Precasting Work Sheet—An Assessment Tool

Abstract

Physical therapists often use casting as an adjunct to traditional management of patients with brain injury. Casts generally are used on these patients for one of two reasons: 1) to increase range of motion with the use of serial casting or 2) to augment functional treatment with the use of inhibitive casting. This clinical report describes serial and inhibitive casts and introduces a precasting work sheet that promotes the selection of appropriate casting patients and necessary planning. The work sheet guides the therapist through an assessment of patient data relevant to casting, including passive range of motion, postural tone and abnormal reflexes, and voluntary movement. The precasting work sheet helps therapists gain expertise in casting by familiarizing them with the factors to consider before casting, encouraging them to set goals for casting, and helping them to determine whether the goals were met.