{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Orthotic intervention incorporating the dart-thrower's motion as part of conservative management guidelines for treatment of scapholunate injury.
{Author}: Anderson H;Hoy G;
{Journal}: J Hand Ther
{Volume}: 29
{Issue}: 2
{Year}: Apr-Jun 2016
{Factor}: 1.908
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.jht.2016.02.007
{Abstract}: <B>METHODS: </B>Case series.<BR><B>BACKGROUND: </B>This paper describes conservative guidelines for the management of scapho-lunate interosseous ligament (SLIL) injury including fabrication of an orthosis that restricts active wrist movement to the dart-throwers (DTM) plane.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>The dart throwers' orthosis (DTO) was designed as a response to biomechanical studies suggesting that restraining motion to the DTM would off-load a deficient SLIL.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>After six weeks of wearing the DTO, the 5 patients in this case series initiated an exercise program that incorporated wrist proprioceptive training and specific muscle strengthening.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The DTO was designed to incorporate controlled movement in order to better integrate the secondary wrist stabilizers in wrists that had a deficient SLIL. The orthosis and the exercise program harnessed proprioceptive influences using active motion within the DTM plane, and stimulated mechanoreceptors so as to enhance stability.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>All patients demonstrated improvement in subjective and objective outcomes including self-reported pain and function.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Orthotic intervention that controls motion within the DTM, combined with an appropriate proprioceptive rehabilitation program, may provide a viable conservative treatment option for patients with a similar clinical presentation.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>4.