You may have osteoarthritis (OA) and be suffering unnecessarily from its associated pain. Many people choose to treat their OA symptoms with oral medicines, injections and surgery. However, there is another option. Knee bracing for knee OA is less invasive and less costly than these other treatments. Plus, it is simple, safe and clinically proven to work.

 

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Today, doctors recognize that OA pain is caused by wear and tear on a joint and the associated inflammation. OA of the knee is the result of degeneration, or breakdown, of the articular cartilage that covers and protects the bones in the joint. This is a biomechanical problem. As seen in the x-ray to the right, the space between the two bones in the knee, where cartilage used to be, has narrowed and the bones are rubbing together. Your doctor may refer to this as “bone-on-bone” contact.

Medial compartment OA of led knee

 

Pain, stiffness and inflammation in the knee are all signs of osteoarthritis (OA). In the early stages, the articular cartilage becomes pitted, causing stiffness in the knee. People often find themselves cutting back on their activities or work because of the discomfort and pain. In advanced OA, the cartilage erodes to the point where the bone is exposed and the two primary bones in the knee joint — the femur and tibia — rub together. There is a great deal of pain, stiffness and inflammation associated with this advanced degenerative stage.

As a result, many people are forced to give up activities that require standing or walking, which often results in weight gain and a reduction in their quality of life.

 

The degeneration of knee cartilage is often due to the normal aging process, but can start much earlier if you injure your knee. The constant weight on your knees causes the damaged cartilage to deteriorate rapidly, especially if you perform load-bearing work or are very active. Extra weight (even body weight) often accelerates the degenerative process. Approximately 1 in 5 adults over the age of 45 has osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, and most have it by the time they retire. Fortunately, this common biomechanical problem can be effectively treated.

 

Although no cure exists for osteoarthritis (OA), several options are available to alleviate the pain and allow you to perform activities of daily living. An Össur® OA knee brace is a conservative option that doesn’t require surgery. While not right for everyone, an Össur OA knee brace may enable you to increase your activity level and become less dependent on medications or surgery to relieve pain.

Discuss the various options with your doctor. A balanced treatment program can reduce pain and improve function, enabling you to become more active than you’ve been in years.

 

The first and most important step is to discuss with your doctor your lifestyle and activities that you miss because of knee pain. The treatment you choose should match your lifestyle and allow you to return to the activities you enjoy. In many cases,
you may not require surgery to be active and without pain. Ask your doctor if an Össur osteoarthritis (OA) knee brace is an option you can try before considering surgery.

 

There are several treatment options, depending on the severity of your condition, but the most common are:

  medications or injections
  knee bracing
  surgery

Talk with your doctor to understand the advantages and limitations of each.

 

It is important to exercise regularly to increase your range of motion and strengthen the muscles that protect the knee. Consult your physician or health care professional before starting an exercise routine.

 

1. Seated leg lifts are excellent for building strength in leg muscles.

2. Endurance exercises like swimming, water aerobics or stationary bicycling are excellent ways to improve fitnessand lose weight with minimal stress to your damaged knee.

3. Stretching and yoga increase flexibility and reduce stiffness.

4. Strength exercises on machines, or with light weights, build muscle tone.

 

The Össur® Unloader pioneered osteoarthritis (OA) knee bracing. In 1986, the inventors of a single-hinged ligament knee brace noticed that an increasing number of patients in their orthopaedic clinic had pain on the medial (inner) side of their knee. After numerous discussions with Orthopaedic Surgeons, they looked more closely at adapting their ligament brace to unload the medial side of the knee. Using mechanical forces, their patients experienced relief.

Further consultation with the medical community and numerous scientific studies proved that this new, non-invasive treatment resulted in significant pain relief for those suffering with OA knee pain. Eventually, the Unloader® was adapted to treat pain on the lateral (outer) side of the knee as well. Today, Össur’s Unloader technology is the industry standard, with more than 20 clinical studies demonstrating its efficacy.

Unloader knee bracing: a biomechanical solution for a biomechanical problem. Building on more than 20 years of experience, Össur has developed an OA knee bracing product line with a variety of both custom and off-the-shelf options, for all activity levels and body types. Össur continues to introduce new technologies that improve comfort and pain relief.

 

Unloader braces unload the affected, painful side of the knee using a 3-Point Leverage System. The thigh and calf shells account for two points of leverage, while the Dynamic Force Strap (the diagonal strap above the knee) provides the third. This system “unloads” the pressure from the affected area, providing a reduction in pain. Regular use of the brace may even slow the degenerative process, as the area receives less load on a daily basis.

The biomechanical change in the knee is demonstrated by the x-rays below.