynamic traction as accurately as possible, an elastic is used which is attached to an outrigger.
MCP arthroplasty splint
Extension of the MCP joints Postoperative support or postoperative support.
Extensor tendon mobilization – zone 5 & 6
Early passive mobilization of the extensor tendons.
PIP extension splints
To promote active PIP extension.
Wrist extension anti-deviation splint
Active wrist extension and support of the m. extensor carpi ulnaris.
Flexor tendon mobilization splint
Passive mobilization of the long flexor tendons.
Thumb extensor tendon splint
Dynamic thumb IP extension.
Pronation – supination splint
To achieve passive or active pronation supination of the forearm.
“GVV” swing traction splint
Passive mobilization of the PIP joint over a full range of motion.
Functional wrist extension splint
Dynamic wrist extension.
Functional wrist extension – ab/adduction splint
Dynamic wrist extension with free abduction/adduction movement.
Functional ulnar nerve splint and combined ulnar median nerve splint
To support the intrinsic muscles (third finger and little finger for ulnar nerve unjury, and all the fingers for combined injuries) + m.opponens pollicis.
Distal radial nerve splint
To support the long finger and thumb extensors.
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Frequently asked questions
Product characteristics
Why do we need so many choices in low temperature thermoplastic materials?
What are Low Temperature Thermoplastic Materials (LTTPs)?
How did we get so many types of LTTPs?
What are some of the basic characteristics of low temperature thermoplastic materials?
How can I know what the properties or characteristics are for my splinting material?
What is the shelf life of the splinting material I purchased?
What are some helpful hints for working with all LTTPs?
Why would I want to use non-stick coated or non-coated materials?
Besides NS coatings, some products appear to have so called powder coatings. What is the use of these coatings?
What is the difference between activating splinting materials with a dry heater versus a water bath?
Patient education
What should I tell my patient regarding their new orthosis?