How to choose the best knee brace for arthritis or knee pain?

Getting a brace for your knee pain can be a confusing task.

But let me ask you this first… Isn’t it annoying when our body gets a little older and we have to “brace” for the day-to-day activities that we have done all our life?

Gary is an avid tennis player and practices two to three times a week, until his accident that caused him some knee pain. Since then, he stopped playing tennis. His family doctor referred him to me for physiotherapy. After the assessment, I suggested a treatment plan, and not long after, I recommended buying a knee brace.

There is a wide range of knee brace going from $40 up to $300! A huge price difference. Like most things, there is a reason why there is such discrepancy. Quality, Comfort, Durability!

Without going to the most expensive brand and model, I suggested a model and a brand that I’ve been using for years. All my clients have been very happy with it!

The brand is GalienBauerfeind. You can’t go wrong with this brand.

Getting the right type of brace for your knee pain or arthritis can help you return to the activities you love!

Symptoms of Knee Pain and Arthritis

Some common symptoms of knee pain and arthritis could be:

Knee feeling stiff especially in the morning
Knee seems to buckle and lock from time to time
Knee becomes swollen even after light activities
Weather change
Loose fragment of cartilage

Types of Knee Braces for Knee Pain and Arthritis

Compression Sleeve – these braces provide minimal support but can minimize swelling and help with proprioception (the body’s ability to keep your knee stable by reacting to whether it is aligned or not).

Rigid Hinge Brace – while still providing the compression of a sleeve these braces also provide side to side stability for basic ligament injuries.

Patello-Femoral Brace – This brace helps with a condition called Patello-femoral pain (that’s a different blog!) by using straps to guide the kneecap in one direction.

Custom Knee Brace – Custom knee braces are ideal for those looking for a knee brace. Measurements of your knee will be taken, and a custom brace will be created for you. We offer custom knee braces available for contact and non-contact sports.

Which one is right for you?

It’s actually easier than you think to choose one. Have a bit of mild pain and swelling? then maybe the Sleeve is right for you.

Tweaked the knee playing tennis with the kids? You might need a Hinge Brace.

Is your pain more local around the kneecap and you have a real tough time with stairs and little squat movements? The Patello-Femoral Brace is the way to go.

When to get a customer hinge brace then? Hinged braces are ideal for day-to-day activities and all sports for those who are suffering from mild to moderate ligament injuries or instabilities, meniscus injuries, sprains or osteoarthritis.

How often should I wear a knee brace?

It all depends on the brace and the injury but usually wearing the brace for 30-60 minutes is a good place to start. As you get used to it you can increase to a few hours at a time depending on activity.

To summarize the topic around braces.

It’s important to seek professional advices from either a brace specialist, a trained physiotherapist or a sport medicine doctor. There are many types of braces. There is no one size-fit for all. Take your time, make sure it’s the right size and it’s comfortable.

If you aren’t sure, contact us, we will be happy to provide you with any recommendations based on your need! Pillars of Wellness is a multidisciplinary clinic based in Burlington, Ontario