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BODYCAST - THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CSOT THE ART OF CASTING: A THESIS ON CAST IMMOBILIZATION By Steven W. Cutler Introduction Casts have been used for many centuries to treat a host of orthopaedic conditions. Each generation builds upon the knowledge of the previous one. What one person did yesterday, another modifies for his patients today, hoping to make a better cast. Since there are no standards to follow or primer that explains the process, the process becomes a person’s adaptation of basic orthopaedic principles. These include, but are not limited to the proper length (long enough to immobilize the bone or joint), well-conformed (smooth and well-molded to the body) and appropriate amount of padding (to prevent skin breakdown). Over time, one becomes proficient in casting and, hopefully, passes on his skill to the next generation. The art of casting “Art” is defined as “skill acquired by experience, study or observation” (Merriam-Webster). Most people who cast have learned their trade by apprenticing with someone more experienced than they are. They may, at times, read textbooks or journals, gathering more information on casting so they can be more proficient in their craft. Over a period of time, after casting many patients, they become more experienced. This constant “seeing and doing” is what makes them skilled at their trade, namely casting. So, once could say, then, the art of casting is “the skilled application of basic orthopaedic principles whereby a practitioner constructs a cast or splint to a patient for the immobilization of a body part”. In doing so, several things come to light, namely the three “Ps” of casting and what makes a good cast This abstract is a portion of the article
which appears in the Fall 2005 issue of BodyCast.
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