Shants collar for an adult: how to use it correctly, how much to wear, can you sleep in it?

Author of the article: Eduard Svitich - orthopedic traumatologist

The Shants retainer is a soft or semi-rigid collar that holds the head in the most natural, neutral position. Typically, this name refers to products that are based on an elastic cushion-retainer. It allows small movements in the cervical region, but limits their amplitude.

What is the Shants collar used for?

It usually helps with such pathologies S. Muzin, Z. Isaac, J. Walker, OE Abd, J. Baima. When should a cervical collar be used to treat neck pain? / Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine:

• Whiplash injury. This is an injury that occurs in the cervical region when the head is suddenly thrown back. Moreover, there is no dislocation or fracture. This usually happens during an accident.
• Fracture or dislocation in the cervical spine. The cervical collar helps stabilize the position of the vertebrae, so they heal better.
• Cervical radiculopathy. This is a painful condition in which a person's nerve root near the spine is pinched. This happens with spondylosis, herniated disc, or spinal tumor. Sometimes cervical radiculopathy is provoked by injuries with rupture of the nerve root.
• Postural orthostatic tachycardia. This is the name given to M. Nardone, J. Guzman, PJ Harvey, JS Floras, H. Edgell. Effect of a neck compression collar on cardiorespiratory and cerebrovascular function in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) / Journal of applied physiology a condition when cerebral circulation decreases, heart rate increases, and dizziness may occur due to the vertebral arteries in the neck being compressed. Typically, these symptoms occur when moving from a sitting to a standing position.

Wearing a Shants collar can only be prescribed by a doctor; you should not resort to this method of treatment on your own. For example, for ordinary neck pain, experts do not recommend wearing a bandage. Especially hard, which greatly limits mobility. Scientists consider S. Muzin, Z. Isaac, J. Walker, OE Abd, J. Baima. When should a cervical collar be used to treat neck pain? / Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine that healthy neck muscles can atrophy due to lack of load.

How to determine the size of a neck brace?

To determine the dimensions when choosing a Shants collar, the following measurements are required using a centimeter tape:

1. neck height

   – calculate the distance between the middle of the clavicle and the extreme point of the lower jaw;

2. neck circumference

   – measured as neck circumference.

The resulting dimensions should be compared with the table provided by the neck brace manufacturer. The principles for determining sizes for Shants collars are the same for both children and adults.

How to wear a Shants collar

For the first time, it is put on and fixed by a doctor - a neurologist or orthopedist-traumatologist. The collar should Guide to Wearing Your Cervical Hard Collar / Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust fit snugly but comfortably. If it is too loose, it will not secure the neck well, and if it is too tight, it can rub and cause pain. Movements in the cervical spine are limited, but the person needs to pay attention to their posture and not slouch. In addition, you should not lift or carry heavy objects.

They wear the Shants collar all the time without taking it off. Doctors only allow you to carefully unfasten it while lying down and put it on in the same way to clean it from dirt or replace the removable pads inside the bandage.

How to sleep with a Shants collar

They don’t get rid of it at night. To prevent the collar from interfering with your sleep, experts from the American medical resource Healthline recommend What Is a Cervical Collar Used For and Are There Side Effects? /Health Line the following:

• Sleep on a comfortable and fairly firm mattress.
• Keep your neck in a neutral position without bending forward, backward or to the side.
• Do not sleep in a crooked position; the neck should be in line with the body.
• Sleep on your back on a thin pillow. But too large ones will increase the load on the neck.

To get out of bed, you need to carefully roll onto your side, hang your legs down and, pushing with your hands, get up.

How to wash with a Shants collar

This must be done so that the bandage remains dry. Therefore, some experts recommend wrapping the collar with film.

It’s even better to take a bath rather than a shower so that splashes don’t get on the neck area. Although when using a shower head you have to move your neck less.

How to clean Shants' collar

If it is a soft collar, when it gets dirty, remove it and wash it with soap or another non-aggressive product. Then they dry it. In order not to leave your neck without support at this time, it is better to have two bandages.

Hard models are cleaned daily. To do this, they are unfastened while lying down or sitting, depending on how the doctor recommends. Then the replaceable soft elements are washed, and dirt is removed from the collar itself. After this, you can secure the clean pads and put the bandage back on.

Shantz splint: treatment and prevention of cervical diseases

The cervical region is the uppermost section of the spinal column and is the most mobile section of the spine, which is determined by the anatomical features of its structure. If any instability develops in the cervical spine, this leads to insufficient blood supply to the brain, resulting in headaches, dizziness, as well as visual and hearing disorders. In order to provide fixation and support to the cervical spine in the presence of acute and chronic pain, a special orthopedic cervical collar-bandage is used - the Shants splint. Thanks to the Shants splint, on the one hand, the neck is unloaded, the vertebrae are stretched among themselves, and muscle spasm is relieved, blood supply is significantly improved, the nerve endings are not compressed, and on the other hand, due to the limitation of painful movements in the cervical region, the spine is stabilized. The Shantz splint is an orthopedic cervical collar-bandage used for prevention purposes, as well as for the treatment of muscles and ligaments of the upper spine, in the presence of acute and chronic diseases. The uniqueness of this orthosis is that it is able to fix the neck in its normal physiological position, taking into account the anatomical structure.

Possibilities of Shants orthopedic collars.

1.Improve blood circulation in joints, muscles, and brain.
2. Completely relieve or significantly reduce muscle tension. 3. Reduce skull pressure on the upper spine. 4. Limit rotation, flexion-extension of the neck, thereby unloading the muscles of the cervical spine. 5. They have warming and massage effects. 6. Fixation, stabilization and support of the cervical spine. 7. Relieving muscle spasm. When is the Shin Shants neck brace used in adults?
1. Post-traumatic or postoperative rehabilitation of the cervical spine.
2. Deforming arthrosis of the upper spinal column. 3. Headaches and dizziness caused by spasms of the neck muscles. 4. Cervical osteochondrosis and arthrosis, problems of cervical intervertebral discs (hernias, protrusions, instability), scoliosis. 5. Myositis with various causes, neurological pain. 6. Humeroscapular periarthritis. 7. Spinal cord compression syndrome. 8. Poor posture. 9. Chin fat deposits. Indications for the use of a soft head holder (Schanz collar) in children.
1. Birth cranial-spinal injury and cerebrovascular accident in newborns. 2. Congenital deformity of the neck (muscular torticollis). Rehabilitation after surgery to correct torticollis. 3. Moderate disorders of the ligamentous apparatus and muscle function of the cervical spine. Myositis, bruises, rotational subluxations of the 1st and 2nd vertebrae. 4. Incorrect head position in mild forms of cerebral palsy. 5. Preservation of correction results after procedures: physiotherapy, exercise therapy, massage. 6. Pain and radicular syndromes in osteochondrosis and spondyloarthrosis. In newborns, the Shants soft bandage should be used only as prescribed by a doctor! Its improper use can lead to atrophy of the neck muscles. In addition to the above-mentioned indications, its wearing is prescribed (the wearing time is determined by the doctor) for such complex conditions as: - hyperexcitability; - depression of the central nervous system; - movement disorders; - short neck syndrome.

Splint collar Shantsa for adults Orto Splint collar Shantsa for adults Price: 600 rub.

Available sizes: 53/10, 53/11, 53/7.5, 53/9

Splint collar Shantsa for children -50% Orto Splint collar Shantsa for children Price: 550275 rub.

Available sizes: 42/5.5

Neck pillow Hilberd Neck pillow Price: 4320 rub.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of “modern man”, associated primarily with upright posture, a sedentary lifestyle, and rare but intense exercise.

How to put on and how long to wear the Shants orthopedic collar.

Step 1. Selection of size. To do this, measure the distance from the angle of the lower jaw to the middle of the collarbone and the circumference of the neck. Step 2. Putting on the orthopedic splint. The skin of the neck should be dry and clean. The chin is placed in the notch on the upper edge of the splint. Using a clasp located at the back, it is secured to the neck, then check how well it is secured. The orthosis should only be worn on the naked body, and not on clothing. When putting on the Shants collar, there should not be strong pressure and a feeling of compression, pinching of blood vessels, or dizziness. To check that it is put on correctly, place a finger under the fixed collar. If the finger passes, then the tire is put on correctly. An orthopedic specialist will tell you how to maintain an optimal balance of fixation and circulation of blood vessels. A well-chosen collar in height should: in the back - at the bottom touch the collar area, and at the top reach the base of the skull; in the front - the bottom rests on the clavicle bone, and the top supports the lower jaw. When the collar is put on correctly, there should be no possibility of tilting the head or throwing it back. The effect of wearing may be enhanced if you perform a light massage of the neck area before putting it on.

The Shants collar is a noteworthy invention that allows one to resist many diseases. Wearing such an orthopedic device brings tangible help to diseased blood vessels, joints, and muscles.

ATTENTION! All information posted on this site is advisory in nature. In each individual case, consultation with a specialist is necessary. October 19, 2018

Corset for cervical hernias

There are many types of cervical corsets, which are selected individually, taking into account the size and location of the hernia, its direction and other factors. Here are the most common types of neck corsets:

Semi-rigid

Needed to relieve the spine and fix the affected area. The product prevents excessive tension and muscle spasms, performs micromassage and has a slight warming effect.

Semi-rigid collars are worn not only for cervical hernias, they are also indicated:

• for radiculitis;
• osteochondrosis;
• long-term driving or flying;
• heavy physical activity.

Hard

It consists of plastic parts and metal plates that rigidly fix the position of the neck. The soft finish makes the product comfortable for the patient. The design is indicated mainly in the early stages of rehabilitation after surgery. Corsets are worn only as prescribed by a doctor for no longer than a few hours a day. You cannot use a corset all the time, since it takes the entire load that should fall on the back muscles - this is fraught with their dystrophy.

Shants collar

The design is made of durable and at the same time soft, elastic material. May be:

• soft, designed for delicate fixation of the cervical vertebrae;
• semi-rigid - with a built-in plastic tire and a soft coating on top.

The Shants collar is comfortable for the patient, as it easily adapts to the individual anatomical shape of the neck. It should be worn regularly to stabilize the vertebrae and strengthen the muscle corset.

Orthosis

The most rigid structure, which consists of plastic and metal elements. Limits all types of movements:

• rotation;
• flexion;
• extension.

You can wear an orthosis only as prescribed by a doctor, as a rule, after surgery to remove a hernia and replace an intervertebral joint. The time of use of the structure is limited to 2-3 hours a day. If you wear the brace longer, this can lead to problems with your back muscles. The structure will take on the entire load; after a long absence of load, the muscles will lose tone.

Collar

A simple product that is worn around the neck and secured with Velcro. Acts as a travel pillow for flights: it supports the neck and helps relieve muscles. Suitable for preventing the formation of hernias and during periods of remission when the patient does not suffer from pain.