New custom Benik hand & wrist splint
Neavey's new custom hand & wrist splints are not only fashionably pink like her wheelchair, they also make her look like a rad rocker. Don't you think? Although she does come from a line of drummers, (me, my baby brother and my dad) she is not wearing them due to injury sustained while playing the skins. Since Neavey uses her hands less and less these days, her wrists have started deviating toward her ulna (the outside bone in the forearm). In order to reduce the chance of muscular contractures, she wears her left (less functional hand) Benik for 8 hours during the day and the right one for 8 hours at night. They have metal stays on the top and bottom and a hard plastic stay along the ulna to keep her hand and wrist in neutral. She doesn't seem bothered by them at all. I think she looks rather tough in them!She was fitted for these along with new ankle foot orthotics and a new nite splint in January when I realized she had outgrown her old ones. Our awesome orthotist, Jason, at Dynamic Orthotics confirmed that she had at least an inch of growth since May of last year. I have only a few inches left on her. YIKES!
