SHORT LEG CASTING WITH FOOTPLATE

SHORT LEG CAST/FOOTPLATE

SHORT LEG CASTW/OUT FOOTPLATE

ARUGUMENTS FOR USING A FOOTPLATE VS NO FOOTPLATE

PUTTING THE CONTROVERSY TO REST

VS

WHY A FOOTPLATE ?WHY A FOOTPLATE ?

SHORT LEG CASTING SHORT LEG CASTING WITH FOOTPLATEWITH FOOTPLATE

• PROTECTION FOR THE TOES-ACTS AS A BUMPER

• ALLOWS THE TOES A PLACE TO REST, RATHER THAN HAVING THE TOES JUST HANG THERE

• ELIMINATES THE RIDGE AT THE METATARSAL HEADS

• ELIMINATES THE STEP-OFF AT METATARSAL HEADS WHEN AMBULATING

• ALLOWS FOR HEEL-TO-TOE AMBULATING RATHER THAN ROLLING OFF THE METATARSAL HEADS

WHY, THEN, ISN’T IT DONE MORE WHY, THEN, ISN’T IT DONE MORE OFTEN?OFTEN?

•THE TECH APPLYING THE CAST SIMPLY DOES THE TECH APPLYING THE CAST SIMPLY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FABRICATE A TOE PLATE. NOT KNOW HOW TO FABRICATE A TOE PLATE.

•THE TECH APPLYING THE CAST IS NOT AWARE THE TECH APPLYING THE CAST IS NOT AWARE OF THE BENEFITS OF USING A TOEPLATE.OF THE BENEFITS OF USING A TOEPLATE.

•THE TECH DOESN’T THINK THERE IS ENOUGH TIME THE TECH DOESN’T THINK THERE IS ENOUGH TIME TO FABRICATE A TOEPLATE ( ADDS ABOUT 3 MINUTES TO FABRICATE A TOEPLATE ( ADDS ABOUT 3 MINUTES

TIME EXTRA FOR A TOEPLATE)TIME EXTRA FOR A TOEPLATE)

•SADLY, THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF SADLY, THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF TECHS THAT JUST DON’T CARE AND DO NOT TECHS THAT JUST DON’T CARE AND DO NOT

WANT TO TAKE THE TIME (AS IN LAZY)WANT TO TAKE THE TIME (AS IN LAZY)

•THE TECH IS TOLD IN CLINIC THAT THE TECH IS TOLD IN CLINIC THAT FOOTPLATES ARE NOT NECESSARY AND IS NOT FOOTPLATES ARE NOT NECESSARY AND IS NOT

ALLOWED TO USE THIS TECHNIQUE .ALLOWED TO USE THIS TECHNIQUE .

TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORKTAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORKI BELIEVE THAT TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORK IS OF UPMOST I BELIEVE THAT TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORK IS OF UPMOST IMPORTANCE. EVERY TIME YOU ROLL A CAST, THE PATIENT IMPORTANCE. EVERY TIME YOU ROLL A CAST, THE PATIENT LEAVES AND YOU CONTINUE YOUR DAY CASTING AND LEAVES AND YOU CONTINUE YOUR DAY CASTING AND SPLINTING, ETC. HOWEVER, THE PATIENT THAT WAS SENT HOME SPLINTING, ETC. HOWEVER, THE PATIENT THAT WAS SENT HOME IS LIVING WITH THE CAST THAT YOU MADE. IS LIVING WITH THE CAST THAT YOU MADE.

HOW IS THAT PATIENT DOING?HOW IS THAT PATIENT DOING?

IS THE CAST TOO TIGHT?IS THE CAST TOO TIGHT?

IS THE CAST AT THE RIGHT ANGLE FOR AMBULATING?IS THE CAST AT THE RIGHT ANGLE FOR AMBULATING?

THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT THE PATIENT IS DEALING WITH.THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT THE PATIENT IS DEALING WITH.

ISN’T IT TROUBLE ENOUGH THAT THE PATIENT IS INJURED, IN ISN’T IT TROUBLE ENOUGH THAT THE PATIENT IS INJURED, IN PAIN, AND HAS TO WEAR A CAST?PAIN, AND HAS TO WEAR A CAST?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORKTAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORK

THINK ABOUT THIS. IF YOU WERE INJURED AND NEEDED A CAST, THINK ABOUT THIS. IF YOU WERE INJURED AND NEEDED A CAST,

WOULDN’T YOU PERFER A TECH THAT APPEARS TO TAKE PRIDE IT WOULDN’T YOU PERFER A TECH THAT APPEARS TO TAKE PRIDE IT HIS WORK AND SHOWS A LITTLE CONFIDENCE? THE PATIENT CAN HIS WORK AND SHOWS A LITTLE CONFIDENCE? THE PATIENT CAN PICK THIS UP RIGHT AWAY.PICK THIS UP RIGHT AWAY.

I ROLL MY CASTS AS IF THE PATIENT IS A FAMILY MEMBER OR A I ROLL MY CASTS AS IF THE PATIENT IS A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND. SENDING A PATIENT HOME WITH A CAST THAT WAS FRIEND. SENDING A PATIENT HOME WITH A CAST THAT WAS DONE SLOPPY AND MISTAKES ARE MADE CAN HAVE SERIOUS DONE SLOPPY AND MISTAKES ARE MADE CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THESE MISTAKES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN CONSEQUENCES. THESE MISTAKES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN ORDERING A BURGER AND NOT GETTING THE EXTRA PICKLES ORDERING A BURGER AND NOT GETTING THE EXTRA PICKLES THAT YOU ORDERED.THAT YOU ORDERED.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

HOW IT’S DONEHOW IT’S DONE

SET UP FOR A SHORT LEG CAST ASYOU WOULD NORMALLY DO

CONTINUING WITH THE SHORT LEG CASTCONTINUING WITH THE SHORT LEG CAST

APPLY STOCKINETTE AND CUT BACK THE SOFTROLLAPPLY STOCKINETTE AND CUT BACK THE SOFTROLL

SOFTROLL AS USUAL, BUT TO EXPOSE THE TOES ONSOFTROLL AS USUAL, BUT TO EXPOSE THE TOES ON

BRING THE SOFTROLL ALL THE MEDIAL AND LATERALBRING THE SOFTROLL ALL THE MEDIAL AND LATERAL

WAY DOWN PAST THE TOES BORDERS.WAY DOWN PAST THE TOES BORDERS.

HOW IT’S DONE, CONTINUED.HOW IT’S DONE, CONTINUED.

APPLY FIBERGLASS AS USUAL,APPLY FIBERGLASS AS USUAL,

BUT FANFOLD 3-4 LAYERS OFBUT FANFOLD 3-4 LAYERS OF

FIBERGLASS AND APPLY FROM FIBERGLASS AND APPLY FROM

HEEL TO ABOUT 1” BEYOND TOESHEEL TO ABOUT 1” BEYOND TOES

AND SECURE WITH ANOTHER AND SECURE WITH ANOTHER

LAYER OF FIBERGLASS. BRINGLAYER OF FIBERGLASS. BRING

THE FIBERGLASS ALL THE WAY THE FIBERGLASS ALL THE WAY

DOWN ABOUT 1” BEYOND TOES.DOWN ABOUT 1” BEYOND TOES.

TRIM AROUND TOES AND CREATETRIM AROUND TOES AND CREATE

A TOEBOX. NORMALLY YOU COULD A TOEBOX. NORMALLY YOU COULD

DO THIS WHILE CAST IS WET, BUT IFDO THIS WHILE CAST IS WET, BUT IF

DRY, A CAST SAW WORKS WELL.DRY, A CAST SAW WORKS WELL.

FOLD BACK STOCKINETTE ANDFOLD BACK STOCKINETTE AND

SECURE WITH FIBERGLASS.SECURE WITH FIBERGLASS.

THE FINISHED PRODUCTTHE FINISHED PRODUCT

YOU BE THE JUDGEYOU BE THE JUDGE

THISTHIS THISTHIS

OR

I REST MY CASE