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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffRisks of knee braces may include:
- Discomfort wearing the brace. A knee brace may feel heavy, bulky and hot at first. You might need to wear it for up to a month before you get comfortable.
- Skin irritation. The skin under the brace may become red and irritated if your knee brace fits poorly.
- Knee swelling. This uncommon side effect has been reported among people in the first six months of wearing a knee brace.
- Lack of benefit. Studies of knee braces for people with osteoarthritis have been limited, and results have been mixed. Some people experience no benefit. Others report diminished pain and increased function.
References
- Bracing: One treatment option for arthritis. Arthritis Foundation. http://www.arthritis.org/bracing.php. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- Stitik TP. Osteoarthritis. In: Delisa JA, et al. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2005. http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.2.4b/ovidweb.cgi?QS2=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. Accessed Sept. 24, 2010.
- Pruitt AL. Orthotic and brace use in the athlete with degenerative joint disease with angular deformity. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2005;24:93.
- Beaudreuil J, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for rest orthosis, knee sleeves and knee braces in knee osteoarthritis. Joint Bone Spine. 2009;76:629.
- Richmond J, et al. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee (nonarthroplasty). Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2009;17:591.
- Draganich L, et al. The effectiveness of self-adjustable custom and off-the-shelf bracing in the treatment of varus gonarthrosis. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American Volume. 2006;88:2645.
- Zhang W, et al. OARSI recommendations for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis, Part II: OARSI evidence-based, expert consensus guidelines. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2008;16:137.
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