Arthritis is a problem that afflicts at least one-fourth of the population. Often, arthritis is the result of age, but it can also be a symptom of other medical conditions relating to the development or deterioration of your joint tissue. Osteoarthritis involves the uneven wearing away of the protective cartilage that allows your joints to move smoothly. The loss of cartilage eventually causes joints to become stiff and painful.
If you have one or both knees developing osteoarthritis pain and inflammation, a knee brace can help reduce the symptoms and support the injured knee. The right knee brace can help relieve your arthritis symptoms, giving you longer standing times, greater stability, and even the ability to climb stairs safely again.
Osteoarthritis creates pain and damages the knee in three specific places: under the knee, on the inner side of the femur-tibia joint, and the outer side of the femur-tibia joint. For a knee brace to help, it must be able to target and support the area where you most experience pain or inflammation.
There are three types of knee braces typically recommended for arthritis symptoms.
• Hinge redistributes weight and keeps knee aligned
Arthritic joints often benefit from heat and compression. These two factors together can help control inflammation and reduce the pain that comes from tension in the soft tissues. Heat naturally eases muscle and joint pain while the tight compression of a sleeve knee brace provides that extra element of support your knee needs to move at the correct alignment with less pain.
Compression knee braces in the form of sleeves and wraps provide a vital service as inflammation management. For a knee that swells and becomes tender, a compression knee brace can help manage swelling symptoms that create your discomfort. Wearing a compression brace daily may give you back significant mobility without the constant inflammation in the surrounding joint tissue.
An unloader brace is often used to combat arthritis symptoms in the knee. Structured and hinged, the unloader takes weight off one side (inner or outer) of the knee to balance the uneven deterioration that is often caused by arthritis. If you have tibia and femur pain, an unloader brace will redistribute the weight of each step so that your knee handles it evenly and with less pain.
Both unloader braces and web braces offer the benefit of keeping an arthritic knee in alignment with each step. This helps you avoid additional damage caused by an uneven gait due to pain or instability. You can drastically increase your stability and reduce the pain accumulated throughout the day with a knee brace that provides support while keeping your knee properly aligned as you take each step.
For most people with osteoarthritis, the biggest benefit of a knee brace is the ability to walk further without pain and to step confidently with stability. The right brace for you will be well-fitted, comfortable, and take pressure off the damaged area of your knee. You may find that with a knee brace, you can take on daily shopping, cook standing up, climb stairs, and participate in family events without needing to sit as often. You can also reduce your worries about falling due to unsteady or painful knees.
Are you in need of the right knee brace for your arthritis symptoms? Contact us today to consult on the best brace for your knees and goals.