You will be going home from the hospital with a plaster cast in place. A cast helps your body heal by holding your injured bones or joints in place. A damaged cast can keep the injury from healing well. Take good care of your cast. If the cast becomes damaged, it may need to be replaced. You have
a broken ___________________ bone. This bone is located in your ____________. Keep the cast dry. A wet cast can crumble and fall apart. Avoid all activities in which the cast could get wet. Take special care to keep the cast dry when you bathe or shower. Wrap the cast in plastic bags. Use heavy tape or rubber bands to secure the plastic so that water won’t leak in. Don’t soak the cast in water, even if it’s
wrapped in plastic. If you must go out in rain or snow, cover the cast with waterproof clothing or plastic. Use a hair dryer turned to the “cool” setting to dry a cast that has become wet. Call your healthcare provider if the cast has not dried in 24 hours. Don’t stick things in the cast, even to scratch the skin. Objects put in the cast may get stuck. Your skin may be cut and become infected. If your skin itches, try blowing air into
the cast with a hair dryer turned to the cool setting. Don’t cut or tear the cast. Cover any rough edges of the cast with cloth tape or moleskin. [You can buy this at a pharmacy.] Never try to remove the cast yourself. Don’t pick at the padding of the cast. Padding protects your skin and must be kept intact.Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Plaster Cast
Home care
Exercise all the nearby joints not immobilized by the cast. If you have a long leg cast, exercise your hip joint and your toes. If you have an arm cast or splint, exercise your shoulder, elbow, thumb, and fingers.
Elevate the part of your body that is in the cast above the level of your heart. This helps reduce swelling.
Follow-up care
Make a follow-up appointment with your healthcare provider, or as advised.
When to call your healthcare provider
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these:
Tingling or numbness of the injured body part
Severe pain that cannot be relieved
Cast that feels too tight or too loose
Swelling, coldness, or blue-gray color in the fingers or toes
Cast that is damaged, cracked, or has rough edges that hurt
Cast that gets wet and doesn’t dry within 24 hours
Cast care: Do's and don'ts
A cast can't do its job without proper care. Find out the basics of cast care, from keeping a cast clean to knowing when to call the doctor.
By Mayo Clinic StaffIf your child breaks a bone, a cast can help support and protect the injury as it heals. But a cast can't do its job without proper care. Find out more about the basics of cast care.
What are the different types of casts?
Casts are custom-made to fit and support injured limbs. There are two main types of casts:
- Plaster casts. Plaster casts are easier to mold for some uses than are fiberglass casts. Plaster casts are also generally less expensive.
- Fiberglass casts. These plastic casts are typically lighter and more durable than plaster casts. Also, X-rays penetrate fiberglass casts better than plaster casts — making it easier for your doctor to examine your child's bones while he or she is still wearing the cast.
What can be done to reduce swelling?
Swelling can cause your child's cast to feel tight and uncomfortable. To reduce swelling:
- Elevate the affected area. For the first 24 to 72 hours after your child's cast is applied, use pillows to raise the cast above the level of your child's heart. Your child will need to recline if the cast is on a leg.
- Apply ice. Loosely wrap an ice pack covered in a thin towel around your child's cast at the level of the injury. Wrapping the ice is important to keep the cast dry. Ice that's packed in a rigid container and touches the cast at only one point won't be as effective.
- Keep moving. Encourage your child to frequently move the fingers or toes of the injured limb.
What can I do if my child wants to scratch under the cast?
A cast can cause your child's underlying skin to feel itchy. To relieve itchy skin, turn a hair dryer on a cool setting and aim it under the cast.
Don't allow your child to stick objects, such as a coat hanger, inside the cast to scratch his or her skin. This could cause an injury or infection.
Is it OK to get a cast wet?
That depends on the type of cast your child has. In general, casts are meant to stay dry. A wet cast can lead to skin irritation or infection.
Plaster casts and fiberglass casts with conventional padding aren't waterproof. Keep your child's cast dry during baths or showers by covering it with two layers of plastic, sealed with a rubber band or duct tape. Avoid swimming while wearing a cast that isn't waterproof.
A fiberglass cast that has a waterproof liner can get wet. Only certain types of breaks can be treated with a waterproof cast and liner. Ask your doctor if it's safe for your child to get his or her cast wet.
If the cast does get wet, you might be able to dry out the inside padding with a hair dryer. Use a low heat setting to avoid burning or irritating the skin.
How can my child keep his or her cast in good shape?
Try these tips:
- Keep it clean. Keep dirt and sand away from the inside of your child's cast.
- Skip toiletries. Avoid placing powder, lotion or deodorant on or near the cast.
- Leave adjustments to your child's doctor. Don't pull the padding out of your child's cast. Don't trim the cast or break off rough edges without first asking your child's doctor.
What else do I need to know about my child's cast?
Contact your child's doctor immediately if your child:
- Feels increasing pain and tightness in the injured limb
- Feels numbness or tingling in the injured hand or foot
- Feels burning or stinging under the cast
- Develops excessive swelling below the cast
- Can't move the toes or fingers of his or her injured limb, or they become blue or cold
- Says the cast feels too tight or too loose
- Develops red or raw skin around the cast
- Develops a crack, soft spots or a foul odor in the cast, or gets the cast soaking wet and doesn't dry it properly
Caring for a child's cast isn't always easy. Remind your child that taking care of the cast will help minimize discomfort during the healing process.
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May 04, 2022
- Derby R, et al. General principles of acute fracture management. //uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 25, 2018.
- Eiff MP, et al. General principles of fracture care. In: Fracture Management for Primary Care, Updated Edition. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2018. //www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 25, 2018.
- Care of casts and splints. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. //orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/care-of-casts-and-splints/. Accessed Jan. 25, 2018.
- Safran MR, et al. Cast care. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. //www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 25, 2018.
- Pfenninger JL, et al. Casts immobilization and upper extremity splinting. In: Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Mosby; 2011. //www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 27, 2018.
- Hoecker JL [expert opinion]. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 27, 2018.
- Dehn RW, et al. Casting and splinting. In: Essential Clinical Procedures. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013. //www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 27, 2018.
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