What Knee Brace Do I Need?

Many times we have patients come in with knee pain and wanting a brace. The important thing to note is that there are many different knee braces that all have different functions.

To able to fit the right knee brace we have to determine what the goal of the brace is. We can group basic knee braces into three different categories:

Compression

A basic knee compression sleeve can range from $10 to $150. If you have general knee pain or some constant swelling in the knee area, this type of brace would work for you.

The goal of these knee braces is to increase circulation and proprioception while decreasing swelling.

They do not add stability to the knee but give an overall feeling of comfort.

People commonly wear this type of knee brace, as they are the most comfortable and easiest to wear.

Knee Stability

A common concern is the instability of the knee where patient feels their knee wants collapse while weight bearing.

This is normally due to a strain or laxity in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or lateral collateral ligament (LCL) or overall muscle weakness.

Depending on how much stability the knee needs, these braces can range from $80 to into the thousands.

Rigidly structured hinges provide stability to the knee. The longer and stronger the hinge arms are, the more stability they provide.

Lower-end knee braces are usually sleeves with hinged arms. Meanwhile, stronger and more expensive knee braces may be made of completely rigid materials.

Patella Femoral

The third common use of knee braces is to help reduce pain with patella femoral syndrome.

Misalignment of the kneecap can cause pain. The patella has a grove that it runs on while flexing and extending the knee.

For many reasons, including muscle imbalance and overpronation, the patella rubs on the grove causing pain.

The goal of this knee brace is to help hold the patella in its groove, while the cause is being fixed.

These braces usually cost between $50 and $250. In the brace, there is a buttress that runs along the lateral border of the kneecap.

They can be shaped as an O, a C, or a J, depending on the manufacturer. These knee braces work well at decreasing pain but it’s important to find and address the original cause of the pain.