Patient Information

Bones and joints leaflets

Plaster Room
Colchester Hospital
Tel: 01206 742 199

 

Instructions to Patients with Plaster of Paris and Synthetic Casts, Splints and Supports

 

Don’ts

  • Don’t stand or press on your plaster of Paris cast for 48 hours or your synthetic cast for 30 minutes
  • Don’t write on your plaster until it is dry
  • Don’t get it wet
  • Don’t poke anything down under your plaster
  • Don’t keep your sling on longer than instructed
  • Don’t cut, knock or bump your plaster
  • Don’t walk on temporary casts at any time

Do’s

  • Do exercise your fingers, toes, shoulder and elbow joints
  • Do elevate your plastered limb, whenever possible
  • Do use crutches as instructed. Please return them when no longer needed

Please telephone:
01206 742 199 during office hours or
01206 742 117 (Emergency Department) outside of office hours, if any of the following appear:

  • severe pain
  • marked swelling which does not reduce when you lift them up
  • blueness or discoloration
  • inability to move fingers/toes
  • numbness or pins and needles

or if your cast:

  • cracks
  • softens
  • becomes loose, or is otherwise uncomfortable.

Please take care of your plaster.  It takes time to apply and costs between £10 and £150.

 

Accessibility

The Recite feature on this website attempts to provide digital accessibility and translation support. If you would like to make a request for a leaflet to be produced in a different format please see our PALS contact page in order to contact the team and make a request. If you require a translation please see our translation information page. ESNEFT are actively attempting to achieve accessibility regulation compliance under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No.2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

© East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, 2021.
All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced in whole, or in part,
without the permission of the copyright owner.

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