About MeThe Thomas Splint is one of the most famous pieces of orthopaedic apparatus ever designed. It was devised by Hugh Owen Thomas in the 1860s for the treatment of tuberculosis of the knee. The splint is a simple piece of technology but its simplicity obscures the knowledge of physiology and anatomy which went into its design. The splint was so designed as to not only rest the joint but to also ensure that there was no tendency for injurious compensatory movements being transferred to other joints and muscles and that weight be distributed in such a way as not to cause pain and deformity. Thomas's theory of enforced, uninterrupted and prolonged rest proved to be very successful and the Thomas splint became a standard piece of equipment in hospitals throughout the world. Whilst originally designed for treatment of the knee it was found that it also suited treatment for fractured femur. Hence it was widely used in filed hospitals in Wolrd War 1. The walking splint is an adaption of the bed splint. The side rods ar open and bent at the base. The bent rods fit into the heel of the patient's boot. Such is the design that weight-bearing pressure is taken from the limb, all the weight being carried at the ring, being borne at the ischial tuberosity. To be satisfactory the walking splint must be made-to-measure.
