Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Your plaster will be hard when you leave the department.
Plaster of Paris casts will take about 48 hours to dry completely and reach full strength. During this time, try to keep it uncovered as much as possible.
Synthetic (usually coloured) casts take about half an hour to dry completely.
Care of your cast
Please don’t get the plaster wet
The padding will take a very long time to dry, and your skin will become soggy and wet.
You can buy a waterproof cover for your plaster cast from www.
Please don’t poke or push anything inside your plaster
This will cause pressure and can damage your skin and make your cast uncomfortable.
If you do wish to draw on your cast or get people to sign it, please use permanent pens as felt pen will rub off.
Care of your leg
When wearing a cast on your leg, it is important that you do not allow the other joints to become stiff. Exercise is important to prevent this, but it should be gentle and not cause you pain.
- Bend your toes and then straighten them.
- Move your leg out to the side and back, to keep your hip mobile.
- Bend and straighten your knee (unless the cast extends over the knee)
- Please offload your heel by positioning pillows underneath your lower leg so that your heel is not in contact with any surface.
If your hands become sore from using crutches, wearing weight lifting or cycling gloves can help as these have padding over the palm of the hand.
When you return to clinic to have your plaster removed, please bring a suitable shoe with you. Your ankle may still be swollen.
Please remember to bring your crutches with you when you return as you will need them.
Contact 111 immediately if you experience any of the following
- extreme pain or increasing pain since the original injury.
- pain in the calf
- pain in the chest or shortness of breath.
- toes becoming blue and swollen (not bruising, which can be normal following an injury).
You may be advised to attend Wexham Park Hospital Emergency Department.
Contact the Plaster Room if you experience
- any blister-like pain or rubbing under the cast.
- numbness or pins and needles in the toes.
- discharge, wetness or smell under the cast.
- swelling that is not going down even after elevating the limb to above heart level.
Or if
- the cast becomes cracked, soft, loose or tight.
- you drop anything down inside the cast.
When to seek help
Please phone for advice if you have problems or queries and we will arrange for you to come in.
Direct number to the Plaster Room at Frimley Park 0300 613 4339
Direct number to the Plaster Room at Wexham Park 0300 615 4058
Opening hours
Monday 9-5
Tuesday 9-5
Wednesday 9-1 (CLOSED PM)
Thursday 9-5
Friday 9 -5
Closed weekends and bank holidays
Please note that Heatherwood Plaster Room is not available for walk ins.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Plaster room service.
About this information
Service:
Plaster room
Reference:
N/001
Approval date:
28 February 2024
Review date:
1 March 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.