Your surgeon may start with a splint and then move to a cast after the swelling subsides. Often, using both a cast and a splint or boot can optimize the healing process. Your orthopaedist will take all of these factors into consideration when deciding which approach is best. Casts, Splints, or Both? Ask Your OrthopaedistĪccording to AAOS, how your orthopaedist immobilizes an injured bone depends on: Boots can also provide support after a cast is removed. Removable boots are often an alternative for minor fractures and sprains to the foot or ankle. Splints can also be a preferred treatment for sprains, some fractures, joint dislocations and soft tissue injuries in adults. Prefabricated splints are becoming the preferred treatment for partial “buckle” fractures in children. Several recent studies have shown that removable splints are just as effective and more comfortable and convenient for treating some common wrist and forearm injuries in children. They also tend to be more comfortable for patients. They’re easy to take on and off and allow your doctor to reevaluate your injury with x-rays or other diagnostic tools. In general, splints provide less support but more flexibility than a rigid cast. While these options aren’t a solution for all fractures, they work well for some patients and injuries. More and more, we’re seeing removable splints and walking boots as an alternative to casts–or used before or after a cast is put in place.
Something in the air cast skin#
Casts can cause pressure sores and skin irritations.It can cause pressure to build up and damage the muscles, nerves or blood vessels in the affected area. It occurs when a cast is put on before swelling subsides. Compartment syndrome is one of the primary concerns with rigid casts.If they get wet, drying with a blowdryer is an option.Īlong with the general discomfort that wearing a cast for six weeks can bring, medical concerns about rigid casts can arise. Fiberglass casts can also be waterproofed by using a special liner, making bathing and other activities easier. They’re also lighter and more porous than plaster so that x-rays can be taken with the cast on. However, they’re more breathable and less likely to irritate the skin. Today’s colorful, high-tech fiberglass casts function in much the same way as plaster.They can’t get wet and need to be wrapped in plastic for bathing. However, they’re usually heavier than fiberglass and can irritate the skin. They’re less expensive and easier to mold than newer materials and offer a precise fit that’s needed for some injuries. Plaster casts resemble the traditional casts many of us are familiar with from our childhoods.A cast features soft padding under a rigid surface, usually plaster or fiberglass. Sometimes a patient needs the ongoing structured support of a cast to keep an injured limb immobilized for weeks or even months.
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The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says the treatment of broken bones follows one basic rule: “the broken pieces must be put back into position and prevented from moving out of place until they are healed.” Whether a cast is needed depends on the patient, what kind of injury you have and how your doctor approaches the process. But for other injuries, orthopaedists are now opting for removable modern splints and boots that offer greater comfort and flexibility. For many fractures, casts still play a crucial role in the healing process. But casts–and other treatments for arm and leg injuries– have changed over the years. Many of us associate broken bones with a traditional plaster cast–the kind our friends would sign in grade school. Casts, Splints, or Both? Ask Your Orthopaedist.