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Patients in an Arm Cast.

You have been treated for with an Arm Cast. You have had a thorough examination and are now considered fit to be discharged. The following instructions will aid your recovery.

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Please read the instructions on caring for your cast carefully and undertake the recommended exercises. The exercises, if performed regularly, will help to promote healing of your fracture and will help to ensure that function is returned as quickly as possible.

You should:

Keep the limb raised when resting.
Leave the plaster uncovered for the first night.
Keep fingers moving.
Contact the hospital if the plaster becomes soft, cracked, loose, tight, rubs or digs in to your arm.
Exercise the shoulder every hour to prevent stiffness.
Exercise the elbow if it is free of plaster.
Practise making a tight fist at least 10 times every hour.

You should not:

Allow the cast to get wet, but keep it clean and dry.
Scratch the skin beneath the plaster or stick anything inside the cast.
Dry the plaster by heating it.
Heat the plaster as it is a good conductor and retainer of heat. Heating could cause a burn.

After any injury you can expect swelling and pain. Please remember the following:

When not using your arm please remember to rest it across your chest with the fingers on the opposite shoulder.
When at rest your arm should ideally be supported on pillows or cushions and should be higher than your heart.
Try to use your hand and arm as normally as is possible. However, you should not attempt to lift anything heavy. Even an iron or full kettle may prove too heavy for some.

Exercises

Make a fist and then straighten all your fingers and thumb out and then spread them apart. Use your other hand to achieve this if necessary.

Bend and straighten the thumb (if not included in the cast) again using your other hand to assist. Also make circular movements with the thumb.
Touch your thumb tip with your index fingertip, then spread them apart. Repeat with each fingertip. Do 10 of each of these exercises, if possible, every hour. It is important to do these frequently to avoid your hand becoming swollen and stiff.

Touch the palm of your hand to the opposite shoulder and then straighten your arm fully.
Lift your arm above your head and then lower it.
Fold your arms across your chest and then spread them apart.
Make circular movements with the shoulder.

You should not:

Continue exercising if your limb becomes increasingly painful.

Please ring the plaster room 01296 315743 straight away or attend the Emergency Department.

NB: The sling may be discarded once you get home unless the cast goes above your elbow.

Contact the plaster room at once if:

Plaster feels too tight or loose.
There is any unusual smell.
There is an increase in pain in the limb.
Your limb becomes numb or you experience pins and needles.
There is an increase in swelling.
Your fingers are discoloured (bruising to be expected).
The plaster is cracked or breaking; do not try to fix the cast yourself.
The range of movement is reduced in fingers/toes.

Please remember:

Never try to remove the cast or padding yourself.

If you have any queries or problems then please contact a member of the plaster room staff on 01296 315743 who will be happy to advise you.

The plaster room is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm.

The Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, please ring 01296 315664. Phone the plaster room before 5 pm if you have any problems or concerns.

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen (Brufen)

Your painkillers should keep you comfortable at rest and help control pain when you move.

Paracetamol is the first choice – it works well and rarely has side effects.
Take 2 tablets at a time. You can repeat the dose after 4 hours.
Take no more than 8 paracetamol tablets in 24 hours.
Keep taking paracetamol until you are free of pain.

If paracetamol taken regularly on its own does not control your pain, or the pain comes back before 4 hours are up, take an ibuprofen tablet.

You can take one ibuprofen 400 mg tablet three times a day, as well as the paracetamol.
If it causes indigestion, you should take it with food and milk and if indigestion continues, then stop the tablets.

Warning: (asthmatics and previous peptic ulcer sufferers should not take ibuprofen)

If your pain is not controlled using paracetamol and ibuprofen, contact your family doctor.

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Patients in an Arm Cast.

Exercises

Contact the plaster room at once if:

Please remember:

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen (Brufen)

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