# How many times have you worn a cast? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595 "2010-09-30T13:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/41 "2010-10-01T17:53:26Z")
> [@Ann\_Onimous](#): > > No broken bones and no casts in 46 years of living, knock wood. > > Ow. My head now hurts. 🙂 Add a year and this is me. No idea how, though; it’s not like I’ve been careful. I did dislocate my knee at 14, which broke the cartilage, which then lodged under my kneecap. Worst pain I’ve ever experienced. I wore an immobilizer for a few weeks after the surgery, but no cast. And about 15 years ago, I slipped while getting out of a rowboat and slammed my calf HARD into the oar lock. This ripped my leg open to the bone. Yes, I actually _saw_ my own shinbone – but it didn’t break. And it didn’t hurt as much as you might think. Many stitches, staples, and bandages (and some good pain meds) later, I was good to go. Left a cool big scar, too. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/42 "2010-10-01T18:21:52Z")
I lost count so I put 6 or more. various broken ankles, heels, toes which were usually soccer related. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/43 "2010-10-01T19:15:41Z")
I voted 6 or more. I spent a good bit the first year or two of my life with casts on both my lower legs. I was born with club feet, and had multiple corrective operations during this time. I don’t know how many time I had to wear a cast, but I know it was more than once. At one point during this my mom went to new doctor, and thus I was examined by a new nurse. She was looking me over when my mom told her that she should hold my legs down or I might kick her. The nurse looked at my mother like she was an idiot and told her that a child this age couldn’t possibly kick her wearing casts like that. She didn’t know that I’d been wearing casts for a while, and had gotten used to them. About 30 seconds later I kicked the nurse right in the face, who then continued the exam while holding my legs down. Broke arm as a kid falling off a picnic table during an apple fight with a friend’s neighbor. I barely remember the cast. Nother operation on my right foot in 2nd grade, nother cast. Two surgeries to immobilize my ankle and fix a few other things about 6 years ago, 5 months apart. Wore a cast for about 3 months the first time, and 2 months the second time. Was on crutches for over a year. This doesn’t include the 3 surgeries on my right knee, cuz I didn’t have to wear a cast for them. More people have stuck knives into my right leg than have had sex with me. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/44 "2010-10-01T20:01:10Z")
I’ve had one broken bone, but no cast. It was my clavicle, and it’s kinda tricky to put a cast on that, 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/45 "2010-10-01T21:51:58Z")
No fractures yet. Worst thing I ever did was sprain my thumb carrying a laundry basket (yeah, I know). The thumb went totally over backwards and there was a snapping sound. The base joint swelled up black and blue, which spread across my palm. I didn’t do anything about it because I figured if I could move it it wasn’t broken. In hindsight, at least immobilizing it for a bit might have helped it heal better. It was a week before I could put any pressure on it and it took months to get my grip strength back. 2 years later, that thumb still has less range of motion and fatigues more quickly than the other one. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/46 "2010-10-01T22:39:51Z")
I have never broken a bone, so no casts. > [@chizzuk](#): > > No fractures yet. Worst thing I ever did was sprain my thumb carrying a laundry basket (yeah, I know). The thumb went totally over backwards and there was a snapping sound. The base joint swelled up black and blue, which spread across my palm. I didn’t do anything about it because I figured if I could move it it wasn’t broken. In hindsight, at least immobilizing it for a bit might have helped it heal better. It was a week before I could put any pressure on it and it took months to get my grip strength back. 2 years later, that thumb still has less range of motion and fatigues more quickly than the other one. Public service announcement: ‘being able to move it’ does **not** indicate the bone is not broken. If you hear a snap, have bruising, swelling, and pain - get it checked out. Otherwise you can end up like chizzuk here and have an important part of your body permanently affected. My doctor told me all this when I went in in August with a suspected broken foot - x-ray was clear, thankfully. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/47 "2010-10-01T23:03:51Z")
Twice, cracked bone in my left radius, and then a clean break in both my radius and ulna. Both before I reached the age of 15. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/48 "2010-10-02T01:07:14Z")
I’m lucky, I’ve never needed a cast. Broke my thumb skiing when I was 12. Hairline fracture. Hurt a bit, but only required a splint for about a month. Stress fracture in my foot (I can’t remember which bone, one of the ones in the arch) when I was 20. Direct result of bad genes (my dad and I both have too much arch), bad shoes and walking like 3 miles / day (Madison is a big campus). Neither was serious. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/49 "2010-10-02T04:59:57Z")
Haven’t broken anything. Haven’t been under general anesthesia, either. Knock wood. Through my early 20’s I rode horses, was thrown a few times, and stepped on. Managed to avoid injuries worse than bruises. I sprained my ankle once when I was 11, but that’s been the extent of my injuries. I’m 40 now. Knock wood again! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595/50 "2010-10-02T05:13:51Z")
Broke an arm playing touch football (someone tripped me) when I was in 7th grade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-worn-a-cast/555595.md?page=2)