Following an injury to your hand or wrist, you may require your arm to have a plaster cast or splint on. This will impact on some day to day activities that you are able to do. Allowing yourself additional time to do activities and taking things steady will help to prevent further injury.
Elevation
Elevating your hand helps to relieve and prevent swelling and also pain. If you have a wound that becomes swollen the wound edges can gap and this can be a route for infection to be introduced. It is therefore of utmost importance that you elevate above the level of the heart for at least 48 hours and this can be continued for as long as it helps.
During the day this can be achieved by placing your hand on the opposite shoulder when walking or placing the hand on pillows if sitting. We do not recommend continued use of a sling as this can cause stiffness in the shoulder and elbow. At night time placing a pillow next to you or over your chest can keep the hand in the correct position.
Caring for your plaster or splint
It is important to look after your cast. Keep it clean and avoid getting it wet (see below). Casts are often a temporary measure and will not necessarily be in place for a significant period of time. Never put anything down your cast, no matter how itchy it feels!
Please contact the plaster room or the hand service if your cast:
- Becomes wet and soggy
- Begins to rub and cause significant injury to the skin
- Becomes loose
- If there is any discharge or foul-smelling odour coming from underneath the cast
Washing yourself
If you have a plaster cast on, you should try not to get it wet. If you are taking a shower or a bath, we recommend that you cover it completely. Ideally this would be a waterproof cast protector – there are many on the market, and this one it is not too expensive and reusable. Alternatively you could cover it in a plastic bag, in order to protect from any water. Wrap the bag around your arm over the cast or splint, and use tape to secure it to your skin. Sellotape is not suitable for this, and you are best to buy surgical tape from a chemist or supermarket, or from Amazon, however, there is greater risk of damaging your cast if it leaks. Use a sponge or extending sponge to wash the areas you cannot reach because of your injury.
Dressing yourself
It is usually easier to put the injured arm into any clothing first, and then worry about the uninjured side. Most patients suggest wearing looser clothing and avoiding fasteners or belts to make it easier to dress. Whilst seated, it often helps to rest the injured arm on a pillow on your knees. This means that you can take your arm out of a sling (if you are using one) and dress this arm whilst keeping it comfortable on the pillow. Slip on shoes will avoid the risk of tripping over badly tied laces, but you can buy shoe fasteners if you need them. There are many instructional videos available on YouTube.
Kitchen tasks
The kitchen can become a risky place if you have an injured hand or arm. Take your time, and try not to over-reach for things. It is a good idea to prepare food and store it in the freezer if you are coming in for an operation, but you may have no warning of this. Microwave meals are fairly easy to prepare with one hand, and these can be useful in the early stages of your rehabilitation. Aides are available.
Try to avoid lifting anything heavy. Fill the kettle only as high as you need to so that it is lighter. Use the people around you to help out if you are not managing.
Getting on and off furniture
Getting out of a chair can be tricky when your arm is injured. Try to sit in a high chair to make this easier. When you are getting up, lean forward and push with your leg muscles rather than putting weight through your injured arm.
To get out of bed, roll onto your uninjured side and use your uninjured arm to help push yourself up. It will be easier to get out of bed on the side of the uninjured arm.
Driving
You should not drive after hand surgery until you are fit to do so. It takes time to recover from the effects of the anaesthetic. Some of the pain killing medication you will be prescribed will affect your fitness to drive. If your hand or wrist are painful or stiff you may not be able to drive safely. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit to drive in terms of the DVLA guidance in respect of your hand surgery and in respect of any other medical condition that you may suffer from. There is detailed information on the DVLA website about fitness to drive and you should refer to that before driving. If you are in any doubt, consult your surgeon or GP and also your insurance company. Different motor insurers have different policies about medical fitness to drive and you should check you are insured before driving.
© Aberdeen Hand Service 2021
Aberdeen Virtual Hand Clinic 