Caring for Your Cast

Instructions

Here are a few tips to maintain cast effectiveness and maximize your comfort.

Keep It Clean. 

Don’t put or insert anything into your cast.

Keep It Elevated.

Keep your casted extremity above your heart as much as you can.

For lower extremities, lie back on a couch or bed and put cushions under your leg(s) so your heel is at about chin level. You can also lie on the floor and put your legs up on a couch or chair.

For upper extremities, raise your arm in the air for a few minutes periodically or lie down and prop your arm up so it’s higher than your heart.

Keep It Dry.

In the shower, be sure your cast is sealed from moisture. (Ask us about great products available!)

Keep Checking On It.

This is especially important for parents with a small child who is in a non-removable cast or splint. Inspect cast regularly for:

    • wetness
    • objects lodged inside the cast
    • questionable structural integrity

Any of these issues can reduce effectiveness of the cast and increase risk of skin irritation and/or infection, so if you observe any of the above, contact OPA for advice:

Anchorage: 907-562-2277
Wasilla: 907-357-2267

When To Call OPA

If your cast hurts.

Casts are not supposed to hurt, so if your cast hurts (not pain from your injury) please visit us as soon as possible. We will do our best to alleviate the issue.

If you’re about to fly.

If you are going to be on an airplane for longer than an hour, please stop by on the day of your trip or a day or two before. We will make the cast or splint easier to remove in the event you experience some circulation issues while in the air.

If you get your cast wet.

If your cast gets wet inside or you have any questions about its integrity, please call us and we’ll advise you on what to do.

If you have any questions or concerns, call us. We are here to help!

Questions?

The OPA team includes Alaska’s leading specialists and offers some of the latest, most advanced treatment procedures available today.

OPA treats a wide variety of conditions and offers comprehensive treatment options — including many non-surgical solutions, minimally invasive arthroscopies (repairs), and total joint replacement.

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