| Cast (orthopedic) |
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Information AboutCast (orthopedic) |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ORTHOPEDIC CAST | |
| orthopedics | |
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A cast is a shell, frequently made from Plaster , encasing a Limb (or, in some cases, large portions of the body) to hold a broken Bone (or bones) in place until it has healed. Real plaster bandages contain Plaster Of Paris , which hardens out after it has been made wet due to a chemical reaction. Nowadays Fiberglass is often used instead of plaster as it is lighter and dries faster. However, real plaster can be more easily moulded to make a snug and therefore more comfortable fit. In addition, real plaster is much smoother and does not snag clothing or abrade the skin. Plaster casts are generally made available only to patients who insist on them because they take more time to apply. When a walking heel is applied, as in the photo at right, the cast is quite easy to walk in and the toes stay out of water because they are 6 or 7 cm off the ground. An equally high heeled clog or shoe should be worn on the other foot to even out ones gait. The walking heel is much less obtrusive than the canvas cast shoes often used to protect the cast. These shoes keep the toes in the dirt, catch on things and make the wearer look like she has a club foot. When the sole of a leg cast is extrended to the tip of the toes the cast is said to have a toeplate. This addition protects the toes from trauma and generally improves the appearance of the cast. When the cast is non weight bearing and the patient is on crutches with the toes swinging through they often collide with other objects. The toeplate protects them from this trauma, particularly when the patient is wearing a long leg cast. In that situation she has very little control over the location of her toes and needs all the protection she can get. With the bottom of the toes protected from the dirt of the street there is little need to bother with covering the toes with a sock. In warm climates leaving the toes open to the air greatly improves patient comfort and if the toes are brightly painted (''bright red or hot pink attract the most attention''), showing them off gives the patient the feeling that she is in charge of her look by making a fashion statement. Toeplates are infrequently used in the USA, because it takes more time to build this cast and requires the skills of a better technician to apply it. |
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