Hand splinting origins can be traced back to which civilization?

• A. Ancient Greece
• B. Egypt
• C. Rome
• D. China

Answer: (B)

Immobilizing an injured hand to promote healing has ancient roots, with the earliest documented hand splinting seen in ancient Egypt. Practitioners used simple splints fashioned from materials available at the time, wrapped and shaped to keep the fingers and hand still after fractures or injuries. This shows an early understanding that keeping the injured part immobile supports proper healing, a principle still central in hand therapy today. While later civilizations such as Greece, Rome, and China developed their own immobilization methods, Egypt provides the earliest clear evidence of hand splinting.