A big round of applause for all you sport persons for you are the pride of nation. Being a sports person means facing lots of challenge physically, emotionally, and stressfully. Balancing all these is very important for being an active sportsman. But one thing that all sports person faces in common is – injury, especially knee injury that might result in other complications. We would have seen many sportsmen wearing a tight band like structure around the knee. They are called as knee braces and they protect the knee from injury. Knee braces can also be worn by people who suffer from severe knee pain or an injured knee. Knee braces are made up of plastic, metal, foam, elastic material, and straps.
Types of knee braces
Knee braces come in many shapes, size, and design. Choosing the one that fits correctly is very important. Types of knee braces available in the market are
- Prophylactic braces: There are sports braces that are worn during a match
- Functional braces: They function to protect the already injured knee
- Rehabilitative braces: They hold the knee in perfect position and avoid any harmful movements of the knee that is healing after injury or surgery
- Unloader/offloader braces: They are recommended to people suffering from arthritis
Function of knee braces
Knee braces are said to function in many ways, they are used to reduce knee pain, give assistance, support, and rest to an unstable knee joint, helps to position a deformed joint, ease nerve compression symptoms like tingling and numbness, and helps to avoid any further damage to the knee. Different kinds of knee braces are required for different knee problems. The knee brace recommended after surgery is different from the one that is recommended for a torn ligament. Therefore, do not use a knee brace without consulting the physician.
Not sure, in some it works and in some it doesn’t. Many companies that make knee braces claim that their product help to heal and reduce knee pain. But how, exactly, the knee braces work to reduce pain is still not known. Functional braces, rehabilitative braces, and unloader braces are shown to be effective. In some people, knee braces seem to work magically and in some it brings no improvement. Knee braces, in most of the cases do not seem to protect from injuries. Many athletes are afraid that knee braces will worsen previous injury. The effectiveness and when exactly to use knee braces are still under study. But always remember, the use & need of knee braces will be determined by the doctor.
Selecting and buying a knee brace
If the knee hurts during play or any other physical activity, then the patient should consider using knee braces. What kind of knee braces should be used depends on the knee type and the purpose of using it. A good knee brace should help the person to be more active, reduce pain, improve knee movement, and make the patient feel a more stable knee than before. There are many different kinds of knee braces available in the market. Pharmacies and medical stores have the simple knee sleeves or support. The kind of knee brace that best suits us is usually recommended by the doctor. Some doctors also suggest the best company for buying knee braces. The patient can also order a knee brace directly from the manufacturer or on the internet. Getting the correct sized knee braces is very important. The cost of knee braces varies and some may even cost hundreds of dollars, remember the most expensive one need not be the most effective one. Therefore, making a wise choice and selecting the one that fits perfectly and provides relief is very important.
Using a knee brace
Proper and perfect use of knee braces is very important as a poorly or improperly placed knee braces can hurt rather than protecting the knee. During sports, knee braces should be used as instructed by the physiotherapist or the doctor. Care should be taken while putting on the knee braces to make sure that the hinges are perfectly positioned where the knee bends. Fasten the straps, tapes, hooks and loops around the leg. The position of knee braces should be checked during play to make sure that it has not moved from its position. For a knee brace to work well it should be worn all the time and during all activities that increase the risk of getting hurt or injured. Just because a knee brace is worn, doesn’t mean that injuries will not happen, the person still need to warm up before any athletic activity to minimize muscle injury.
Taking care of knee braces
Knee braces usually gets worn and torn out during normal every day use. Therefore it is important to check for any wear and tear. Knee braces can be cleaned with soap and water. It does not damage the fabric of the knee braces. If any metal part of the knee brace is exposed it should be covered immediately to avoid injury. Replacing a worn out braces is good to get maximum benefit. A more durable brace may last longer but it may cost more.
Exercises after using knee braces
Of course yes, knee braces are placed at the bottom of the list when it comes to protecting the knee. Even with knee braces on the person can get his knee injured. They are the least important part of preventing a knee injury or getting better after a surgery. To have a permanent cure and relief from pain, regular stretching and strengthening exercises are very important. Any changes in the intensity or the duration of the exercise should not be made at once as sudden change can increase stress on knee and increase knee injury. The patient has to sit with is doctor and work out the best exercise plan that provides good strength and flexibility to the knee, which are essential for keeping away knee pain and injury.
Conclusion
How useful and how effective a knee brace is, is still not clear. The decision of using a knee braces should be recommended by a doctor. The patient himself should not decide and start using a knee brace as improper use can have adverse results. Knee braces are effective if they are used properly. Taking advantage of wearing a knee brace and thinking that the knee is totally protected is really imprudence.
