Knee Braces for Support
Whenever people have to use braces to support their knees, it’s generally to lessen pain, speed up quick recovery from an injury, if not for protection. If your knee is healthy, it can easily be straightened, flexed and bent with no pain at all; but if your knees are unhealthy things are completely different. For example, simple things such as, waking, kicking, running, and sitting is going to be difficult for someone who has injured his knee. Those with arthritis suffer from more pain in their knees over some other pain in the joint.
Knee braces can be had in various kinds and each one of these is designed for a variety of knee ailments like fractured ligaments, ailing kneecaps, or else to relieve painful arthritis.
Hinged.This is the type of braces that sports physicians along with orthopedic surgeons typically recommend for athletes suffering from ligament damage. Such a brace is going to help keep the ligament protected following surgery and also increases its stability. This type is the only one you are supposed to use until your physician or surgeon gives the go signal to remove it. Such knee brace provides a good option for running, although these are not ideal for majority of the different sports due to the metal parts used for the support.
Prophylactic. This type is normally utilized to shield your knees against any injury as while engaging in contact sports. Since this brace has been designed for protecting your healthy knee, it is not endorsed for ordinary use. They cost less and can be purchased practically everywhere. Studies have revealed that they indeed help in reducing the number of injuries every year from contact sports; however, the study was not conclusive as regards the effectiveness of these braces.
Functional. This is the type of knee brace that is designed to assist people who have enduring injuries. People with medial collateral ligament (MCL), posterior cruciate ligament (PC), and Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disorders. These are tough and lightweight braces, which are used for stabilizing the knee and helping in the rehab of these ligament injuries.
Arthritic. These braces are as well named unloader braces and are made particularly for those with arthritis. Their primary function of such a brace is for helping reduce pain as well as giving stability. They also are able to minimize the chances of undergoing surgery. These braces are available in both rigid and soft versions. The brace can help you minimize the surplus load of weight on a damaged knee. You can as well get the sleeve version, which can cause warmth so that the afflicted area is provided with warmth for speedy healing and also reduced pain.