How to make life easier when wearing an arm or leg cast

Wearing a cast is a nuisance. Sure, you get to decorate it with pretty pictures, but the novelty soon disappears when dressing and bathing become difficult — and you start to itch! We FEEL YOUR PAIN, which is why we have put together some ideas to make your life easier while wearing an arm or leg cast.

Getting dressed

The daily ritual of dressing and undressing can become a daily ‘headache’ when a cast is involved. A simple solution is to wear clothes that are easy to get on and off. For example, if you wear an arm cast, choose short-sleeve shirts or shirts with no sleeves. For a leg cast, wear basketball shorts or baggy tracksuit pants. You needn’t ‘break the bank.’ For some temporary clothing, head down to your local ‘pre-loved’ clothing store.

Showering

It is important to keep your cast dry because water under a cast causes skin irritations, mould and mildew build-up as well as infections. So, when taking a bath or shower, wear a waterproof cast cover, which is designed to protect against water.  Don’t bother with the commonly employed plastic bag with rubber bands; that will just elevate your stress levels.

Eat well

When trying to heal broken bones it is especially important to eat the right foods. So, make sure you feed your body plenty of the following:

• Calcium is critical for bone health. Foods high in calcium include kale, salmon, sardines and sea vegetables, like kelp and kombu. Yoghurt is also good.
• Zinc causes a chemical reaction necessary for building bones. Foods containing zinc include spinach, oysters, pumpkin seeds and some types of beef.
• Vitamin C is also essential for bone health. Citrus fruits, like oranges, strawberries and tomatoes, contain plenty of this essential vitamin.
• Vitamin D helps bones absorb calcium, and milk is a reliable source.
• Vitamin K1 helps bones fuse together and create new bone mass. Kale, broccoli and cabbage are rich in vitamin K1.

Don’t smoke, drink too much coffee and alcohol or overindulge in red meat. Doing these things will slow down your healing process.

Exercise

When recovering from a broken bone, don’t neglect the other body parts of your body.  Here is some useful information on exercising with a leg cast.

Soothe that itch

An itch under your cast can be enough to drive you mad. So, if you’re experiencing itchiness, you’ll be glad to know there are a couple of remedies. Moisture under the cast lining is usually the culprit so applying talcum powder can help, though tight casts can make this difficult. Another option is to use a blow dryer to blow cold air into your cast, or hold a household vacuum cleaner against your fiberglass cast to pull cold air into your cast, to help keep your cast fresh by removing moisture from the lining of your cast.

We hope you have gotten a few ideas from this post on how to make a living with a cast easier. 

Further Support and Guidance

Please note that the above guide is advisory only and should not replace any medical support or guidance.  We recommend asking any questions you may have regarding your cast and injury during consultations.  Do always take care with your cast, and never over-exert yourself.

About Heather Gatland

Chief Cast Cover Checker at Cast Covers NZ

After finding that Waterproof Cast Covers made life with a leg cast so much easier for showering and swimming, Heather wanted to help others to also have an easier recovery. So after extensively researching and extensively testing Cast Cover brands worldwide, Heather founded Cast Covers NZ in 2015. With her 5 years of “hands-on” experience working with medical professionals, hospitals, extensive business experience and Chartered Accountant qualification, Heather knows all the ins and outs of the Cast Covers market. Heather’s goal of helping kiwis, like herself has come true. Heather still loves researching and sharing her findings on the Cast Covers blog as well as enjoys supporting customers in getting back to feeling happy and active during their recovery.

Next Post →