Any of us who have ever broken a bone know that having to wear a cast or splint for any length of time can be a frustrating and irritating nuisance. As days grow to weeks, one of the most common problems caused by wearing a cast is chafing – but with some proper care and Body Glide® Original Anti-Chafe Balm, your time in a cast can go just a bit more smoothly – until that glorious day you can finally take it off.
Here are some helpful tips to keep you and your new cast healthy and chafe-free:
Chafing from Casts Prevention Tips
Keep Your Cast Clear of Irritants
Staying chafe-free while being in your cast is as much about your skin itself as it is about the health of your cast. Keeping dirt, lint, sand, and other irritants away from the edges of your cast will help avoid irritating your skin.
- Do not pull on or attempt to adjust the padding inside your cast. Doing this can cause it to bunch up in ways that may chafe and irritate you more than if you leave it alone.
- If you have been given support tools such as a sling or crutches, use them whenever possible. Follow our helpful crutches guide to help you avoid chafing and pain from having to use these as well.
Keep Your Cast Away from Moisture
As we all know moisture and friction combine to cause blisters and chafing. If your cast gets wet it can trap moisture near your skin, wearing down its protective barrier. This could cause you painful irritation, chafing, blistering or even an infection! Therefore (as we’re sure your doctor has told you) keeping your cast dry is very important – not only to avoid chafing and blisters but for your overall health and integrity of your cast.
- When you take a bath or shower, keep your cast completely out of the water and cover it with two large heavy-duty plastic bags that are tied off or taped at the top. It may also help to wrap a washcloth or small hand towel at the top of your cast to make sure no water seeps in under the cast.
- If your cast gets slightly wet, pat it dry with a towel and try drying it with a hairdryer set on the cool setting for 15-30 minutes. If the cast is still soft or is soaking or wet, call your doctor’s office. You may need to have a new cast put on.
Chafing Causes from Casts
Swelling, itching & irritation around your cast is very common even if you manage to keep your cast as clean and dry as possible. Use Body Glide® Anti Chafe Balms to avoid any painful chafing or rashes from swelling, itching or irritation around the outside areas of your cast.
Swelling:
- You may experience swelling inside your cast for the first 48-72 hours, which will make your cast feel snug or tight causing friction and chafing, especially around the edges of your cast. To reduce the swelling, elevate your arm or leg above your heart by using a pillow or recliner. Elevation helps fluid and blood to drain away from the affected area.
- Icing can also help with swelling. Place ice in a zip-top plastic bag or use an ice pack. Gently wrap the ice around your cast near the spot of your injury. Be careful not to get your cast wet.
- Rub Body Glide® Original along the periphery of your cast (anywhere it can rub up against exposed skin) to provide moisture and a protective barrier around your skin. One application lasts all day and keeps your skin protected – allowing your cast to more smoothly glide over your skin, instead of digging into it.
Itching & Irritation
- If you have an itch inside your cast, do not stick any objects inside your cast to scratch your skin. You will risk puncturing your skin or harming the cast, which can mean a longer recovery time. Instead, try to moisturize your skin by applying a thin layer of Body Glide® Original to these affected areas. This can reduce the feeling of needing to itch these areas by keeping the skin protected and friction-free.
- Do not attempt to break off any rough edges of your cast or trim it. If you are experiencing some chafing or irritation from the cast rubbing against your exposed skin, apply a layer of Body Glide® over the affected area. Our plant based, non-greasy, anti-chafing formula will help the cast more smoothly glide over your skin reducing the friction and irritation. Areas where your cast rubs against exposed skin like the forearm, fingers, legs or thighs, will be most susceptible to chafing and irritation – and using Body Glide® balm on these areas will help keep you pain and chafe-free.
We hope that these tips can help make your time in your cast go by a little smoother. Treating your cast and your body well will lead to a faster recovery allowing you to get back to doing what you love. Whether you are on the field, on the court or on the mend use Body Glide® products to stay blister and chafe-free.
