Thumb chafing around forearm casts is as inevitable as wasps at a Sunday picnic. In truth, neither is absolutely inevitable, but their occurrence is frequent enough to cause one to swear a dramatic oath to prepare for the bugging problem before the next unpleasant experience.

Buxton BioMedical does not sell insect spray and we are useless at barbecues. However, we do offer Thumkins as an elegant solution to that confounded problem of chafing which usually develops one to two weeks into the physician/ patient relationship.

Thumkins are soft, supple rings made of Kratron thermoplastic to encircle the base of the thumb. Applied at the time of casting, they buttress the casting material while providing the slight abduction desired of the thumb. Benefits are not the exclusive domain of the patient. Cast makers find the task of navigating thumb and web space a lot easier and the results more aesthetically pleasing with these rings. A rolled edge on the distal rim assures them of a smooth and professional finish.

The Thumkins Set contains twenty-four rings in four popular sizes, packed into a convenient, see-through, polypropylene box. This box features individual sections to keep sizes separated and inventory under control. Individual sizes may also be ordered. Descriptive literature is available for the asking, including a free sample offer and a set of "1-2-3" instructions as simple and as satisfying as pigs-in-a-blanket.

Hand & Footnotes, Vol. 1, No. 2