Why Do People Wear a Knee Brace?

Knee braces are worn to protect the knee during sports, support an already injured knee, immobilize the knee while healing from a knee injury or surgery, provide relief from arthritis or provide warmth and continuous compression for chronic knee ailments.

Treatment Areas

• Knee braces can treat pain in the front (anterior), inside (medial), outside (lateral) or back (posterior) of the knee. Some braces are designed to treat the knee joint. Depending on the treatment area and condition being treated, an appropriate brace should be selected. The treatment area and condition treated are often specified on the knee brace packaging.

Conditions Treated

• Common injuries treated with the use of a knee brace include patellar femoral pain syndrome, patella tendinitis, chondromalacia, arthritis, Osgood-Schlatter disease and anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Features

• Knee braces come in all sizes, colors, shapes and lengths and are made from a variety of materials, such as neoprene, plastic and metal. Some have hinges or "donut" holes, and some do not.

Buying a Knee Brace

• Knee braces can be bought in most pharmacies and medical supply stores.

Prevention/Solution

• Help protect the knee by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the knee, wearing proper footwear, slowly increasing distance and intensity and warming up before beginning a workout.

Considerations

• The most expensive knee brace is not always the best one.