Types of Knee Braces: How to Choose the Right One?
Knee braces are used if a person has knee discomfort or wants to avoid injuries during high-contact sports when knee injuries are more likely.
Knee braces can also be used for rehabilitation, such as after ACL damage. They can be bought from a medical supply shop.
The brace assists in slow, limited movement, allowing the patient to gradually regain range of motion. Knee braces are also useful for arthritis patients since they can help reduce pain and inflammation. Your doctor can advise you on whether it is needed.
Types of Knee Braces
Knee braces in Malaysia are classified into four types: prophylactic, functional, rehabilitative, and unloader/offloader knee braces.
1. Prophylactic Knee Braces
Prophylactic knee braces are intended to prevent and lessen the severity of ligamentous knee injuries. Athletes that participate in contact sports, such as football, are the most likely to use this type of knee braces.
Prophylactic knee braces protect the MCL (medial collateral ligament) against valgus knee strains while also preventing further injury to the knee joints. These knee braces are ideal for contact athletes who are at high risk of MCL injury or who have already sustained an MCL injury.
2. Functional Knee Braces
A functional knee brace is used to support knees that have previously been damaged, either through sports or from a fall.
Functional knee braces are also useful for minimizing rotation after an ACL injury or rupture, as well as for people who require additional support following ACL repair surgery. They can also be used to support mild to moderate PCL or MCL instability in select cases.
3. Rehabilitative Knee Braces
Rehabilitative knee braces aid in minimizing potentially hazardous knee motions as a person recovers from knee surgery or an accident.
These braces support a reconstructed or healed ligament while allowing early mobility of the knee joint. Rehabilitative knee braces are also an excellent way to preserve the knee joints and ligaments from further harm.
4. Unloader/Offloader Knee Braces
Unloader/Offloader knee braces are intended to give relief to persons with knee arthritis, particularly those with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. By applying pressure to the thigh bone, these knee braces are intended to relieve tension from the afflicted joint.
As a result, the knee is forced to bend away from the painful area. These braces can also be useful for patients who are awaiting knee replacement surgery and wish to relieve tension on their knees before the procedure.
Choosing the Right Knee Brace
There’s no denying that knee braces can help you recover from an injury or prevent one from happening in the first place, but choosing the right one can be difficult.
Knowing more about how to choose a knee brace in Malaysia for your specific needs might make the process go more smoothly.
When shopping for a knee brace, look for protection levels ranging from 1 to 3+. A Level 1 brace, such as a knee sleeve, provides the least amount of support yet is the most flexible. When fully active, it is ideal for pain reduction and mild to moderate support.
Level 2 braces provide more protection than Level 1 braces; they are less flexible but still allow for some mobility. Wraparound braces and knee straps are excellent examples. You’ll get modest to moderate knee support to help alleviate discomfort from ligament instabilities and tendonitis.
A Level 3 brace, such as a hinged knee brace, provides the most support but the least mobility. In addition, this style of brace is often heavier. It’s ideal for recuperating following surgery when knee mobility should be restricted to avoid reinjury.
To go even further, there is the option of a 3+ Level for maximum protection. This level is ideal for assisting with pain reduction and providing support for moderate to severe instabilities and conditions.
In a Nutshell
Choosing the right knee brace in Malaysia is determined by the degree of support required and/or by what your doctor prescribes.
This choice is dependent on whether you are recuperating from surgery, the type of injury you have, and how much movement your knee should have.
For further enquiries, feel free to get in touch with our specialists.
