The pain and inflammation that is often associated with osteoarthritis can put limits on your daily life by limiting the intensity and duration of sports, work, and movement in general. A knee brace can help improve the overall mobility of the muscles and nearby tendons and joints significantly. Here, we have brought you the best knee brace for osteoarthritis that solves all your problems.

In this article, we have reviewed the four best knee braces for osteoarthritis so you can find the right one for your needs.

4 Best Knee Braces for Osteoarthritis

Name

Type

Our Rating

Price

Ossur Unloader One

Unloader

[aawp fields=”B005XAFX5E” value=”star_rating” star_rating_size=”medium” rating=”4″]

$$$

DonJoy Knee Elastic

Sleeve

[aawp fields=”B00DSCRIRU” value=”star_rating” star_rating_size=”medium” rating=”3.5″]

$

Orthomen Osteoarthritis Brace

Unloader

[aawp fields=”B00XXOX1OM” value=”star_rating” star_rating_size=”medium” rating=”3″]

$$

Donjoy Reaction WEB Brace

Webbed Unloader

 [aawp fields=”B00RD0KN4S” value=”star_rating” star_rating_size=”medium” rating=”4″]

$$

What Type of Knee Brace will Work?

Single-piece sleeves are the simplest type of knee braces. The brace is pulled over your foot and placed snuggly around the knee. Plus, it provides compression, warmth and support for catering to mild to moderate symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Unloader braces are considered the best type of knee brace used to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Moreover, the unloader brace is specifically designed to minimize bone on bone contact.

These braces are clinically proven to benefit the patient through increased mobility and improved quality of life. They are a semi-rigid brace molded from plastic and foam that helps stabilize the knee.

Comparison of healthy knee and knee with osteoarthritis
Knee with Osteoarthritis

How Does a Knee Brace Help?

Firstly, osteoarthritis braces work by applying corrective forces to the knee to maintain normal alignment and redistribute load away from the damaged side of the knee.

Secondly, most braces will take the load off either the lateral or medial compartment and incorporate load adjustment mechanisms. As a result, it allow the patient to fine-tune their knee brace.

Thirdly, osteoarthritis braces will reduce pain, inflammation and joint stiffness. They reduce tissue and bone degradation remarkably. Taking some of the pressure off your knee will make it easier to stand, walk, and move around.

Lastly, these braces will also provide stability for the knee to help you stand and move around with more confidence. The knee brace will make it possible to walk long distances comfortably.

What is the Most Appropriate Knee Brace for you?

The first thing you need to consider is which compartment of the knee is painful. Medial pain will be located on the inside of the knee joint, and lateral pain will be pain on the outside of the knee joint.

There is also patellofemoral pain which is characterized by pain behind the knee cap. Braces work best for patients who have unicompartmental knee damage, meaning the pain is mainly restricted to one of the compartments. The most common pain for osteoarthritis to develop in is the medial compartment.

Knee Brace Reviews

  • This highly professional engineered knee brace is perfect for those suffering from knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. It is designed to treat mild to severe uni-compartmental osteoarthritis by unloading pressure on the joint.
  • This lightweight brace will provide immediate pain relief and can be worn for hours a day comfortably. The pads help to keep the brace in place and prevent it from slipping out of place.
  • It features flexible, perforated shells that conform easily to individual anatomy, giving this knee brace an excellent fit and the title of the best knee brace for osteoarthritis.
  • This knee elastic is excellent support for those suffering from mild osteoarthritis as it provides durability to unstable knees and balances the posture.

  • Through compression of the knee, this support will alleviate symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness. It will also enhance proprioceptive and neuromuscular stimulation to aid in balance control and smooth movements. 

  • On top of that is provides warmth to the knee joint to increase vascularization, which then leads to decreased swelling and recovery time.

  • The Orthomen knee brace is another brace that is great for uni-compartment osteoarthritis patients. This brace will help support the knee joint and share the loading of the affected joint.

  • The lightweight and superior fit make this brace comfortable enough to wear for many hours of the day.

  • With this brace, you will have to choose the one that is specific to your affected compartment. This brace is great for people looking to do mild activities like hiking, jogging, and playing sports. 

  • The silicone webbing provides shock absorption and anterior pain relief by supporting the patella. Once you are used to this brace, it will allow you to walk with confidence.

Osteoarthritis in Knees

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

  • Swelling
  • Joint Stiffness
  • Reduced range of motion
  • Joint Pain
  • Knock-kneed or bowlegged appearance

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people. The disease becomes more and more common as we age.

In a healthy knee, there are tissues that form a natural cushion between the tibia (shin bone) and femur (thigh bone). These cartilage tissues are used to absorb and dissipate the forces that are placed through the knee and provide a cushioned, smooth surface for bones to glide along.

When someone is diagnosed with osteoarthritis, it means that the cartilage tissue between their bones has begun to rupture. Without the cushion surface, the bones will begin to grind against each other and cause swelling and pain.

Foreword

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading health concerns in the US. However, it needs a proper treatment from a registered physical therapist. Knee braces are often seen to show incredible results with patients with osteoarthritis. They hold the internal structures in such a way that relieves the pain and limits the spread of inflammation.

Hopefully, these reviews have helped you to select the best knee brace for osteoarthritis. We wish you a speedy recovery! Read our related posts for more reviews.