Written by Benjamin K. Mattox, DrPH, PA-C
The largest joint in the body, the knee is also one of the most often injured, with approximately 2.29 knee injuries per thousand people in the U.S. each year. The most common knee injuries are sprains, fractures, dislocation, and soft tissue tears of cartilage and ligaments. Although most common among athletes, knee injuries can be caused by falls, excessive force, sudden twisting, awkward movements, and sometimes just overuse.
A knee brace is often the first line of defense to provide support against injury or support the healing process. These braces come in several designs, sizes, and colors and are constructed from combinations of foam, metal, plastic, stretchy material, and straps.
This guide, which is intended to be an educational resource for you as you choose which knee brace is best for you, is not a substitute for a consultation with your doctor to determine the best treatment plan for your situation.
A common use for a knee brace isn’t to treat an injury, but to provide additional support to prevent one from happening. Sometimes referred to as a prophylactic brace, this kind of brace is often used by users who are at risk for knee injuries, users with weakened knees, and athletes participating in contact sports who are at a greater risk for a knee injury.
Wrap-around braces, sleeve style, and hinged models are all used by people who are at a higher risk for ligament injury to protect the knee from hyperextension and to reduce the risk of reinjuring a previously injured ligament.
For users who are rehabilitating a knee, certain motions need to be limited during healing. Still, it shouldn’t be kept completely immobilized or the joint can weaken over time. A rehabilitative knee brace helps protect a reconstructed or repaired ligament while allowing appropriate motion of the joint. These braces are sturdy and come in wrap or hinged designs to protect the knee joints and ligaments to prevent future damage from the combination of loose movement while bearing weight.
After recovering from an injury or surgery, your knee can benefit from additional stabilization during potentially high-impact activities. A functional knee brace doesn’t limit you from doing the things you did before a knee injury, but the extra support it provides helps prevent reinjury or additional damage even if extra stress is put on the joint. They are flexible yet provide strong support, usually with a wrap, stiff sleeve, or hinged design to reduce pain and swelling and facilitate recovery from acute injuries.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic joint conditions. A wear-and-tear condition, it becomes more common as people age, breaking down the cushioning cartilage between the bones. This causes pain and stiffness and limits movement. Other contributing factors to knee arthritis are heredity, obesity, overuse, previous injuries, gender, autoimmune triggers, and structural abnormalities that can cause excess stress on the knee.
Arthritis of the knee is a leading cause of chronic disability. Knee replacement is usually the recommended treatment for end-stage knee osteoarthritis, and using a knee brace can potentially delay surgery. An unloader brace that distributes the weight from the knee to stronger areas of the leg or an offloader that protects the entire knee is often used by people with arthritis. By taking the weight off the knee, and relying on the joint only to direct movement, users recover mobility and can continue with daily life and recreational activities. Typically these braces are either wrap sleeve designs or lightweight versions of hinged braces.
A swollen knee, which can be caused by trauma, overuse, or an underlying condition like arthritis or tendonitis, happens when excess fluid collects in or around the joint. This causes pressure, pain, and can slow the healing of the area. A compression sleeve knee brace can be used by anyone with a swollen knee to provide constant compression to keep fluid from collecting and recirculating excess fluid back to the blood.
The most common reason for wearing a knee brace is to prevent an injury, and prophylactic braces offer light to medium support. Athletes often wear prophylactic braces to keep their knees from being pushed too far in the wrong direction while playing a sport or to address patellar instability and the risk of dislocation. Adjustable for a personalized fit, these braces are usually a pull-on sleeve wrap design that may or may not have hinges and doesn’t restrict the wearer’s movement.
For non-athletes, lightweight stretchy sleeve knee braces can be worn under clothes and decrease the risk of injury from day-to-day activities with a little extra support for people who have weakened or compromised knee joints, as often happens as we age.
An example of a sleeve design is an open patella brace, which allows relief of pressure and provides extra knee cap support while making it more breathable. A closed patella brace provides additional support along with compression at the knee cap with the same pressure as the rest of the knee, with heat retention properties that help improve blood flow to the area. There is also the option for an open or closed popliteal brace, where the opening is behind the knee to improve comfort, or without an opening to support improved circulation.
A functional knee brace allows the wearer to continue activities at a functional level while protecting a knee that has healed from an injury but still might not be at full strength. Many athletes who are cleared to play after a knee injury will wear a functional knee brace until the knee is fully healed and less susceptible to re-injury.
A hinged brace that can prevent hyperextension is the most common choice to stabilize, protect, and support the knee to prevent another injury. These braces are often worn by athletes who need protection and stabilization for the knee following surgery or injuries to their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), or medial cruciate ligament (MCL).
Rigid hinged braces deliver moderate to maximum support and are ideal for people playing contact sports. Soft-hinged braces provide mild to moderate support.
Other functional braces that allow users, especially athletes, to continue their activities include wraparound styles that are easy to get on and off and are adjustable to customize the fit for comfort and protection. They can help with mild to moderate knee pain, dislocation, and instability of the patella.
Bands and straps that can be worn while maintaining full function apply effective pressure to the joint to minimize discomfort from runner’s knee, jumper’s knee, or other acute knee pain.
Braces worn while rehabilitating a knee ensure the joint can move while it’s supported in the correct position. Wraparound braces are popular for rehabilitation, as they are easy to use, provide a customizable fit, and allow you to move your knee as it heals.
Soft and rigid hinged braces are also popular for rehabilitation after a knee injury or surgery, especially for athletes, as these braces deliver milt to maximum support and stability to facilitate healing quickly.
Inflammatory conditions including tendonitis, arthritis, patellofemoral or iliotibial band stress syndrome, and chondromalacia patellae are helped by using a hinged unloader brace that shifts the pressure and redistributes the weight on the knee to the non-injured side.
An offloader brace can be a rigid-frame or wraparound brace that takes the entire pressure and weight off the knee by increasing the joint space and reducing pressure across the three knee compartments.
These are also called knee supports. Compression sleeves treat mild to moderate chronic knee pain for people with arthritis or who are dealing with the residual effects of a previous injury. They come in sizes from small to extra extra large with the size determined by measuring the circumference of the knee mid-patella. By redistributing the weight-bearing load, these braces offer additional support and protection from injury for weakened knees. Compression sleeve braces are easy to pull on and off, can be worn under your clothes, and provide just enough support to decrease pain from everyday movement and activity.
A: Knee confidence is measured in the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Score, and is a contributing factor to overall well-being, especially as people age. Lost confidence in the ability of the knees to function properly leads to self-limiting mobility and potentially no longer independently accomplishing activities of daily living.
A: A compression brace with lateral stabilizers is the ideal choice for arthritis of the knee. Steady compression reduces fluid build-up and inflammation and increases circulation. The addition of the stabilizers will help keep your knee from painfully twisting, and offload the knee joint by redistributing weight to the rest of your leg.
A: Wearing an immobilizing brace for an extended period, the blood will flow through your veins slower than usual, which can contribute to a blood clot. Vein compression, although rare, can also be a contributing factor to a blood clot. Your doctor can assess your risk of a blood clot and proceed accordingly with your treatment plan.
A: The brace should fit snugly, but not be so tight as to cut off circulation.
A: A compression knee sleeve is best for addressing swelling and pain. Constant pressure keeps fluids out of the knee to reduce swelling, allows for increased blood flow to facilitate healing, and the support can effectively reduce knee pain.
A: Knee braces are designed to protect the knee from injury, especially for people whose knees are put under great pressure when doing things like running, jumping, or participating in sports. Knee braces allow for slow, limited movement that facilitates healing and regaining range of motion. Knee supports provide compression, which helps reduce swelling and minimize mild to moderate knee pain. They can often be hidden under clothes and don’t hamper movement, so they are often undetected by others.
A: A knee brace is a knee orthosis, which is an appliance that exerts external forces on part of the body to support joints or correct a deformity.
A knee that functions properly and without pain contributes greatly to the quality of life and overall well-being, so taking precautions to protect and support your knees will have a significant impact on your daily life. Since the knee is one of the most commonly injured joints in the body, people ranging from professional athletes to senior citizens have to regularly deal with the effects of knee issues.
The support of a knee brace - whether used to fend off age and arthritis-related pain or to rehabilitate a sports injury - can facilitate continued mobility and reduce pain and inflammation in the joint. Knee pain should not be ignored, and in many cases, can be addressed by wearing a sleeve or brace.
Rehabmart has a large selection of Knee Braces, Knee Compression Sleeves, Hinged Knee Braces, Knee Orthoses, and Knee Immobilizers to address your diagnosis. If you are unsure which type of brace you need, we recommend you consult with your doctor.
Thank you for your time in reading this article. Visit Caregiver University for more useful articles and buying guides to help you make informed purchasing decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
Benjamin K. Mattox, DrPH, PA-C
Orthopedic surgery physician assistant, doctor of public health, and owner of a public health consulting firm. With over a decade of Active Duty Navy Experience, Deployments with the Navy SEALS, and as a Professor for Purdue University - Dr. Mattox is a highly qualified and experienced clinician with a firm understanding of orthotic needs, rehabilitation, home access needs, gait therapy, and veteran-specific health needs.
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