By: Claire Mills, Founder Core LDN
First published: 29th January 2025
What does a knee brace do?
A knee brace helps support the knee joint which can help relieve pain or stiffness. They are often used after knee injury or surgery to help rehabilitation. A knee brace creates compression to the soft tissues around the knee joint assisting in stabilising the patella (knee cap) and/ or knee joint and can also evenly distribute the weight around the knee. Braces can also be used to limit the range of movement of the knee joint which is common post surgery.
What’s the best knee brace?
This very much depends on your injury and goal. As a physiotherapist I would recommend an assessment by a healthcare professional such as a physio to see if and which knee brace is appropriate for you. Often you would require manual treatment, specific strengthening alongside a brace to address your knee pain/ injury.
Generally for conditions such as arthritis and if you are suffering from pain from swelling a compression sleeve is a good choice as can help decrease the swelling and therefore pain. They are made from stretchy material and fit snuggly around your knee joint. The compression increases blood flow to the area decreasing swelling, pain and inflammation and gives some support to the knee during exercise/ physical activity. They can be a good choice for runners as they still allow the joint to move freely unlike hinged braces.
If you have patella femoral pain, pain around the knee cap or have been told you may require a patella stabilising support/ patella brace to help stabilise or assist with tracking of the knee cap which help to maintain a good position of the patella. These can also be good for conditions such as tendinitis and chondromalacia patella.
Hinged braces give more advanced support and stability however are more restrictive. These are often used post surgery or ligamentous injuries to the knee i.e. ACL.
When should you wear a knee brace?
Again as above I’d recommend using a knee brace alongside care from healthcare professional such as a physiotherapist. Generally knee braces are prescribed/worn to assist with compression, stability or to prevent movement I.e post surgery. Initially get an idea of the injury/ cause of pain as above, consider the type of brace and what it does, ensure a good fit, keep in mind how you’ll use it i.e how active you’ll be, using it for sports. Get professional advice if unsure or a brace you’re using is not helping.
What are the different types of knee brace?
Compression sleeve, patella stabilising support/ brace, hinged brace - there are lots of variations of these depending on the what support you want to achieve.
What do they treat?
As a physio I would not say the word treat. A knee brace alone will not resolve knee pain. An assessment of the cause, manual treatment and rehab/ strengthening combined will treat knee pain. As above they can help support knee conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, patella femoral pain, anterior knee pain, chondromalacia patella, ligament sprains and support rehab post surgery.
About Core LDN
Aimed at revolutionising the fitness and rehabilitation landscape, Core LDN firmly believe
that a one size fits all approach simply doesn't apply to wellness. At the heart of Core LDN's philosophy is a team of expert physiotherapists dedicated to treating and rehabilitating all injuries. Through a fusion of exercise rehabilitation in specialised CORE classes, clients can experience the benefits of Physiotherapy-led Pilates. Whether in recovery mode, navigating pre/postnatal stages, or striving towards specific fitness objectives, individuals can harness the power of personalised Pilates sessions.
To find out more about Core LDN, book a physiotherapy initial appointment or Core LDN Pilates intro visit www.coreldn.com
Comments