Postman pillow

Postman cushion, inflatable variant

A postman cushion , also known as an abduction or shoulder or arm abduction cushion , is a medical aid for stabilizing the shoulder joint after injuries or operations ( orthosis ). The aid from the field of bandages aims at a stable position of the upper arm at the elbow joint, about a hand's breadth away from the torso. Without the bandage, the arm resting against the body would jeopardize the success of the treatment in the shoulder joint .

construction

The postman's pillow consists of a support (the pillow ) which fixes the arm in an angled position in abduction and anteversion . The pillow is mostly cylindrical or wedge-shaped; there are solid and inflatable versions. The pillow is attached to the body with a shoulder strap and a waist strap. Some postman pillows also have a palm rest.

The name postman's pillow alludes to the fact that the pillow is carried with a shoulder strap, hanging on the side of the body and with the forearm on top, just like the classic mailbag was carried by postmen .

application

A postman's pillow is used after an operation or after a trauma to the shoulder or shoulder joint, for example an osteosynthesis , an operated rotator cuff rupture or a shoulder dislocation . It is used for the medical rehabilitation of the joints and the immobilization of the shoulder and arm. The use of the pillow prevents muscle shortening and damage to the shoulder joint capsule (" frozen shoulder ").

A postman's pillow can be used for the first few weeks of rehabilitation after the insertion of an artificial shoulder joint, i.e. a prosthesis . Postman pillows are also used as a temporary measure for outpatient follow-up treatment after the operation of a congenital shoulder blade elevation.

Web links

Commons : Postman Cushions - Collection of images, videos, and audio files

literature

Jürgen Specht, Matthias Schmitt, Joachim Pfeil: Technical orthopedics: orthoses and shoe adjustments . Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-540-29893-9 , pp. 70 f . ( Google Books ).
Volkmar Stein, Bernhard Greitemann: Rehabilitation in Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery: Methods - Therapy Strategies - Treatment Recommendations . 2nd Edition. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2015, ISBN 978-3-642-44999-4 , pp. 177 ( Google Books ).
Gerhard K. Lang, Gabriele E. Lang (eds.): Checklist Orthopedics . 3. Edition. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 2014, ISBN 978-3-13-151393-9 , pp. 104 f . ( Google Books ).

Individual evidence

↑ Joint Center Rhein-Main (Ed.): Information brochure on the shoulder joint . S. 49 ff .
↑ Klaus Bläsius, Christian Hoeckle, Issam Karkour: post-treatment Primer Orthopedics and Traumatology . 2nd Edition. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-13-155192-4 , p. 143 ( Google Books ).

[gelenkzentrum-1] Joint Center Rhein-Main (Ed.): Information brochure on the shoulder joint . S. 49 ff .

[thieme-2] Klaus Bläsius, Christian Hoeckle, Issam Karkour: post-treatment Primer Orthopedics and Traumatology . 2nd Edition. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-13-155192-4 , p. 143 ( Google Books ).