Human body is like a machine, prone to wear and tear and degeneration. However, human body is a thinking machine and hence it is capable of controlling its degeneration to a large extent. At the same time different bodies react differently to different circumstances and repetitive activities. Hence a dancer's body reacts in a particular manner, an executive’s in another, and a sportsperson’s in a completely different manner. Repetitive activities in a person may lead to numbness, strain, sprain, pain, etc. This is all the more true in this modern era where constant use of computers, long hours at desks, general mental and physical stress have become a common occurrence. Obesity, heart diseases, back and neck pain, Osteoarthritis have become a bane of modern living. In addition, a one time event or accident can cause injuries to the body leading to pain, fractures of bones or joints, paralysis, etc. Most of the time accidents and external circumstances are beyond human control. However, we can certainly control wear and tear and degeneration resulting from our daily repetitive activities by providing proper support to the affected parts. These external supports can be used all day long without hampering the daily activities.

There are two types of physical rehabilitation products namely
Orthotic, which provide support for weak or ineffective joints or muscles with products such as shoulder immobilizer, cervical belts, Spondylosis collar, etc. and
Prosthetic, which provide an artificial device to replace a missing part of the body, like an artificial arm or leg.

THE 'BAND' AGE
The use of soft fabric materials like cotton or elasticized cotton for wrapping injured body part like finger, hand, wrist, arm, foot, ankle, knee, thigh, etc. has been in practice for a very long time. However, a bandage can only provide a cover to an exposed injury or some relief from muscular pain. It cannot provide long-term solution or long-term relief to an affected part of the body. Hence, bandages have very limited use and in no way provide a cure to the physical ailment. Sometimes due to flexibility provided by bandages, due to their common usage, and due to ignorance, a layman can use a bandage hoping for a cure but may end up with increased discomfort and sometimes irreparable damage or even deformity!

THE 'SPLINT' AGE
Recognizing these shortcomings of bandages, human research led to the use of better material molded in different shapes to fit specific parts of the body to enhance support to an affected part. Splint is a rigid or semi-flexible orthopedic soft good used for immobilizing an affected or injured body part without hampering movement of other parts. Hence, materials like foam, plastic, fiberglass, and metal are used to make splints of varied types. Splints help in maintaining proper posture and provide the much needed rest to the injured part thus accelerating the healing process. Medical history has examples of the use of fish bone, twigs, wooden strips, etc. to immobilize an injured part. These examples have provided the inspiration to more advanced and effective splints.

MGRM Medicare Limited has pioneered the introduction of high quality splints in South Asian region. Certified as per ISO 9001: 2000 (Good Manufacturing Practices), MGRM Medicare manufactures a variety of splints needed to meet all requirements related to good physical health. MGRM has taken a big leap ahead of the 'BAND' AGE and brought in the 'SPLINT' AGE with the aim of providing quality support for all requirements pertaining to complete physical rehabilitation.

Splinting in Ancient Times
Our Ancient Culture of Healthcare
In India, according to the ancient texts and books, health is considered a prerequisite to the achievement of supreme happiness - consisting of righteousness, wealth, artistic values and spiritual freedom. Preventive and curative aspects of diseases are considered, therefore, important components of the concept of positive health. Ayurveda is one of the oldest and most comprehensive systems of medicine in the world, and among the world’s first to deal with both preventive and curative aspects of life. Ayurveda elaborates the measures of ‘healthful’ living during an individual’s entire span of life and its various phases. Besides dealing with the principles of maintenance of health, it also features a wide range of therapeutic measures to combat illness and injury. Together, these principles of positive health and therapeutic measures cover the physical, psychological, social and spiritual welfare of human beings.

The Body Matrix
Life, in Ayurveda, is seen as a union of the body, senses, mind and the soul. The living man is a conglomeration of three humours (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), seven basic tissues (Rasa, Rakta, Mansa, Meda, Asthi, Majja and Shukra) and the waste that it creates - faeces, urine and sweat. The total body matrix comprises of the humours, the tissues and waste products of the body. The growth and decay of this body matrix and its constituents revolve around food that gets processed from intake, to expulsion as waste. Psychological mechanisms and bio-fire (Agni) significantly affect ingestion, digestion, absorption and assimilation of food, as they constantly interplay with metabolism and nutrition.

Health & Sickness
Health or sickness depends on the natural equilibrium of the total Body Matrix, including balance between its different constituents. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors can disturb this balanced state, giving rise to disease. The loss of equilibrium can be the result of dietary indiscrimination, undesirable habits and non-observance of the rules of healthy living. Other factors that can disturb the natural balance are seasonal abnormalities, improper exercise, erratic application of sense organs and in-compatible actions of the body and mind. The treatment of disease consists of restoring the balance of the disturbed body-mind matrix through regulation of diet, correction of daily routines and behavior, administration of drugs and resorting to the preventive Panchkarma and Rasayana therapy.

Ayurvedic treatment consists of eight specialities. Each of them has been evolved after many centuries, and includes Shalyatantra (or Surgery). The treatment of fractures and dislocations comes under Shalyatantra, an ancient system of treatment used throughout the country. Under Shalyatantra, the names given to orthopedic treatments were: Kadum Bindum Vedakama or treatment of fractures and dislocations, Gas Vedakama, or treatment with the help of wooden splints, barks of trees and various herbs (‘gas’ means tree and ‘vedakama’ means treatment), Handi Vedakama or treatment for the re-union of fractured bones

The Concept of Bandages
In Ayurvedic treatment, tender handling and various methods of bandaging helped in overcoming complications. Also, it caused less soft tissue damage. As traditional physicians did not treat the patient under anesthesia, they were very careful while handling the afflicted body part. The traditional system of treatment of bone disorders was based on practical experience and training throughout its long existence. It also relied on local fauna and flora to create special medicinal preparations. It included the use of turmeric and salt, two basic substances, when preparing a medicinal ‘Mellum’ to promote callus formation and quicken the healing. These ingredients contain anti-septic and anti-inflammatory properties. They would also use light splints, soothing oils and wooden splints (or ‘Patthus’) to make the patient more comfortable.

A person who had been trained in this system of traditional medicine used his five senses to clearly judge the clinical conclusion. He also learnt to use his sixth sense or Manas (wisdom) and apply his spiritual ability in order to administer the appropriate therapy. He also used his skilled hands in the procedure, which led him to the correct diagnosis. The physician would tie four knots in equal lengths around the four splints placed in position on the fractured limb. A normal bandage would cover the wound. This would be re-placed daily, allowing free mobility to the other adjacent joints.

An Ayurvedic physician would use splints instead of casts, as the hard cast did not allow free mobility to other joints and immobilization could result in permanent stiffness. Further, when the edema of the affected part subsided, the cast would not adhere to the afflicted area, creating a gap between the cast and the part.

For instance, a tibia shaft fracture would be placed in position with wooden splints. This has advantages when com-pared to a plaster cast, because a splint would allow liberation of the knee and ankle with their free movability.

Using external medicinal wooden splints and bandages eliminated the draw-backs of a cast. In addition, this traditional method of bandaging had no after effects. Though Ayurvedic Surgery is not practiced extensively nowadays, the system of frac-ture treatment and a few others such as treatment for fi stula and other para-surgi-cal methods still exist.

The Use of Splints
Traditional Ayurvedic physicians did not use plaster casts, as these led to a high degree of joint stiffness in intra-articular fracture. Instead, they learnt to use splints, which were made of bamboo sticks and bark of special medicinal trees. Splints were also created in different sizes. A properly-used splint performs a dual function. It not only serves as a rigid surface to the fractured bone, stimulating the function of the Periostium (outer layer of the bone), it also expedites healing by improving medicinal properties. The other advantage of the splint is that the pressure applied to the affected body part can be altered and adjusted at will. A splint does not hinder the mobility of other joints either. When selecting splints, the length and width of the splint should be equal to that of the fractured limb of the body.

Earliest known records of Orthotics
The oldest known splint unearthed by archaeologists dates from the fifth Egyptian Dynasty (2750-2625 B.C.)