Knee Brace

Knee Brace

Do you have knee pain, instability or weakness in the knee? Then a knee brace may help reduce your symptoms. If you have pain on the medial (inside) of the knee due to arthritis, an inlay may also be of benefit. Your doctor may be of assistance if you are unsure which one is for you.

However, this section illustrates the type of knee braces which may be used to alleviate the symptoms of various knee conditions. There are a number of different knee brace designs available depending on the problem affecting the knee. Prime Medical Supplies provides a range of knee braces suitable for helping reduce that can address the symptoms of many knee problems and to provide support where required. These range from gentle supports to help arthritic pain to more sophisticated knee braces designed to apply forces to the knee to control knee ligament damage.

Soft pull-on Knee Brace

Goals of treatment:

• To increase activity
• Help decrease anti-inflammatory medications
• Decrease pain symptoms
• Provides intermittent compression to strained tendons/muscles or injured knees.
• Provide comfort & breathability

Stability Knee Brace or Orthosis

The stabilizing knee brace is designed to give mediolateral (sideways) support to the knee whilst also controlling knee cap (patella) tracking when the knee flexes and extends. It has steel spiral sprigs either side of the knee which give firm support but allow a full range of flexion and extension and a patella buttress to stabilize and protect the patella.

Patella control knee brace

These types of knee braces are designed specifically to control the knee cap (patella) to help maintain a functional position and to help prevent it dislocate. The vast majority of knee braces are made of neoprene or other soft materials there is also a newer material called HYDRACINN™ fabric it is a revolutionary moisture-wicking and neoprene-free material and are again of the pull-on type to facilitate an opening around the front of the brace to locate the patella.

Hinged Knee Braces

For those knees requiring enhanced protection for knee ligaments without the need to wear more extensive orthoses (Knee Braces), the hinged knee brace has proven to be of benefit.

The metal hinges may be individually shaped and help reduce instabilities caused by mild ligament damage. Tri-axial Hinges provide maximum protection with near-normal knee motion. The device is ideal for general overall support for arthritic conditions and mild ligament damage without the need for extensive superstructures.

Moderate knee brace

For patients in need of moderate support for the knee, there are a number of braces available which have been designed with more substantial side members to control mild/moderate knee instability resulting from ligament problems.

These normally consist of a soft tubular structure to which specially developed support structures are positioned either side of the knee. These are more bulky than neoprene braces, but are required to apply support. An orthotic knee joint is incorporated into the side members, which are designed to follow the anatomical motion of the knee in flexion and extension whilst also supporting the major knee ligaments.

Functional knee braces

Functional knee braces are designed to limit abnormal movements of the knee by controlling or limiting the unwanted motion resulting from ligament damage and to protect knee ligaments from further damage or injury.

Whilst no knee brace can guarantee to totally protect the knee from further damage, braces offer some of the most optimal support available from off the shelf braces.

These braces have substantial superstructures designed to apply forces to the knee joint to prevent unwanted motion via various strapping arrangements. Some braces are manufactured to be very stiff by using carbon fibre composites in their superstructure, whilst some use aluminium which has the capability of being shaped within certain limits.

Passive Design

Passive counterforce braces rely on the leg being strapped to the anterior superstructure through an adequate number of non-elastic straps. These braces apply passive force systems (i.e. they do not translate or rotate lower leg segments within the brace whilst donned), but simply apply forces to ensure the lower limb adopts the brace configuration.

• Force systems traverse the orthotic knee joint to stabilise the knee ligaments;
• These types of orthosis are designed to control medio-lateral instability and axial rotation due to the torsional stiffness and strength of their superstructures.

Active counterforce braces

These again have superstructures, but differ in that the design do not incorporate supportive shells added to just the front of the leg. The main design features are:

• The strapping arrangements are designed to offload specific ligaments.
• They key to their action is the position of the shells comprising the superstructure;
• The ACL version has an anterior thigh section and a posterior calf section (this is reversed for the PCL version);
• The anterior tibial strap is instrumental in resisting anterior tibial translation and reacts within the brace superstructure to re-align the osseous knee structures to offload the ACL.

Osteoarthritis knee brace

The vast majority of people who experience pain due to arthritic changes in the knee have pain in the medial compartment. Specialist knee braces have been developed to relieve loading on the medial compartment of the knee. They achieve this by altering the alignment of the leg at the knee to a less varus position (i.e. a more valgus position) which means the medial joint space is made wider and thus pain is reduced.

These braces have therefore been shown to relieve pain by biomechanical re-alignment of knee structures using externally applied forces. These are specialist braces and need to be assessed and fitted by the Orthotist.

Featured Products

Knee Brace

Hg80 Knee Braces is simply the most comfortable brace you'll wear. Supportive steel springs support both sides of the knee, yet still allow leg flexion and extension. So you get the support you need without hampering your flexibility. Recommended to help control sublaxating patellas and to help support stiff, sore, or unstable knees. The Hg80 Hinged Knee Brace is also available in the moisture-wicking material with an antimicrobial barrier, which perfect for on and off the field activity. Below is images that detail the specification of the Hg80 Knee Braces.

• Upper and lower strapping locks the knee brace in position. Upper bidirectional stretch material is form fitting and fully adjustable for superior support with not slip. This is important when preventing migration of the knee brace.

• Tibial containment system features a custom secondary shell with stabilizing patella buttress and rear support strap. The Hg80 knee braces have all these features standard.

Anti-slip INNER GRIP STRIPS help prevent brace migration of the knee braces.			Formfitting HOURGLASS DESIGN with superior support for each Hg80 Knee Brace.
The Mueller-exclusive HydraCinn® fabric is a high-performance, moisture-wicking material with an antimicrobial barrier.*			Nylon mesh Carry Bag protects your knee brace and other equipment in your gym bag from hook & loop straps. The open weave design with locking cinch string keeps your brace separate and your bag organized.