What Nerve Does a Cock-Up Splint Protect? Median Nerve Focus
What nerve is a Cockup splint for?
The Quick Answer
Cock-up splints primarily protect the **median nerve** by preventing wrist flexion that compresses it within the carpal tunnel. They are not designed for radial nerve palsy (which requires wrist extension support to prevent wrist drop)—a common misconception. For radial nerve issues, dynamic extension splints—not cock-up designs—are appropriate to maintain functional wrist position.
Why We Ask This
Confusion between nerve-specific splint designs leads to dangerous substitutions—using cock-up splints for radial nerve palsy when they lack the dynamic extension assist needed to counteract wrist drop, potentially causing tendon contractures from unopposed flexor pull.
The Practical Science
Median nerve compression occurs during wrist flexion (carpal tunnel narrows 40%); radial nerve dysfunction causes wrist drop requiring active extension assistance. Cock-up splints passively block flexion but provide no active extension force—making them ineffective for radial nerve conditions requiring dynamic support.
In Clinical Practice
A patient with carpal tunnel wears a cock-up splint nightly to prevent flexion-induced median nerve compression. The same patient developing radial nerve palsy post-fracture requires a dynamic extension splint with spring assistance to maintain functional wrist position during grasp—demonstrating nerve-specific splint selection.
References & Context
Dynamic Cockup Splint Large Size For radial nerve palsy as a static ..."Used in radial nerve palsy as a static splint, Useful for spastic hand/Rheumatic/Arthritic Diseases. Holds the affected hand in a neutral position preventing the palm from bending forward, thus keeping pressure off the median nerve."