Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a committee-certified plastic surgeon with specialist training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery.

Michael Menna of DO is accredited by the Board of Emergency Medicine. He is an attending emergency physician at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, and also works in an emergency care center and a telemedicine company that provides care to patients across the country.

After a bone fractures, it needs rest and support to heal normally. Orthopedics use plaster to support and protect injured bones. Plaster is a strong support bandage that can be wrapped around the limbs all the time.

Castings come in many shapes and sizes, but the two most commonly used castings are gypsum and fiberglass. Although casts can be uncomfortable and troublesome, they are an effective way to treat fractures.

Although fiberglass materials are relatively new, many of the castings used today are still made of gypsum. When performing fracture reduction (repositioning of the bone), plaster models are most often used.

The reason for using a cast after repositioning the bone is that the cast fits the patient well, so it can support the bone more accurately. When the bone is misaligned and manipulated back into place, a cast can be used to help keep the bone in the correct position.

The problem with gypsum is that it is heavy and must be kept dry. Gypsum models are a burden on patients due to their bulky and heavy materials. In addition, water can distort the shape of the casting, which may cause healing problems if the casting gets wet.

When the bone is not misaligned or the healing process has begun, a fiberglass model is usually installed. Fiberglass castings are lighter, more wear-resistant, and more breathable than plaster. Fiberglass castings are stronger than plaster and require less maintenance.

The vast majority of castings used today are fiberglass. Another advantage of fiberglass that attracts many people (not just children) is that it has a variety of colors and is easy to "dress up".

Both plaster and glass fiber castings are wrapped in several layers of cotton to protect the skin. Keeping this cotton clean and dry is essential to your comfort. There is a special type of filler material that can be used under glass fiber castings to wet the castings. Ask your healthcare provider if you are interested in "waterproof" plaster.

Castings can also be distinguished from splint materials. Splints are often referred to by other names, such as soft plaster or temporary plaster.

When stricter fixation is not required, or in the early stages after a fracture occurs, a splint is usually used. For example, few patients leave the emergency room of a hospital with a cast. Instead, after their fracture is diagnosed, they are usually splinted. The splint can be made of a variety of materials

The advantage of the splint in this case is that there is more room for expansion. A potentially devastating complication of plaster treatment after fracture is compartment syndrome. This happens when too much pressure builds up inside the body, and it may happen when swelling occurs in the space confined by the cast after the fracture.

Although compartment syndrome usually causes severe pain, it is difficult to distinguish from normal fracture pain after a fracture, so most healthcare providers do not want to risk complications and therefore use splints to ensure that there is Enough space for swelling. 

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Cleveland Clinic. Plaster and splint. Updated on April 16, 2017.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Care of plaster and splint. Updated in August 2015.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Atrioventricular syndrome. Updated in October 2009.

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