title: The effect of wearing a wrist splint on shoulder kinematics during object manipulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypotheses that (1) wearing a flexible wrist splint while taking an object from a box increases known postural risk factors for shoulder disorders and (2) that the height of the front of the box modulates the effect on shoulder kinematics of wearing a wrist splint.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled laboratory experiment with 2 factors (splint wearing, box height).
  
  
  METHODS
  Human performance laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten consecutive healthy volunteers (5 men, 5 women; age range, 19-32 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental manipulation of wrist immobilization and box height.
  
  
  METHODS
  Humeral plane of elevation, humeral elevation, and humeral axial rotation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wearing a wrist splint increased the maximum humeral elevation angle (P<.001), and the height of the barrier also increased the maximum humeral elevation angle (P<.001). The average difference in maximum humeral elevation between the splint and the no splint conditions was 6.8 degrees .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wearing a wrist splint while performing a job that requires removing objects from a box can increase risk factors for shoulder disorders. Workplace analysis should be performed to avoid secondary injuries before a patient wearing a wrist splint returns to work.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, MedSport, and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0391, USA.
authors.forename: Amy G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mell
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Childress
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D013165:Splints; D014953:Wrist / Q000502:physiology*