Support Braces: Effectively Manage and Prevent Pain and Injuries
Some of the benefits of wearing a brace as treatment include:
- Enhanced stability – by shifting weight away from the joint damaged area, braces help reduce pain and discomfort.
- Reduced pressure – for weakening joints underneath the ankle bone or kneecap, a brace featuring a cutout area can help minimize pressure and relieve discomfort while offering support to the surrounding area.
- Reduced swelling – certain types of braces provide compression, which can help reduce swelling that may occur after activity.
- Increased confidence – knowing you have the extra support of the brace can give you greater confidence for completing daily tasks.
Types of Support Braces
Support braces can be made from plastic or metal materials and be padded with foam, synthetic rubber or other soft materials. Medical supply stores, pharmacies, and online stores are good places to find support braces. Different types of braces are available for different conditions.
Prophylactic
Braces designed to protect you from injury, usually when playing a sport.
Functional or Supportive
Braces that support an already injured joint.
Rehabilitative
Braces limit the movement of a joint to allow time for healing. They are generally recommended after surgery.
Unloader or Offloader
These braces are most commonly used by people with knee arthritis due to their ability to reduce pressure on important areas.
Compression braces can also vary based on what part of the body they support.
Ankles
This type of brace is often recommended by orthopaedic surgeons to treat mild to moderate pain in the foot and ankle. But if you have severe pain, you may want to consider getting a custom-made leather or plastic ankle brace for improved support.
Back
The effects of arthritis on the back and spinal disks can be reduced by using braces or corsets. Corsets are often made of a stretch fabric to allow adjustability. Braces, on the other hand, tend to be more formed and have metal holding. If you have a vertebral fracture due to arthritis, you may benefit more from a brace than a corset.
Wrists
Assist devices that can help improve wrist arthritis include braces, splints and gloves. Splints immobilize the wrist to reduce pain. Compression braces are like tight gloves and can help reduce swelling. Wrist wraps can feature an open area for the thumb and metal support for the hand. They provide support for individuals who frequently garden, play tennis or type on computers. An ergonomic mouse can also help eliminate discomfort for those who work on computers. Arthritis gloves provide compression as well as create body heat to help relieve inflammation.
Knees
Knee arthritis is a common condition, which explains the several types of knee braces available. Unloader brace is a type of knee brace made from moulded plastic and foam padding. It generally has steel struts that prevent the knee from wobbling and can be adjustable to reduce pressure on the inner or outer portion of the knee. The downside is that they can be bulky in size.
The hinged knee brace has a hole for the kneecap and straps above and below the knee for stability. It has a “hinge” portion on either side of your kneecap to support movement and walking. It is often recommended for knee instability. A drop-lock hinged brace is generally used after an injury or surgery due to its adjustable hinge that prevents the knee from overextending or excessively flexing. And there is also the neoprene sleeve brace that is often pulled up and over the knee. Due to its low profile, it can be worn under your pants. However, this type of brace may not provide the same level of support as the other types.
When Do Support Braces Work?
The effectiveness of support braces often depends on where arthritis has caused areas of instability and damage. For example, for individuals with damage to the medial compartment of the knee, a brace can be helpful to provide support on the outer knee. Those with tear or injury to the anterior collateral ligament may need surgery to stabilize the knee.
According to experts, sometimes braces have limited effectiveness because people don’t wear them as supposed. Reasons individuals stop wearing their braces include discomfort, skin breakdown and swelling. While you can expect some scratching or skin soreness for the first few times wearing a brace, make sure to contact your doctor if it hurts more to wear the brace than it does not wear it.