Does a knee brace help with osteoarthritis?

 

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Auteur: Bart van Ommen – ⏱ 8 minuten

Knee osteoarthritis (also known as gonarthrosis) can cause a lot of pain. As a result, osteoarthritis can limit you considerably in daily life. There are many different ways to treat osteoarthritis. In this article we will address the question: “Does a knee brace help with osteoarthritis?” Click here for more information about treatment methods for osteoarthritis.

Does a knee brace help with osteoarthritis?

A knee brace is a low-threshold solution for osteoarthritis in the knee. The knee braces for osteoarthritis are aimed at relieving pain. In cases of incipient osteoarthritis, this could well be done with a compression brace. In moderate to severe osteoarthritis, a corrective rigid knee brace is advised. The advantage of a knee brace over pain medication is that you can not get any side effects from it. The knee brace is also prescribed by a doctor to postpone any surgery as long as possible. A knee brace can be worn when the pain is most severe, or in specific high-risk activities. Whether a knee brace helps depends on the personal situation and the intensity of pain. It is therefore important to make a good consideration of which brace suits you best. We are happy to help you with our Bracewijzer. In addition, you can of course consider trying on a brace at one of our points of sale.

Research

In recent years, a lot of research has been done into the effect of knee braces in osteoarthritis. This is particularly important to demonstrate scientific evidence of the effect of a particular treatment method. The Amsterdam UMC conducted a systematic study into the effect of knee braces and came to the following conclusion:

These studies show that the brace reduces pain in the knees, increases the stability of the knees, improves physical functioning and increases patients’ confidence in their knees.

Source: Benefits of soft knee bracing in knee osteoarthritis – thesis 2018

Which knee brace suits me best?

Choosing the right knee brace is important to bring about a good effect. We are happy to help you with this choice with our Bracewijzer. Bracewijzer is not intended to give an indication and is therefore not an alternative to a consultation with your general practitioner, doctor, physiotherapist and other healthcare professionals. It is wise to always make your movement complaint known to a competent healthcare professional.