Splint:
It is the main tool for external local fixation. It is of elasticity, toughness and plasticity, and can be penetrated by X-ray. The commonly used splints are willow wood, bark of China fir, bamboo slice, thick paperboard, plywood, plate aluminum, and plastic board. There are two kinds of fixation: superaticular fixation and non-superaticular fixation. The perimeter of the limb determines the width of splint, and a certain space should be kept between any two splints after binding. Its material quality and length determine the thickness of splint. Generally speaking, a short splint is of great toughness with a great power against bending, so it may be thinner; otherwise, the thickness should be appropriately increased. According to the size of the limb, the location and type of injury, willow planks with a unified standard and type can be produced in a large quantity. Thick paperboard can be cut as one pleases, become soft when soaking in water, and can be elasticized arbitrarily, playing fixation after being dried.

Supporting board and stand:
They are made of metal, wood, bamboo and leather with various forms for fixing limbs in a position. The commonly used ones are iron wire or wood supporting board, traction frame, wide waistband, steel vest, leather vest and elastic pelvic bag.
       
Lining pad and coat: In order to avoid direct pressure of the skin by hard fixation, a lining pad may be used in the side contacting the skin and a coat is used outside. The pad should be of hygroscopicity and thermolysis, soft in quality and no irritation to the skin. It is commonly made of cotton, sponge or felt, and about 0.3 to 0.5 cm and even in thickness with smooth surface. The pad should be big enough to cover the whole surface and the edge of the splint. It is better to make coat by taking bandage or elastic knit goods as the material.

Pad for pressing:
The pressure or lever action resulting from the pad can maintain good position of fracture end after setting. The pad should be soft in quality with elasticity, and can keep itself a certain shape with a certain supporting force, is of hygroscopicity and thermolysis, and of no irritation to the skin. It may be made of bamboo-made paper, cotton or felt. There are commonly the following several kinds.

1) Flat pad, used for smooth region of the limbs; 2) Pagoda-like pad, used for depressed parts of the limbs; 3) Ladder-like pad, used for slope parts of the limbs; 4) Uneven pad, suited for fracture of clavicle; 5) Bone-holding pad, semilunar shape, cut from the fine hair felt and suited for fracture of patella; 6) Calabash-like pad, used for dislocation of capitulum radii; 7) Transverse pad, used for fracture of lower end of radius; 8) Bone-joining pad, suited for separation of lower radioulnar articulation; 9) Bone-separating pad, used for fracture of radius and ulna, metacarpal bone, and metatarsal bone. In order to examine the tightness of pad position through X-ray, a lead wire may be put inside of the pad for recognition.
 
According to the type and dislocation of fracture, pads should be put on the appropriate part. The commonly used method is fixation with two or three pads. Fixation with two pads: It is suited for the case of transverse fracture with lateral displacement. After reposition, put two pads on the sides of original displaced end of fracture, the two pads should not go beyond the fracture line for fear that there may occur displacement again. Fixation with three pads: It is suited for the case of fracture with angulation displacement. After reposition, put one pad in the angle top of angulation, the other two pads on the parts near two ends of the diaphysis in opposite side. The three pads make a lever force to prevent recurrence of angulation displacement.

Steps for fixation:
Keep the diseased limb in an appropriate position, apply external medicine evenly and appropriately, loosely twine bandage several rounds, choose proper pad and put it on the right position, then stabilize it with adhesive tape. After that, according to the need, lay down the splints or other fixation tools. Then, take cloth band or bandage of 1 to 2 cm in width as material to make 3 to 4 ties and successively bind them around the middle, distal and proximal parts, with slip-knot in anterior or lateral side. Finally, properly arrange the limb.

 The degree of tightness of binding should be appropriate, it should both play an efficacious fixation and prevent complications such as compression necrosis of the skin and ischemic contracture. If a splint of willow is used for fixation, for the degree of tightness it is just right that the ties could be moved upwards and downwards about 1 cm on the surface of splint. In this degree of tightness, the pulling force is about 800 g according to clinical data.