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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffA knee brace isn't a treatment in itself, but an addition to other treatments, such as medication, physical therapy and surgery. Bracing may be an option if:
- Your osteoarthritis involves the medial compartment in your knee joint
- Your knee pain limits your activity, even when you take medication and use other treatments
- You don't want to undergo knee surgery
- You want to delay knee surgery
- You have medical problems that make surgery unsafe
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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