Knee pain is a fairly common issue with athletes and non-athletes alike. This isn’t a surprise when you know that the knee joint is bigger than any other joint in your body, and the fact that it is in constant use throughout the day opens up the potential for injury. It doesn’t mater if you’re walking, climbing, running, jogging or jumping – there’s comes a time when you may benefit from the supportive abilities of a knee brace.
Knee braces perform two essential functions when you’re injured: they facilitate movement while restricting the injured knee, and they encourage healing at the same time. Let’s take a deeper dive into the benefits of a knee brace.
Knee Braces Facilitate Rehabilitation
The primary purpose of a knee brace is to aid in rehabilitation post-injury. This includes surgeries, as well. Because of the complexity and size of the knee joint, it usually takes longer to heal and rehabilitate than other joints in the body; in the meantime, the knee brace facilitates healing via stabilization. Because the structure of the knee brace is itself a weight-bearing mechanism, it allows you to continue using some of the strength in your knees safely as they heal.
Prophylactic (Damage-Prevention) Attributes
Because of its ability to lend support, the knee brace has what is referred to as a prophylactic benefit; it effectively reduces the risk of further damage dramatically. The knee joint is especially at risk of injury since it is used so much; these injuries can come from twisting and turning, or from placing large loads too suddenly on it. The ligament can then tear as a result.
This is where the knee brace comes into play: it can limit the ability of your knees to extend and thus parry overextending. Additionally, the knee brace can also induce tissue compression for extra support.
Knee braces come in various sizes and makeups; you don’t have to wear the large, restrictive mechanical ones if you haven’t injured it yet. There are slip-on knee braces that provide adequate compression and limits the range of motion associated with hyperextension injuries. Athletes who engage in sports such as basketball and volleyball, which require a lot of jumping and quick moves, really benefit from having this latter type of brace to minimize sprains and muscle cramps. It is always best to seek advice from a physiotherapist before deciding which brace will work best for you.
Weight-Bearing Abilities
As mentioned briefly earlier, you cannot overlook the importance of the weight-bearing ability of the knee brace. If you are active in any way, it can be instrumental in limiting the chances of sprains, twists and other knee-related injuries. If you do get such an injury, then the brace will speed up recovery while still allowing you a range of motion/use of the knee joint.
The benefits of the knee brace extend beyond mechanical failures resulting from sports and climbing, etc. It can also help with arthritis, osteoarthritis and other knee issues that cause inflammation of the joint. The brace spread the weight-bearing load of your own body and alleviates the pressure and inflamed region. Lastly, due to the huge range of sizes, styles and materials, you can get the best knee brace that works for you no matter your condition.
