Are you getting physiotherapy for a painful knee injury that’s interfering with your everyday activities…your exercise routine…or sports?
Mike Johnson’s knee was giving him problems for years. He came to Courtenay Massage and opened his conversation with the therapist by saying, “I was told that I would need knee surgery as the best way to fix the issue with my knee.” After a thorough assessment by the doctor at Courtney Massage, Mike got a knee brace to address the issues with his knee. It's now been a year and he has not had to resort to knee surgeries, and due to his satisfaction and results, he is a strong recommender of braces to anyone with knee problems!
While individual results may vary from patient to patient, much can be done with the help of a qualified professional. To start, let’s find out about how different types of knee braces can help you!
Why Is Knee Bracing Important?
This is one of the first questions that is asked by patients, and it is an important one.
Wearing a knee brace will help you if you wish to:
Reduce pain
Control swelling
Support your knee after an injury such as a sprain, ligament injury or torn meniscus
Manage your chronic injury or an osteoarthritis flare up
Stabilize your knee if it’s prone to injury
Support your knee to help you remain physically active with less pain
In a recent study, knee braces were found to greatly improve the lives of people who have suffered from knee problems. Over 5,000 people have used these braces, and of these, 93% of them experienced healing from their knee injury in less than three months. What is remarkable is that so many people have reported similar results. This clearly indicates that people are willing to try to find a solution to the pain and disruption they feel in their daily life and to invest in proper treatment, including the use of medical product.
The importance of well-researched medical products cannot be overstated. The medical industry will succeed only by providing quality products that are backed by data. This is why it's no surprise that the product which was the focus of this study, Arthrex Knee Braces, registered a 93% success in helping the people who use them.
Yet it is important to know that knee bracing ALONE can only go so far in your recovery process.
This is where a good physiotherapy program comes in, and we will get to that shortly! Let’s look at what else you must know before investing yourself in a knee brace.
Different Ways Knee Bracing Reduces Your Pain
Knee bracing can help you in these three ways:
Knee Bracing for Pain
Knee bracing helps reduce pain for the simple reason that it provides extra support and stability.
A hinged knee brace delivers comfort and peace of mind in each of your steps. It actually helps a “wobbly” injured knee feel more stable when you walk.
A hinged knee brace with plastic support gives you added support for injuries that are more acute or painful. In fact, this is the type of knee bracing we often recommend to our physiotherapy patients as it provides the support they need to keep moving with less pain.
Now, if you have pain under or around your kneecap, patellofemoral braces provide patellar (kneecap) stabilization. They reduce the pressure under your kneecap.
You can help improve the tracking of your kneecap and therefore feel less pain when you use this type of brace along with specific physiotherapy exercises.
Knee Bracing for Structural Support
Got an ACL tear or ligament injury? A functional knee brace provides added support which can reduce pain in an unstable knee. Functional knee braces help protect the knee ligaments by limiting the side-to-side or forward-back movement of the knee.
Recent studies suggest that knee bracing may actually help reduce your risk of re-injury as well as ongoing damage.
Working on getting back to your favorite sport? Then you’ll want to consider braces that provide dynamic support. These help protect your knee for sports that involve sharp turns, lateral movement or contact.
Bracing and Physiotherapy
Again, remember that knee bracing ALONE can only do so much.
You already know that good strength and flexibility are important in helping you manage your knee pain and injuries BUT a knee brace CAN help you stay active so that you can feel confident as you work to improve your strength over time.
A young boy named Jamie, who grew up loving sports, was not able to participate in most of them due to serious knee issues. After many surgeries on his knee, doctors told him that he was unlikely to play sports again. Devastated, Jamie found it hard to accept the fact that he couldn't do the things he loved to do. He was determined to find a way to keep playing the sports that he so loved. After searching for different solutions, Jamie visited Courtenay Massage Therapy and consulted with our specialist. Together, they decided to give the suitable knee brace a try. After wearing the knee brace for several months, and seeing improvement, Jamie had no hesitation about returning to those sports. Life felt normal again for him and he even returned to actively play his favourite game - basketball!
Remember this whether your knee pain is because of a ligament injury, meniscus tear, or due to bone on bone osteoarthritis…
You can still injure your knee, even with a brace on - so make sure to keep up with your physiotherapy exercises and keep your leg strong!
So... Will a knee brace really help you?
In order to find the right type of brace, you HAVE to figure out what problem you want the brace to help you with.
FIRST, ask yourself this…
“Is my main problem pain? Swelling? Instability? Arthritis?
It seems simple, right?
Yes, hopefully it is…but don’t worry if you feel a bit overwhelmed, or confused by the decisions. There are so many braces out there to choose from and you may also have more than one problem you’re looking for help with.
Remember this also, you are not alone - not with this problem or the decisions about knee braces or the right treatment for you on your road to recovery.
If you’re experiencing pain or stress, reach out and call us directly at 250-897-0069 or BOOK ONLINE conveniently. If you wish, you can also use our easy CONTACT US page to request help with services or booking. We are here and ready to help you.