Word of the Day Spika

spica

/ˈspʌɪkə/
noun
Medicine
A bandage folded into a spiral arrangement resembling an ear of wheat or barley.

Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin, literally ‘spike, ear of corn’; related to
spina ‘spine’. The current sense is influenced by Greek stakhus ‘ear of
wheat’.

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A wrap of flexible bandage may be sufficient as a thumb spika to stabilize a mild sprain of the wrist. More often, a brace is applied with Velcro™ straps.