Waterproof Cast Cover: A Broken Arm (Or Leg) Doesn't Mean Your Summer Is Over!

When my daughter broke her arm two days after school ended last year, I was beside myself. This meant eight weeks of wearing a cast... Eight weeks of no swimming. 

Being the determined mother that I usually am, I began to search the Internet for a solution. For the first time I read about something called a Waterproof Cast Cover. 

The name can be a bit deceiving, because these are good not just for casts, but any type of wound you might have to protect from getting wet if you still want to swim. We got a second use out of it right after the cast came off when the same daughter had a puncture wound that needed to be cauterized. They are also better in the shower or bath than trying to rubber-band a plastic bag over a cast or a wound. 

So what is a waterproof cast cover? 

Usually it is a smooth rubber tube that is closed on one end. The other end slides over your arm or leg and is sealed against wetness. 

What makes one waterproof cast cover different from another? 

The main difference is how the cover is sealed at the open end. Some are sealed strictly by pressure which can end up leading to leakage if the waterproof cast cover eventually stretches out from having to get over a rather large cast. This may be less of a problem over smaller wounds rather than casts. The kind that I found worked best was one that created a vacuum by pumping air out of the waterproof cast cover once it was on the arm. 

Some of the waterproof cast covers on the market are made as a one-size-fits-all apparatus. The best kind will be the ones you have to measure. This means there will be less of a possibility that the waterproof cast cover will be too long, resulting in a flipper-like length of rubber hanging off of an arm or leg, and will fit more securely around the width of the arm or leg where it has to be sealed. 

I had discussed this with my daughter's doctor when it happened, and he knew nothing about these. After I purchased it, I brought it into his office to make sure it was all right to use (and I would suggest the same for anyone) and he has been suggesting these to patients ever since. 

My Recommendation 

http://www.waterproof-cast-cover.com 

This is the site I ended up using and the Xerosox Cast Cover is one I would recommend highly. We had no problems with leakage. When my daughter had on a big plaster cast, her size was quite difficult to get over the cast. However, when she had on the smaller fiberglass cast, it was a breeze. Do not overpump the unit or it may become painful. Take out just enough air to create the vacuum seal. 

Again, as with any medical situation, you should make sure your doctor feels you are up to the activity before you attempt to do it. Some wounds may be too big that trying to put this over could reopen the wound with pressure if you overpump.