At the age of 16, I started exercising regularly. This decision drastically changed my life for the better. I lost an enormous amount of weight and went down three dress sizes. Unfortunately, I had to undergo orthopedic surgery 8 years ago to remove torn cartilage from my left knee. After my surgery, I was afraid to work out due to the continual swelling in my knee. Thankfully, I made an appointment with my orthopedic doctor to talk about this issue. This medical professional prescribed a comfortable and protective knee brace for me to wear while exercising. On this blog, I hope you will discover how an orthopedic doctor can help you exercise again.
After you have suffered an injury, your orthopedist may decide that it is best for you to wear a cast for a period of time. If this is the case, you will need to make sure that you take good care of your cast to make sure that you know how to wear a cast properly so that you can recover as soon as possible.
Look for Warning Signs
You will want to inform your doctor about whether you notice any warning signs of swelling underneath the cast. You may notice pain and experience a sensation that the cast is too tight. There may be burning or tingling as you feel too much pressure underneath the cast. You may experience numbness or tingling hear your hand or foot, which can indicate that there is too much pressure being placed on your nerves. If there is too much swelling below the cast, this can indicate that the cast is cutting off blood circulation.
Use Elevation
To minimize the amount of swelling that you experience, you will want to elevate your cast for two to three days. Try to spend these days resting as much as possible. Avoid putting pressure on the cast. For example, if the cast is on your leg, make sure to use crutches to avoid putting pressure on the injured part of your leg.
Exercise Your Fingers & Toes
Make sure to move your fingers and toes often to exercise them. This will prevent your extremities from becoming too swollen and stiff. Regularly apply ice to the cast to further reduce swelling. An ice pack is the best option, but you can also simply place ice inside a plastic bag. Apply the ice until it feels so cold that you have a difficult time tolerating the cold.
Take Care of Your Cast
If your cast is not cared for, it may become damaged and may not last as long. Make sure to keep your cast dry or the moisture might weaken the padding and make the cast less uncomfortable.
Be careful not to let dirt get underneath the cast because this can cause irritation. Avoid trimming the cast unless you have permission from your doctor. Do not pull the padding out from underneath the cast. If you experience itching underneath the cast, do not stick objects underneath to try to alleviate the itch. Instead, contact your doctor orthopedist if the itching is severe.
To learn more about casts and other post-surgery actions, contact services like El Camino Center for Sports Medicine.
Share31 March 2017
