The medical practice of immobilizing fractured limbs with a cast has been around for a long, long time. Researchers uncovered a trusted source that the earliest known surgical text, “The Edwin Smith Papyrus,” circa 1600 B.C., describes the ancient Egyptians using self-setting bandages. The plaster casts we’re familiar with today had their origins at the beginning of the 19th century. The development of fiberglass casting tape in the 1970s led to the fiberglass cast that’s currently in wide use.

POP Casts vs. Fiberglass Casts:

There are two main types of casts, POP, and fiberglass.

POP casts advantages:

• Often less expensive
• Easier moldability for various applications

Fiberglass casts advantages:

• Lightweight: Prevents muscle damage
• High strength: This product is about 90 times more durable than POP casting tapes, despite its very low weight.
• More easily penetrated by X-Rays: Clear X-ray images, without the need for cast removal.
• Better skin respiration: This product provides a better air circulation due to the pores, which significantly reduces skin infections and allergies caused by long-term casting.
• Easy to Use
• Waterproofing: Fiberglass casting tapes must first be immersed in water to activate (the procedure the doctor does for plastering) but after being tightened it is completely water-resistant, However, to prevent infection and tenderness of the injured body part, it must be kept dry.
• Colors and Patterns: Available in a variety of colors and patterns.
• Prevent sweating: a fiberglass cast can result in reduced sweating under the cast. This can improve comfort and, over time, lead to less odor developing than in a plaster cast.

How to take care of your fiberglass cast:

Here are some tips for maintaining and caring for your fiberglass cast:

• Pressure: Keep pressure and weight off your cast. If you have a walking cast for a leg injury, do not walk on it until it’s fully hardened.
• Toiletries: Keep lotion, deodorant, and powder from getting on or too close to your cast.
• Dirt: Keep sand and dirt from getting inside your cast.
• Adjustments: Do not break off rough edges or adjust the padding without first checking with your doctor.
• Moisture: If you need to dry your cast, inside or out, try using your hair dryer on the cool setting. Be very careful doing this, though. The hot setting can burn the skin under the cast.
• Itching: Do not pour anti-itch creams in the cast or try to scratch inside the cast with any object. Try using a hair dryer on the cool setting instead.
• Repair: If you notice a crack, call your doctor. Do not try to fix it yourself.
• Removal: Do not attempt to remove the cast yourself. Your doctor will do it, typically using an oscillating saw that breaks apart the rigid fiberglass.