Knee braces are worn to provide support and pain relief by stabilising the joints and compressing the surrounding muscles. A quality brace helps provide comfortable joint support enabling faster recovery from injury or preventing most injuries.
The type of knee brace you need will depend on your condition and needs. There are 3 types of braces: braces to be worn during high-impact activities to prevent injury, braces that will limit movement of the affected area during rehabilitation or healing process, and braces that add stability and protection to a mildly injured knee and can be used during activity.
Determining How Long You Should Wear a Knee Brace
The amount of time you should wear a knee brace would depend on your condition, pain levels and possibly instructions by your clinician. For mild pain that has been present for a long period of time, a brace can be worn for the activity only and the recovery afterwards and then taken off for day-to-day life. This would mean the brace is an added tool throughout the year for the activity and is utilised only during specific times. For moderate to severe pain, a brace can be worn from anything between 2 weeks to 6 months depending on the specific injury and needs. For this purpose, a brace would be worn for longer hours throughout the day and during activities and possibly in combination with a strengthening program. It is crucial that the brace is comfortable, sized well and breathable ensuring that it will be used and intertwined comfortably with your recovery and daily life.
Duration of Physical Therapy or Treatment
Using a quality knee brace can also support physical therapy, due to the added pressure on the joints during the process of restrengthening the surrounding muscles. A knee brace with medical grade compression helps blood circulation that in turn supplies more oxygen and nutrients to your knee that aids in speeding up recovery. Some doctors do not recommend surgery for certain injuries, but rather recommend going through a more conservative approach of physical therapy with the use of medical grade supports.
The severity of the injury will dictate how long you should wear a knee brace because it is usually worn throughout the treatment period. As an example, we have listed three common knee injuries including Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear (ACL), Meniscus Tear, and Osteoarthritis.
Recovering from ACL injuries can take up to four to ten weeks depending on the degree and grade of the injury. First and second-degree tears do not often require surgery and can be healed with some good rest, a comfortable knee brace and physical therapy. A meniscus tear can also vary in severity with minor to moderate tears causing pain often are relieved with a knee brace and strengthening the surround muscles compared with a ‘bucket handle tear’ that would likely require surgery and a brace post operative. Patients with osteoarthritis may be recommended to wear knee braces every day to manage symptoms as a daily multidiscplinary approach.
Read more: How long does a meniscus tear take to heal
Bauerfeind’s GenuTrain line includes different types of knee braces that could help alleviate pain and symptoms for conditions such as ACL, Meniscus Tears and Osteoarthritis.
GenuTrain
GenuTrain A3
Should I Wear a Knee Brace All Day?
If your doctor tells you to wear a knee brace all day, then yes. Some surgical patients are advised to wear the knee brace all day, depending on the severity of the injury. In the case of sore knees and mild injuries, you can utilise the brace based on activities and requirements and based on the quality of the brace can be used for extended periods and times.
Read more about: The early signs of arthritis and how to treat them
Can I Wear a Knee Brace While I Sleep?
Although there are comfortable knee braces available in the market, it is not advised to wear a knee brace while sleeping unless instructed by your doctor. This usually applies to surgical patients to make sure that the affected joints stay in place, or for those who are suffering from insomnia due to their knee pain. If you are uncertain, always contact your health provider for advice.
Implications of improper use or selection of knee braces
The use of knee braces is beneficial and can relieve pain and discomfort. It is still important to understand the implications when knee braces are used improperly. This could include wearing the wrong type of brace, having the wrong size and fit, wearing the brace too long in a day, and even wearing them for a longer duration than what was recommended by your doctor. Improper use can lead to more pain and can cause further damage to the knee.
A well selected knee brace should be comfortable enough to wear for both long and short periods of time as well as high activity through to casual day to day use for general lifestyle.
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