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McKie Thumb Splint:
Made of 1.5cm velcro-receptive, washable neoprene. Splint is sewn rather than glued in its construction.
Sized for children as young as 3 months old, it supports more normal grasp development during the critical first year of life.
Aligns with natural muscle pull to draw the thumb into opposition.
Supports thumb joint integrity and palmar arch development while preventing web space shortening.
Minimal coverage of palm is not only cooler, but allows room for manipulation of objects as well as tactile exploration, both essential for tactile sense development.
Encourages balanced muscle return following stroke or neurological injury.
Diminished joint play and cushions the thenar eminance in repetitive strain injuries, sports injuries and other types of trauma to the thumb.
When worn throughout the day, facilitates more balanced muscle development.
Thumb Splint plus Supinator Strap
Pulls hand into supination, radial deviation and wrist extension.
Supports both grasp and weight bearing hand functions.
For measurement A, measure the circumference of the IP (distal thumb) joint in centimeters. For measurement B, measure the distance on the palm surface from the IP joint to the proximal end of the thenar crease, in centimeters.
When figuring sizes, it is important to use a centimeter tape measure.
 
Infant using McKie Splint Adult using McKie Splint
To assure the best fit, use of a sizing kit is strongly recommended. If a sizing kit is unavailable, follow the directions below. Pediatric sizes are suitable for children ages 3 months to 10-12 years. Older children and adults need adult sizes.
When figuring sizes, it is important to use a centimeter tape measure.
How to determine thumb splint size:
1. Measurement A
Measure the circumference of the far or distal thumb joint.
2. Measurement B
Measure the distance on the palm from the distal thumb joint to the base of the center of longitudinal palm crease.
3. Refer to Chart
On the appropriate chart (see left menu), find the the square where Measurement A and Measurement B meet. The square should fall within a bold area corresponding to the correct size. (Example: If Measurement A = 5.5 centimeters and Measurement B = 6.0 centimeters, then splint size = P5)
4. Record Sizes
Note splint size, as this is required when ordering.
Instructions:
Applying Thumb Splint:
| 1. Put thumb through opening. Orient splint so stitching follows the crest of web between thumb and index finger. The hand splint strap lies just below palm of hand. Adjust splint to fit snugly in web space. (figure 1). |
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2. Pull splint strap so it continues around back of hand and attach velcro to thumb of splint. Velcro should lie parallel to thumb and attach on thumb piece. (figure 2) |
| 3. Attach the strap in one of two ways: A. To provide the sensation of balanced muscle pull around the thumb, attach the velcro on the back of the thumb so that it is directed toward the thumbnail (figure 3). |
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4. To provide extra support to the metacarpal-phalangeal joint of the thumb, wrap the strap around to the palm side of the thumb and attach directly over the joint (figure 4). |
Applying Supinator Strap:
Self-Attachment Above Elbow:
| 5. To attach supinator strap, undo strap from thumb splint. Reattach thumb splint over supinator strap. (figure 3). |
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6. Wind one turn around forearm, then one turn behind elbow. Attach wider, squared velcro end of strap to itself above elbow (figure 4). The splint is designed to assist forearm extension, so supinator strap must cut across the back of elbow. |
| 7. Once splint is in place, passively turn forearm palm up (supination) and slightly extend wrist (figure 5). Make any necessary adjustments to supinator strap to ensure a snug fit. The attachment above the elbow, while snug, should be comfortable, balancing good coloration of the hand with some pull from the strap. |
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8. Finally, check the hand splint and, if necessary, rotate it to ensure the thumb is positioned to oppose fingers. 
Always follow precautions on label regarding splint application and wear. |
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Fitting Thumb Splint and Adjustable Supinator Strap:
Both the strap of the Thumb Splint and the Adjustable Supinator Strap may be shortened to accommodate different size hands or to compensate for some loss of elasticity in the straps that occurs over time. |
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Thumb Splint
If after trying the on the splint, the splint strap and velcro protrude beyond the thumb, cut strap and/or velcro to fit the hand (figure 8).
Supinator Strap
The squared end of the supinator strap may be cut to fit a shorter or narrower forearm. Attach free velcro piece to squared end of strap (figure 9).
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