Racquetball player Rex Benham, who famously played for the U.S. national racquetball team, was told by his doctor that he needed a total knee replacement, the prospect of which made him fear that his competitive racquetball playing days were over. Benham was able to compete in the National USA Racquetball Tournament five years later, with no surgery done. Said Benham, “I am almost always pain-free and walk and play without a limp.”
How did he achieve this feat? Benham credits this achievement to a rigorous routine he practiced to strengthen his quadriceps, glucosamine and, his use of a knee brace for pain relief from the osteoarthritis (OA) pain he suffered.
A knee brace can stabilize the knee during physical activities, which helps prevent knee injury
Situations like Behnam’s represent some of the best document effects and benefits of knee braces for OA where damage to the cartilage is confined to the inside, or medial, compartment of the knee area, according to J. Martin Leland III, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago, who is an orthopedic surgeon.
A good knee brace that offers a good grip and compression can help keep the knee aligned in its normal position by keeping the force on the outside compartment while protecting and stabilizing the damaged inside compartment, which allows the knee to heal. This is what a knee stabilizer and compression are about.
Below are additional ways that a knee brace could help people who suffer from knee arthritis
A knee brace allows ligaments to heal
A well designed functional knee brace with stabilizers can provide support for medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries. The same goes for anterior collateral ligament (ACL), which may require a surgery. The key goal is for the knee brace to be able to hold the knee together by compression, which helps it to heal. In some cases, your doctor or physical therapist may prescribe a drop lock hinged knee brace. This type of knee brace is locked to immobilize the knee or unlocked, which makes it possible for the knee to bend during the healing process, following surgery.
A knee brace relieves kneecap pain
A feeling of pain could occur due to softness or weakness of the cartilage under the kneecap. A good. A good, well-designed neoprene with open patella in the knee cap area can help steady the bone and keep it in place, which is a good support for easing the pain. According to Matt Holland, physical therapy manager for Houston based Methodist Center for Sports Medicine, this should make it more comfortable for you to carry on with your regular exercise and other physical activities. These are the type of braces that need no prescription and are found in sporting goods store, pharmacies and online (for example on this website).
Knee braces boost confidence
A lot of people who have had knee injuries or pain report that they have experienced relief by using a neoprene knee brace. Again, these are the type of non-prescription knee braces found in sporting goods stores, pharmacies and online (such as on this website). These, according to experts, provide warmth and compression and may help with the relief of swelling. But it’s fair to also mention that some people believe that the main benefit derived is mostly psychological because people get a feeling of support. In buying knee braces, in general, care must be taken to ensure that a well-designed one with high quality materials, which will stay on the knee and provide good stabilization and compression, is purchased.