The use of a moulded metacarpal brace versus neighbour strapping for fractures of the little finger metacarpal neck

Seventy-three patients with fractures of the neck of the little finger meta carpal were randomized to treatment with a moulded metacarpal brace or neig hbour strapping. Sixty-five of these attended for follow-up at 3 weeks. Bot h treatment modalities permitted a functional range of movement, but patien ts treated with the metacarpal brace had significantly less pain than those treated with neighbour strapping, and this facilitated an early return to work.