Master Plaster

Introduction

Master Plaster: Setting Things Straight

Welcome to Master Plaster: Setting Things Straight, a practical, occasionally confronting, and always informative guide to the art (and science) of orthopaedic casting. Whether you're just scrubbing in on your first clinical placement or you've been slinging plaster longer than some of your colleagues have been alive, this book is designed to support, inspire, and sharpen your casting skills.

Casting is one of those procedures that looks deceptively simple, until you're halfway through a backslab and realize you've managed to immobilize both the patient and yourself. This book exists to prevent exactly that. With step-by-step guidance, visual cues, and a healthy dose of real-world insight, Master Plaster builds confidence for beginners and adds finesse for seasoned practitioners.

Let's be honest, there are many ways to apply a cast well... and even more ways to do it poorly. A badly applied cast is not just uncomfortable, it's potentially harmful, professionally embarrassing, and often a one-way ticket to a do-over (if not a complaint form). This book, and its related video series, aim to steer you away from the dreaded 'Plaster Disaster,' club and toward the more exclusive ranks of cast connoisseurs.

We're not claiming this is the encyclopaedia of every casting method ever devised (because, frankly, nobody has time for that), but it is a curated, practical guide to tried-and-tested techniques. It focuses on best practices for commonly used casts, with a clear roadmap for tackling more complex or less familiar scenarios. Wherever possible, we've stripped away jargon in favour of clarity and added practical tips that can make all the difference when you're under pressure and short on time.

The topics included in the book are as follows:

Introduction

Upper Limb Casts:

Scaphoid Slab: Pad Plaster Technique

Scaphoid Slab: Pad Patient Technique

Scaphoid Full Cast

Colles Slab: Pad Plaster Technique

Colles Slab: Pad Patient Technique

Sandwich Slab

Short Arm Full Cast

POSI Slab

Ulna Gutter Slab

Sugar Tong Slab

Long Arm Slab

Long Arm Full Cast

U-Slab: Pad Plaster Technique

U-Slab: Pad Patient Technique

Lower Limb Casts:

Achilles Slab

Short Leg Slab

Short Leg Full Cast

Short Leg Slab: Toe Extension

Short Leg Full Cast: Toe Extension

Cylinder Cast

Patella Tendon Bearing Cast

Long Leg Slab

Long Leg Full Cast

Total Contact Cast

Cast Removal

Removable Casts

Plaster Disaster

Materials

For students and junior staff, Master Plaster fills in the educational gaps that formal training sometimes misses. Casting instruction is often brief, inconsistent, or dependent on luck-of-the-placement. This book provides a solid foundation to help you hit the ground running, and keep your patients safely supported while you do.

For experienced clinicians, this is your chance to refresh, refine, and possibly rethink aspects of your technique. The field evolves, and so should we. You'll find alternatives to familiar methods, suggestions for improved outcomes, and opportunities to reflect on your own practice, without judgment, just progress.

And for those working in rural or remote settings, or in hospitals without regular casting education, this book (plus the video series) acts as a reliable clinical companion, ready to assist when you're flying solo and need a second opinion that doesn't talk back.

Above all, Master Plaster is about patient care. A good cast can mean faster recovery, better outcomes, and far fewer return visits. We hope this book helps you deliver high-quality, safe, and confident care, with a bit of fun along the way.

Let's get you casting like a pro.