Glossary: Materials

Other Glossaries: [Casts] [Bones] [Materials] Fiberglass A fast setting casting material that is activated by water or air. A cast can be 100% hard within a few minutes of application. Plaster A casting material that is very old. Casts can be shaped more slowly than with fiber, and it is much cheaper. Casts can take from a few hours to a few days to dry, however. Stockinette A thin, stretchy material similar to a sock which is used as the material that makes contact with the skin. Padding Cotton padding is added on top of the stockinette to allow for swelling and shrinking of the body part. Also to prevent pressure sores from rubbing against the casting material. Shoe A removable shoe can be strapped onto a weight bearing cast to allow the patient to walk on it without damaging the cast. Heel A piece of rubber which is moulded into the cast to allow the patient to walk on the cast without damaging it. Cast Saw A reciprocating saw (it doesn't spin, it vibrates) which can cut through a solid material such as a cast without cutting something soft like the patient's skin. Spreader A tool which is used to "break" a cast apart after it has been cut. Bi-valve The act of cutting a cast into two pieces, the easiest way to remove a cast.