Padded left boot with leg splint, Rome, Italy, 1914-1918
Splints are rigid pieces of metal, wood or plastic used to keep a limb still after it has been injured, broken or sprained. This helps the limb recover and heal. This example is padded for warmth and comfort. It is thought that the boots were issued by the Italian Army during the First World War – much of the fighting they were involved in took place in snowy Alpine areas. It is shown here with a similar example (A653469).
Object number:
A653466
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: orthopaedics
The branch of medicine concerned with the preservation and restoration of the muscular and skeletal systems in the body.
Glossary: splint
A rigid device of plastic, wood or plaster that serves to immobilize or support an injury. Generally strapped alongside an injured limb.