How to choose a knee brace for arthrosis

One of the recommendations in the treatment of arthrosis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint is to immobilize the knee. For this purpose, special braces called knee pads have been created. They are more convenient to use than a regular elastic bandage. The main thing is to choose the right knee brace.

Knee braces seriously relieve arthrosis pain

Who needs knee pads and why?

A knee brace is designed to limit the mobility of the joint and ligaments around it, which is especially important for arthrosis, arthritis, and other diseases of the knee. They should also be used by healthy people who regularly expose this part of the body to extreme stress, for example due to profession or other circumstances.

Knee pads allow you to:

reduce inflammation, if any;
relieve swelling due to intensive outflow of synovial fluid;
reduce pain;
limit limb mobility;
normalize blood circulation.

Types of knee orthoses

Supporting products for knee joints are distinguished by different types of designs and materials:

Bandages (or knee pads) are made of soft, elastic fabrics that primarily compress the soft tissue and support the knee. Such models are often equipped with additional silicone rings, which additionally tighten soft tissues and secure the bandage. They are recommended when playing sports. Their main goal is to protect a healthy joint from sprains or unnecessary overload. They can also be used for sprains.
Semi-rigid knee orthoses that support the joint and help reduce stress on it. Such models made of dense fabrics are recommended for athletes who work with heavy weights. Options made from less dense fabrics are suitable for arthritis or arthrosis and help reduce stress on the joint.
Adjustable rigid orthoses that are suitable for knee injuries for rehabilitation.
Orthoses that fix the knee in one plane. They are typically used to speed up the recovery of knee dislocations.
A splint is an orthosis that has a rigid fixation with the help of additional plastic reinforcements. As a rule, it is used to restore joints after fractures or operations. The main function of the product is to fix the joint in a static position and allow the cartilage tissue to recover.

Lower limb orthoses

They also differ in design:

Closed bandages that completely surround the joint on all sides. Such models made of elastic fabric are used in sports to protect healthy knees from injury.
Models with stiffening ribs are used for the most strict fixation of knees after injuries. They help either fix the bend completely or limit movements in a certain direction, for example, lateral.
Options with hinges relieve the bend and facilitate movement in case of injury or illness. The hinge takes over the partial function of flexion and extension. At the same time, the knee remains mobile.

What are they made from?

Knee braces are made from synthetic and natural materials. The first ones most often used are polyester, elastane and warming neoprene - wear-resistant, environmentally friendly and healthy materials that do not lose their properties even after prolonged wear.

Natural materials are more pleasant to the body - sheep, camel, dog hair, cotton knitwear. However, they can cause allergies and also wear out much faster than synthetic ones.

Anatomical shape and flat internal seams are the main characteristics of high-quality knee pads

Materials

When choosing a knee pad, do not forget that different materials have different properties.

Neoprene holds well, creating compression and warming the joint. It is used to make knee pads for easy fixation. But it is allergic and is not recommended for those who plan to wear a knee brace for a long time.

Elastane or lycra. A man-made fabric with good elasticity, Lycra is used along with some fibers. It fixes the knee because... has good elasticity. It will not warm the joint, but allows free access to air.

Nylon is used with other threads, resulting in a stronger fabric. Significantly extends the service life of the product.

Spandex. This is an elastic type of synthetic, it is combined with some fibers, it fits perfectly and is breathable.

Cotton is a natural fabric that has excellent contact with the skin. Pure cotton has almost no stretch, which is why it is used together with elastic synthetic threads.

How to choose a knee brace based on the degree of fixation

Knee braces are divided into three types according to the degree of fixation:

soft – optimal in the initial stages of arthrosis, as well as during the rehabilitation period after endoprosthetics;
medium – suitable when the pain syndrome progresses, in particular at the second stage;
tight – created specifically for severe forms of arthrosis with severe joint deformities.

Sometimes it’s worth buying 2 knee pads: for example, an articulated one - for walking and a warming one - for home

Contraindications

There are a lot of recipes on the Internet for applying a plaster cast to the leg at home. Such self-medication causes even greater tissue injury. It is impossible to diagnose the type of injury, the degree of damage to the joint or its tendon-ligamentous apparatus without instrumental studies. In case of comminuted fractures or severe displacement of bone fragments, surgery is first performed in a hospital setting. The fragments are removed, the bones are set in a physiological position, the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels are sutured. And only after sutures are applied, a splint is used.

It is allowed to use gypsum tapes only for making a splint. Using this device, the victim is taken to the emergency room for medical care.

How not to make a mistake with the size

Knee pads are selected individually, as are clothing. By law, the return of medical supplies is prohibited, so you should be very careful when choosing.

Each manufacturer offers its own size chart, which is based on the circumference of the leg in the area - 15 cm below and above the knee, or on the circumference of the knee joint. Here is an example of one such grid:

Knee joint circumference, cm	Knee pad size
30-36	S
36-40	M
40-45	L
45-49	XL

Knee pad sizes vary from XS to XXL from different manufacturers.

Before choosing a knee brace, consult your doctor. Wearing a knee brace will not completely eliminate arthrosis of the knee joint, but will only temporarily relieve pain and speed up recovery with an integrated approach. Perhaps the specialist will recommend modern safe methods of treating arthrosis, for example, intra-articular injections of Noltrex. In this case, the knee brace will help improve blood circulation in the tissues and maximize the intervals between courses.

Plaster splints

Plaster splints are different from the plaster used for casting in a circular manner. Gypsum is a powder that hardens when mixed with liquid. And when carefully modeling a splint bandage according to the relief of the leg, a plaster bandage is usually used. It is carefully smoothed until the folds that provoke necrosis of soft tissues completely disappear. Then a damp plaster bandage is placed on the leg and secured with gauze or elastic dressing.

Plaster splint.

This method of lower limb immobilization has many advantages over a conventional splint:

the ability to monitor the condition of the skin in areas not covered by the bandage;
the orthopedic device can be easily removed for hygiene procedures or the use of medications for external use;
in case of inflammatory edema, the bandage is displaced, which completely eliminates tissue ischemia (local decrease in blood supply leading to damage to the epidermis);
It is easy to make a circular bandage from a plaster splint by applying additional layers of plaster bandage.

A plaster circular bandage is applied in a continuous thick layer for long-term immobilization for several weeks. In classic bandaging, the dressing material is first wrapped around the limb several times and then secured with plaster. If inflammatory edema develops, then serious ischemic disorders occur, including soft tissue atrophy. Therefore, when injured, doctors use a plaster cast. After its application, a victim with mild or moderate injuries is immediately discharged for further treatment at home. With a circular plaster cast, the patient remains in the hospital for a day under the supervision of medical staff.

Algorithm for applying a splint

For quick and correct restoration, this fixation device must be of the correct size. Measurements (length and width) are taken from the healthy leg. The splint should be equal to half the circumference of the limb.

In this case, the following rules should be adhered to:

You should prepare a container for water, a bandage, and scissors in advance;
the best immobilization occurs when 2-3 joints are captured;
Before applying the bandage, the leg is given a comfortable position;
during the fixation process, the leg must be motionless;
to create comfort for the affected limb, the fixator must repeat its shape;
in order to control the condition of the damaged area, the fingers are left open, that is, they are not bandaged;
the bandage must harden, so it must be handled with care until it dries;
The retainer should not be excessively tight or loose.

If lower limb injuries are not treated promptly, they can lead to serious complications. In some cases, surgical treatment is performed because manual repositioning of the bones is necessary.

What Causes Knee Injuries?

Knee injuries are caused not only by external causes, such as dislocations, sprains and fractures.

There are also a number of factors not related to external influences.

Excess weight increases stress on the knee joints, accelerates the breakdown of cartilage and increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
Structural abnormalities, such as flat feet, increase the risk of other diseases.
Muscle weakness and lack of muscle flexibility are the most common factors causing knee injuries. Muscles that are too weak or too tight do not relieve stress on the knee joints, which leads to their damage.
Knee injuries that have occurred in the past increase the risk of re-injury, as each one weakens the health of the knees and therefore their function.
Overwork leads to emotional and physical fatigue, increasing the risk of knee injury because a tired body does not function properly.

Comparison table of characteristics

In order to compare the presented products, we recommend taking a look at their characteristics in the table below.

Model	Material	Compression	Warming	Floor	Fixation elements	Price, rub.)
Fosta F 1259	neoprene	Yes	Yes	unisex	fixing ring	from 450 to 1230
Ottobock	silicone	Yes	No	unisex	stiffening ribs, silicone inserts	from 3850 to 4990
Orlett Energy Line DKN-103 NRG	textiles, metal	Yes	No	unisex	silicone inserts, stiffeners	from 3070 to 4950
Trives T-8508	neoprene, textile, metal	No	Yes	unisex	Velcro fasteners, straps/ribbons	from 1210 to 1755
Orto NKN 209	neoprene, textile	No	Yes	unisex	fixing ring, silicone inserts	from 1120 to 1980
Orlett Energy Line DKN-203 NRG	metal, textile	Yes	No	unisex	stiffening ribs, silicone inserts	from 3200 to 4300
Pharmacels Patella Stabilizer Knee Brace PRO	textiles, neoprene, metal	Yes	No	unisex	fixing ring, Velcro fasteners, straps/ribbons	from 2050 to 3270
Orto Professional BCK 270	textile	Yes	Yes	unisex	stiffening rib	from 1700 to 2800
Trives T-8511	neoprene, textile	Yes	No	unisex	straps, fixing ring, Velcro fasteners	from 870 to 1570
Crate F-521	neoprene	Yes	Yes	unisex	Velcro fasteners, ring	from 740 to 1505