Over my career, I certainly have seen some products developed which have drastically changed the way Athletic Trainers perform their duties. One certainly has to be the evolution of “soft cast” for splinting. While I am not sure why “soft cast” was invented initially, it certainly has had a welcomed entre’ into the Athletic Training Room.

One of my first introductions to this product was from Tony Campano, one of the best casting technique instructors I have ever had the chance to know. Tony visited me in the Athletic Training Room at South Carolina, and showed me some great techniques to be utilized with 3M Comformable Splints and also “Soft Cast” casting tape.

The primary difference in the use of “Soft Cast” and the traditional fiberglass cast tape, is the lack of underpadding required for “Soft Cast”. These casts are generally used for only a minimum of practice time (maximum of three hours) and thus do not require underpadding. Further, the product is less abrasive than the traditional fiberglass cast tape.

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Thumb Spica Using SoftCast