Emma Neal assesses whether self-fastening splints should be used to manage a form of wrist injury that is unique to children and young people

Torus, or buckle, fractures are unique to, and common in, children, but their treatment varies by hospital protocol and practitioners’ preference. This article reviews the literature on managing torus fractures with a splint and with plaster of Paris, and concludes that splinting is more cost effective, more likely to ensure quick return to normal function, and is preferred by parents. There is no conclusive evidence, however, that it is less painful.