Thermoplastic Leg Splint

February 2021

Sometimes at Flex Physio we get very unusual splinting requests. This young gentleman - a keen surfer - had been struck by a loose surfboard on the side of his leg as he duck-dived under a wave down near Margaret River 3 weeks earlier. An undisplaced fracture of the fibula was identified (See Xray image), and he was treated first in a fiberglass cast, then in a 'moon boot'. His recovery was going well, but it was mid-summer in Western Australia, and he was getting incredibly frustrated not being able to get in the water for a swim. He discussed it with his treating doctor, who suggested we might be able to come up with a waterproof solution for him.

In the photo below, you can see his new thermoplastic leg splint, moulded in that 'toe down' ankle position to make it more streamlined when swimming. He was in the pool trying it out with a kickboard later the same day, and reported no fracture pain at all. Just a whole lot of relief!

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