Do you suffer knee pain but not sure if you should purchase a knee brace? Or better yet, already have one but don\u2019t think it\u2019s doing you any good? With hundreds of makes to choose from, it\u2019s no wonder you may be feeling confused. In today\u2019s article, however, physiotherapists get real on knee bracing questions so you can zero in on your options.<\/p>\n
Most braces for knee tendonitis are made from soft, durable fabric such as neoprene. They work by ensuring proper alignment of the patella in the femoral groove and\/or by distributing the force on the quadriceps tendon. More complex bracing options may be made of metal, fabric and plastic that include adjustable Velcro straps. An alternative to bracing is the use of taping which can be applied by your physiotherapist. This is a great way to determine if a brace is useful before investing in one as long term taping is inadvisable due to skin irritation<\/p>\n
There are four categories of knee braces which include:<\/p>\n
Ultimately, your condition or injury will dictate the type of support that you need and a visit with the physiotherapist is a great way to get started as they can evaluate your overall condition. For example, an unloading brace can help when osteoarthritis affects one side of the knee joint since the inner knee, or medial side, gets pressed together, and the cartilage, therefore, suffers more damage. The benefit of an unloading brace is it pushes against the lateral knee surface, causing the medial side to open up.In other cases, such as a patella knee injury, an immobilizer may be used to keep the knee in an extended position with minimal flexion. The goal here is to reduce the pull on the patella from the quadriceps muscle.<\/p>\n