CAST CARE
A Cast Care Guide for Recovering HROSM Patients
- Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully regarding physical activity.
- Move fingers and toes frequently to reduce swelling and prevent joint stiffness.
- If your doctor fits you with a cast-walking shoe, wear it at all times except when sleeping or showering.
- Avoid bumping or knocking the cast against any hard surface.
- Do not use anything to scratch under the cast, since it may break the skin and cause infection. If itching is a problem, tell your doctor.
- Do not put powder or perfume down your cast.
- Never stuff cotton or toilet tissue under the margins of the cast, since it may fall into the cast or decrease your circulation and cause serious medical problems.
- Never trim or cut down the length of your cast. Do not cut or remove cast padding.
- Do not get the cast wet.
Contact your doctor if you have any problems with your cast and especially if you experience any of the following signs and symptoms:
- Pain unrelieved by the medication your doctor has prescribed
- Cast feels too tight
- Cast becomes broken or cracked
- Painful rubbing or pressure develops beneath the cast
- You experience continued coldness or notice a whitish or bluish discoloration of your casted limb
- Pain, numbness or a continued tingling of the casted fingers or toes