Arthritis Knee Braces - How to Choose

Arthritis Knee Braces can be bought at very discounted prices online but deciding which one to choose can be difficult. This site explains the different types of braces used to treat arthritis of the knee, and will help you choose the most appropriate.
Most arthritis knee braces are designed for people suffering from Osteoarthritis. This is the "wear and tear" type of arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is more difficult to treat with a knee brace but they do have their uses in specific cases.

There are a few important pieces of information you will need to know about your knee. If you are not sure, ask your Doctor to clarify things for you. It is important you get the terms right, as medical jargon can be confusing and small differences in spelling can mean very different things.

In order to choose the right brace for you it is important to know:

• What type of Arthritis do You have? Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis

For Osteoarthritis:

• Do you have Unicompartmental arthritis in your knee? This is when only half of the knee (the inside or outside) is affected.
• Do you have Medial Compartment Osteoarthritis? - This is when the worn area is at the inside of the knee. It can eventually make you  bow legged.
• Do you have Lateral Compartment Osteoarthritis? - This is when the worn area is at the outside of the knee. It can eventually make you knock-kneed.
• Do you have Patellofemoral Arthritis? This is wear between the kneecap and thigh bone
• Is your knee arthritis widespread? Do you have it in all compartments of the knee.

What are you expectations of the arthritis knee brace?

How active are you? Are you looking for a brace that allows you to lead a very active life or is it a brace that helps you move around the house in less pain?

All of this information is important and will help you choose the best arthritis knee brace for your own personal circumstances.

These braces are only suitable if you have arthritis in half of your knee only. In this situation most of your body weight goes through the worn part of your knee while the other half does much less work. These braces provide a force that corrects this imbalance and shares the weight evenly throughout the knee. They can be very effective and make a huge difference to activity levels and pain.
The nature of these braces means that in order to purchase one you will need three pieces of information.


Firstly, left or right leg.  
Secondly,which side of the knee the arthritis is on (medial is most common).
Finally, the size. This is usually measured as a leg circumference at a specific point. Each brand has its own measuring instructions.


These braces tend to provide the most relief of any osteoarthritis brace but you must have unicompartmental arthritis to consider one.
Modern braces are low profile, light weight,and easy to put on. They are based on the types of knee braces used in sports so are suitable for activities such as skiing. They can be expensive but are designed for long term use.

Two braces shown to be effective are the OAdjuster by Donjoy and the Thruster by Bledsoe.

When you are unfortunate enough to have arthritis in both the inside and outside of your knee, there is no point paying for an expensive offloading brace. With more severe wear in the knee there is less that can be offered. It does not mean a brace won't be of benefit, it just means a general support is more suited. In this case you are better off with an inexpensive hinged knee brace. Made of material such as neoprene they are easy to apply and  come in either a pull-on or wrap around format.

For hotter environments, a breathable material is preferable. These come under various trade names such as "Drytex" for Donjoy braces. They are much cooler to wear and this makes a big difference in summer.

These braces can also help those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

There are now a number of online retailers that specifically sell bracing products. The bulk of their business is in sports bracing but many now have an arthritis section.


I recommend this type of retailer as they have  large customer service departments and some even offer a fitting service.


It is helpful to be able to call a knowledgeable customer service operator to get advice on which product is right for you.


Braceshop.com is a good example.

 

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