Cast Care

Cast Care rule #1: Take good care of your cast so it can take good care of you. A cast is a rigid support tube that keeps the broken ends of your bone touching and aligned so the bone heals anatomically true. Without a cast your broken bones may heal crooked or not at all.

There are two broad types of cast: plaster and plastic. Plaster gypsum casts look chalky white, crack if hit hard, and get soft if wet. Plastic casts are epoxy like honey to clear colored newer casts which are extremely durable and need very little care. We'll be talking about good ole' plaster casts as they are the most common and also need the most care.

After straightening a broken bone plaster is applied over a cotton bandage using a damp roll of Plaster of Paris mesh which is spun around your bone like a roll of toilet paper rolled around your arm. As the water evaporates the cast gets very warm and hard. The cotton underneath protects your skin from the heat and from rubbing against the rocky cast. By the next day your cast has cured and is a strong support tube for your healing bone.

Cast Care

• Keep your affected limb propped up on a pillow when resting to avoid swelling.
• Exercise any joints sticking out from the cast e.g. your toes or fingers, to prevent stiffness.
• Do not Wet your cast. This will crack it and a new one will need to applied.
• Do not Cut your plaster cast yourself - go back to have it trimmed or loosened if needed. Doctors use a non sharp saw like a vibrating pizza cutter to cut casts without cutting your skin. Never use a box cutter, power saw, or razor or you'll cut yourself!
• Do not Stand on your cast, or rest on any hard surfaces like the back of a chair for the first day as the plaster needs time to set to full strength.
• Cast graffiti with pens, markers, and pens is fine. A well decorated cast can make a snazzy momento to keep after it's removed.
  

Cast Change

1. You need to have your cast changed If it gets soft or cracks.
2. You develop increasing pain, numbness, or pins and needles or your toes or fingers turn blue. These are signs that your cast is too tight and cutting off blood flow. Not good!
3. Your cast stinks. Pew. This can be a sign of infection.

And remember to keep all follow up appointments!

DoctorSecrets! "Xrays CAN see through a plastic cast so you don't have to take it off for a bone position check".

Itchy Cast Remedy

 

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