You will wear a cast for the necessary time of your treatment: it can last 3 weeks, 1 month or more ... The doctor will decide when to stop the treatment and remove the cast. At home, on a daily basis, you will have to be attentive to several elements to be sure that healing takes place in good conditions.
The first days - Avoid edema
During the first days, when returning home, it is very important to elevate the injured limb to avoid possible edema (swelling of the limb).
When you are sitting:
• If it is the arm or wrist that is put in a cast, you can put your elbow on the table or elevate your arm with a pillow
• If it is the leg or ankle, you can elevate your leg by using a stool with a cushion
When you are lying down:
• You can wedge your arm or leg in place with a cushion
• In the case of an injured leg, you can raise the feet of the bed with wedges
It is also important to move your fingers or toes frequently.
Signs to watch for
In the hours following the positioning of the cast:
• If it is difficult or impossible to move your fingers or toes
• If your fingers or toes are swollen, very pale, cold or bluish
• If you are in pain when you move your fingers or toes
• If you feel intense tinglings
• If you feel that your calf or thigh is swollen or painful
In all these situations, go to the hospital emergency room, day or night. It may be necessary to split the cast to loosen, and then consolidate it.
In the first days after the fracture
If the cast becomes “too large”, the limb can move inside. You will have to go to the emergency room at the hospital. Indeed, the cast is inefficient. It will be necessary to remake it.
At any time during treatment
If the edge of the plaster hurts or irritates your skin line the cast with an elastic tape available in pharmacies. If you notice the following points go to the hospital:
• The plaster changes color or a task appears on the cast
• The cast smells very bad
• You can move the immobilized limb (this may be a sign that the cast is damaged or split inside)
Don't get your cast wet
It is very important not to wet your cast because it can lead to complications, itching, mold, infections, and unpleasant odors. Also, going back to the hospital to remake a cast can be very expensive. That's why it is very important to keep your cast dry and invest in a Waterproof Cast Cover, allowing you to take showers without worries. It covers the entire cast and the patented vacuum seal guarantees that water and moisture cannot infiltrate. It is a must-have to take shower or swim without worrying about the consequences of water on a cast. If you want more information about our waterproof cast cover, you can click here.
If you want more tips to improve your quality of life during your recovery, come see our other articles here!
