Subscribe to our newsletter. Orthopedic surgeons commonly use casts to support and protect injured bones. While casts are uncomfortable and cumbersome, they are an effective and efficient method to treat fractures and prevent further problems.
Casts come in many shapes and sizes, but the two most common types are plaster and fiberglass.
These types of casts are custom fit to the patient. Plaster casts are commonly placed around a broken bone soon after the injury. These casts are padded with bulky cotton and wrapped in ace bandages to make them comfortable to the patient. The reason plaster is used initially after the injury is that plaster casts can be easily fitted to allow for swelling of the extremity beneath the cast. If this were not accounted for, swelling could impair circulation in the arm or leg and cause further problems.