Types of Leg Braces

Leg braces help to heal and give stability to injured muscles, bones and ligaments so you can move more freely. You can wear some leg braces with shoes. Many include a metal piece that reaches under the shoe to give support to your knee and ankle joints. Some leg braces go under the knee, which helps to support the muscles of the lower leg and foot.

Postoperative Brace

• Postoperative braces are designed with specific characteristics for people who have had surgery. You may need a postoperative brace for as little as two weeks or as long as six months, depending on your condition and physical needs. For this reason, this type of brace needs to be very comfortable and breathable. The main purpose of postoperative braces is to protect the leg from any movement that is not needed and help the healing process. However, while postoperative braces immobilize the part of the leg that needs healing, you can still adjust them to allow for more movement.

Knee Braces

• Knee braces are generally used for people with osteoarthritis. They help decrease the pressure on arthritic knee joints. However, with your doctor's OK, you can also use this type of brace for running and other physical activities. People with osteoarthritis can use knee braces on a daily basis to minimize pain. These braces can be elastic, metal or plastic. Since such braces require a prescription from a doctor, you might also need an appointment with an orthotist, a doctor who specializes in fitting braces.

Ankle Braces

• People usually wear ankle braces to relieve ankle pain. These braces help to stabilize the ankle when it is injured or weak, as injuries often occur when people play active sports like basketball and volleyball. Ankle braces give support, help injuries to heal more easily and prevent new injuries from occurring. Because athletes often wear ankle braces during every practice or every game, these braces must be comfortable and breathable.

Shin Splint Braces

• The condition commonly called "shin splints" is an inflammation of the larger bone in the leg below the knee that connects the knee with the ankle bones. It is very painful and takes a long time to heal. One of the most common causes of shin splints is running on hard surfaces, which causes an overuse of the muscles around this bone. Shin splint braces go around the leg muscles that are under the knee, giving stability to your legs. However, merely wearing the braces is not enough. In order to recover, you must change your habits as well. You can continue running, but stay away from hard surfaces and do not run for very long distances. Apply ice packs to the affected area after each run. You may want to see your doctor if you have shin splints, but most runners do not. Shin splints generally do not lead to any more-serious conditions, and doctors cannot do much to speed up the healing process.