Abstract: A substrate suitable for use in a water hardenable orthopaedic splinting bandage is formed from a knitted fabric in which the yarn running along the length of the substrate is from a heat shrinkable yarn so that after heat treatment the substrate is stretchable in the lengthwise direction. The heat shrinkable yarn is suitably a polyester or polyamide and the non-heat shrinkable yarn is suitably a different polyester or polypropylene. Preferably the substrate has a lengthwise extension of not less than 5% and not more than 30%. A water hardenable orthopaedic bandage in which the substrate is impregnated with a water curable resin particularly an isocyanate-containing resin is also described.