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| Getting used to the splint or cast |
| If your treatment is to be successful, you must follow your doctor's instructions carefully. The following information provides general guidelines only, and is not a substitute for your doctor's advice. Swelling due to your injury may cause pressure in your splint or cast for the first 48 to 72 hours. This may cause your injured arm or leg to feel snug or tight in the splint or cast. To reduce the swelling: Elevate your injured arm or leg above your heart by propping it up on pillows or some other support. You will have to recline if the splint or cast is on your leg. Elevation allows clear fluid and blood to drain 'downhill' to your heart. Move your uninjured, but swollen fingers or toes gently and often. Apply ice to the splint or cast. Place the ice in a dry plastic bag or ice pack and wrap it loosely around the splint or cast at the level of the injury. Ice that is packed in a rigid container and touches the cast at only one point will not be effective. |
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