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What is the Difference Betwen Casts and Splints?
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Splints and casts both support and protect injured bones and soft tissue. They help to reduce pain, swelling and muscles spasms and serve to imbolize the protected area while it is healing.
Casts are custom-made of plaster or fiberglass and can not be adjusted once they are applied. Splints or "half casts" provide less support than casts but can be adjusted to accomodate swelling. Splints can be custom-made when an exact fit is necessary or they can be ready-made which are much faster and easier to use. Ready-made splints are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. All splints have velcro straps which make them easy to adjust.
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When are Casts and Splints Used?
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Obviously casts and splints are used for fractured bones but they are also useful for other types of injuries. They also may be used to help strains and sprains heal and in some cases, they are applied following surgery.
Often a splint is applied to a fresh injury first then, as swelling decreases, a full cast may replace the splint. Sometimes, it is necessary to replace a cast as swelling decreases making the original cast too big. In some cases a cast may be replaced with a splint as an injury heals to allow easy removal for physical therapy.
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Arthroscopy
Casts & Splints 
