A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a fracture of the right tibia and a fiberglass cast. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

After application of a fiberglass cast for a tibial fracture, the nurse must teach the client to report worsening or unrelieved pain immediately. Increasing pain under a cast can signal compartment syndrome, a limb-threatening emergency caused by increased pressure within a closed muscle compartment that impairs perfusion. Early recognition and reporting is critical because delayed treatment can result in irreversible neurovascular damage and potential limb loss. Telling the client to avoid moving the affected leg entirely is incorrect; clients are encouraged to perform range-of-motion exercises of unaffected joints and are often permitted weight-bearing as directed by the provider. Using a cotton swab or any object to relieve itching under the cast is dangerous because it can cause skin breakdown, introduce infection, or displace padding, potentially leading to pressure injuries. Using a blow dryer on moderate heat is also contraindicated; fiberglass casts do not require heat drying as they set quickly with water exposure, and heat can burn the skin beneath the cast. Cool air from a blow dryer may be used for comfort, but moderate heat is specifically contraindicated. Therefore, reporting unrelieved pain is the most important and correct discharge instruction.