SPLINT-TOP FRACTURE OF THE FOREARM - A DESCRIPTION OF AN IN-LINE SKATING INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF PROTECTIVE WRIST SPLINTS

Upper extremity injuries are commonly seen in the sport of in-line ska ting. The use of protective equipment, including wrist splints, has be en advocated as a means to decrease both the incidence and severity of upper extremity injuries in this sport. We report on four cases of op en forearm fractures in the in-line skaters that occurred adjacent to the proximal border of the wrist splints. The unusual nature of these injuries and the location of the fractures in relation to the location of the splints suggest that the two may be mechanistically related, T he splint and distal forearm may act as a single unit to convert the i mpact from the level of the wrist to a torque moment, with the fulcrum located at the proximal border of the splint, The energy from the fal l is then dissipated by the fracturing of the forearm bones at this le vel These cases suggest that the use of wrist splints may be associate d with their own specific set of injury patterns.