Casts and splints

More doctors shunning cumbersome casts[1] article By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press Medical Writer Posted 4/15/2006 2:55 PM ET suggests that the black Velcro bandage strapped on to arms and legs are today's answer to the cast.

The plaster or fiberglass casts were the method of choice for fixing broken bones for years. But there are real problems with casts some times called "cast disease".

I got gangrene from a cast being on to long covering some cement rash I got at the same time I broke my wrist. A Canadian study showed that people who wore removable splints for three weeks had better physical function during treatment and afterward.

Wet casts can be a real problem so a removable cast may not only be essential under the cast but for the rest of the body.

Being able to move and exercise your limb for circulation and therapy during recovery is also essential to good health and recovery.

Of course getting the right size and style for your break may require expert advise but you can find them on Ebay and in medical supply stores.

Removable cast

What if there is no doctor or experts around to help you and you have to do with what is available.

Depending on your skill and the break you can make one with a variety of Materials.

I made one from pvc pipe and vet wrap for a ram with a broken leg and it worked really well.

PVC is light. and moldable but it is not that easy to work with. You would have to start with like thin wall 2 inch pipe which many hardware stores or plumbing supply place might have a short length just laying around.

You could make one with Plaster of Paris and gauze and then cut it away once you have the form.

You want to wrap the arm well so that the cast is not tight when you remove some of the wrapping.

Then pad it with gauze or cloth for comfort. Ace bandage or again vet wrap works good to put it on if you do not have Velcro straps.

You could even make it out of papier-mâché. This might actually be the easiest and best way for a light weight removable cast. Strips of newspaper and water and white glue and of course gauze next to the skin. Put saran wrap or cellophane on the arm while you make the mold to keep the glue from the skin.

Again you are making a removable cast so you do not need it thick for the first layers. Then cut it off ... add to it if it needs reinforcing.