What Does Fracture Casting Treat?

A cast surrounds part of a limb and limits movement at the injured bone and nearby joints. Clinicians may use casting for injuries such as an ankle fracture, distal radius fracture, growth plate fracture, or some scaphoid fractures, depending on the break, alignment, swelling, and the person's stage of healing. A cast does not repair every fracture; some injuries need a splint, a procedure, or surgery instead. The material may be plaster or fibreglass.

Sometimes a closed reduction is performed before the cast so the bone can be aligned without an operation. After the cast is removed, physiotherapy may help restore movement, strength, balance, and confidence.

Keep the cast dry and do not insert objects inside it to scratch. Follow the instructions about elevation, movement of the free fingers or toes, and weight bearing. Check the skin at the edges without trimming or altering the cast. Attend scheduled reviews so alignment, swelling, and healing can be reassessed.

Contact the treating team promptly if pain or tightness is increasing, fingers or toes become numb, pale, blue, or cold, swelling does not ease with elevation, or you cannot move them as instructed. Seek urgent care for severe pain that is not settling, a damaged or wet cast, foul odour with drainage, or sudden shortness of breath or chest pain.

Ask what fracture pattern the cast is supporting, how much weight or movement is allowed, and when it should be checked. Clarify how to protect the cast, which symptoms mean it is too tight, and when rehabilitation should begin.