What would be an appropriate orthotic device for a patient with limited extension of the fingers?

For a patient with limited extension of the fingers, the appropriate orthotic device would be a wrist immobilizer. A wrist immobilizer is designed to stabilize the wrist and consequently may help optimize the positioning of the fingers. By keeping the wrist in a neutral or slightly extended position, it can enable the fingers to assume a better position for functional movement, thereby assisting in promoting extension.

This type of orthotic can also relieve stress on the tendons and joints around the fingers and wrist, allowing for improved mechanical advantage and potentially increasing the patient's ability to extend their fingers while reducing pain or discomfort.

In contrast, the other options target different mechanics or specific conditions rather than focusing on improving finger extension. A muscle powered flexion assist device focuses on enhancing flexion rather than extension, while a thumb spica splint is primarily used for immobilizing the thumb and may not address finger extension issues. Lastly, a dorsal protect splint is typically used for protecting the back of the hand and may not specifically support the extension of the fingers.