Case Study - G reenstick Fracture

June 2022

This 11yo boy fell while playing football, resulting in a slightly angulated greenstick fracture of the shaft of his right radius (X-ray image). To immobilise this fracture properly it is not enough just to splint the elbow or just to splint the wrist. Both joints should be immobilised, eliminating the rotation of the forearm called supination (palm up) and pronation (palm down).

We fitted him with a bright red thermoplastic elbow splint, then made a bright blue wrist splint just long enough to overlap with the first one (Splint image 1). To stop the forearm rotation the two splints were linked together with a Velcro attachment (Splint image 2)

After 4 weeks in the splints and some more X-rays showing good bone healing, it was time to come out of the splints and get the arm moving again. He had two more weeks of light activity and caution, then a very happy young lad was cleared by his orthopaedic specialist to return to all of his pre-injury activities.