About your visit
We have examined you and we have ascertained that you have broken your leg. We have put your leg in a plaster splint to stabilise and support the leg while the fracture heals. You have borrowed a set of crutches for support while wearing the cast.
The cast will be removed in _____ weeks.
Contact your general practitioner if your condition deteriorates
Call your general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours if:
- your toes become pale, cold and numb
- your toes begin to feel numb and tingly
- the cast feels too tight or begins to chafe
- the cast cracks
- the cast means that you cannot do your exercises
- the cast gets wet or becomes loose
- pain increases.
Take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain
You can take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine can be bought over the counter. Take only the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package. Contact your general practitioner if you need help managing the pain.
Protect the cast
The cast will harden quickly but will not be completely dry for 24 hours. Therefore, try not to cover it with clothes for the first 24 hours. Also try not to bump into anything to avoid dents in the cast.
We recommend that you cover the cast with a plastic bag when showering. Make sure the top of the bag is well sealed so the cast does not get wet. We recommend sitting when you are showering.
The cast can cause irritation
It is normal to experience the following:
- Sweating and itching under the cast.
- Blood accumulation or bruises that spread to the toes. These symptoms will disappear without treatment.
If the cast has sharp edges that causes irritation, call the Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic. See the contact information. Outside of the clinics opening hours contact the medical helpline at 1813.
Avoid inserting objects to relieve itching
Do not insert objects, such as a knitting needle, into the cast to relieve itching. You risk damaging the skin and causing sores.
Keep your foot elevated and wiggle your toes
Rest your foot as much as possible for the first week. Elevate your foot to a level higher than your heart when sitting down. Wiggle your toes to reduce swelling. Make sure you sleep with your leg elevated.
Adjust the crutches
The crutches must be adjusted so they fit your height. Crutches have the correct height when you can hold onto the crutches with a straight back, relaxed shoulders, and your arms fall to your side with a slight bend at the elbow.
Remember to adjust the crutches again after the cast is removed. Your back may begin to ache if the crutches are too low. If the crutches are too high, your neck and shoulders may begin to ache.
Avoid driving
You are not allowed to drive a car as long as you have the cast on.
Check-ups
If you need a check-up, we will call you about the time and place or notify you digitally or by physical letter. On www.minsundhedsplatform.dk (in Danish only) you can see a summary of your treatment programme. You can also download the MinSP app to your phone. Log on with your MitID.
Exercises
Move your leg right away
Do the exercises while you are wearing the cast. The exercises will maintain the muscular function in your leg. If your leg begins to hurt while doing the exercises, take a 30 minute break and then continue doing the exercises.
How to do the exercises
To activate the venous pump and the muscles in your leg, complete the exercises every hour and repeat each exercise five to ten times:
- Exercise the joints you can move. Bend and stretch your hip, toes and your knee if possible. Bend and stretch as much as the cast allows you to.
- Tighten and relax your calf and thigh muscles.
We will show you how to do the exercises at your check-up.
Worth knowing
Learn more
Learn more about leg in a cast at www.patienthaandbogen.dk (In Danish only). Search for ’Gipsbehandling’ or ’Knoglebrud, generelt’.