EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

CARE OF YOUR CAST

Your cast is important for proper healing of your broken bone or injured tissue. You can help by following these instructions.

An arm cast takes 24 hours to dry.

A leg cast takes 48 hours to dry.

1. DO elevate the cast on a pillow as much as possible, especially for the first two days.
2. DO exercise fingers or toes (for example, wiggling) frequently.
3. DO NOT cover the cast (no pants over leg casts) until it has dried.
4. DO NOT walk on a walking cast for the first 48 hours.
5. DO NOT stick anything in the cast to scratch area.

If in the involved extremity there is any:

a. Blueness
b. Coldness
c. Swelling (not relieved by elevation)
d. Loss of feeling or movement
e. Any sores appear on skin at the edge of the cast

NOTIFY YOUR ATTENDING DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Prevent the cast from becoming wet or soiled.

Should the cast become soft or cracked or qcquire an offensive odour, immediately notify the hospital.

The length of time your cast stays on depends on the severity of your injury. Your doctor will indicate the approximate time you will need the cast.

If you for any reason you are concerned about your cast or your injury, do not hesitate to call your family doctor or the physician you were instructed to contact at the time the cast was applied.