Any thoughts on knee braces?

R

Rose65

Well-known Member
Location
United Kingdom
My diagnosis is confirmed, osteoarthritis. One knee the kneecap is out of alignment, the other knee has really bad wear and tear. Both will need surgery eventually. I am to have steroid injections, painkillers and physio for the foreseeable.
My right knee has now flared up and I can barely walk. I know this will settle after resting it.
My husband suggests a knee brace while I await my appointments. I am inclined to wait for the proper advice but I wondered if there is a simple inexpensive type of knee brace I could get to give some relief. Has anyone here had good results from a brace?
 

I know it sounds like an Old Wives' Tale, but I have found copper-infused braces/wraps really help with my localized arthritis pain. I do not have OA, that is more serious than the regular type, but if you buy a copper-infused knee sleeve from Amazon or similar, just read the return policy first. In most cases you can return the item if it doens't help.

I've also read others report that the steroid injections helped a lot.

You can also get a folding cane at Amazon for about $11.00 USD. Quite inexpensive and they have different colors and patterns. Carry a big purse and you can fold the cane up when you're out sitting down for dinner or a movie and toss it in your purse.
 
VintageBetter said:
I know it sounds like an Old Wives' Tale, but I have found copper-infused braces/wraps really help with my localized arthritis pain. I do not have OA, that is more serious than the regular type, but if you buy a copper-infused knee sleeve from Amazon or similar, just read the return policy first. In most cases you can return the item if it doens't help.

I've also read others report that the steroid injections helped a lot.

You can also get a folding cane at Amazon for about $11.00 USD. Quite inexpensive and they have different colors and patterns. Carry a big purse and you can fold the cane up when you're out sitting down for dinner or a movie and toss it in your purse.
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Thanks, I have a walking stick but am considering anything that helps. The pain today is pretty bad.
 

Did ya ever notice, in the Lee Trevino knee fluid injection commercials , while he touts the miracle of the procedure ...... he wears knee braces all during the commercial .... Must be really good stuff. ;)
 
If you are considering a knee brace, there are different types and each provide a different service, so I would consider asking your orthopedic surgeon which style you should be looking for.

Braces may apply compression (pressure) to your soft tissues, stabilize your knee, or redistribute your weight, depending on which brace you choose. Cortisone injections will help the most. IMO, you will probably need replacement knees sooner or later. Lastly, use the pain pills carefully.
 
I was put in a knee brace when I tore my MCL several years ago. The clinic billed Medicare $1,000 for the brace. Later, I found it for sale by the maker for $178. Same brace, same serial number, no difference at all. What a racket! Medicare reimbursed them $700 for it. Wouldn't you think Medicare knows what those things really cost? I complained, never heard back.
 
I picked up a brace similar to the one in the picture after getting a cortisone shot in my one knee about two months. My doctor didn't suggested it, but my husband said it couldn't hurt to have some extra support. I work it for a few weeks & it felt better. Right now, I'm wearing it on & off depending on what I'm doing, especially outside. It wasn't that expensive.
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jujube said:
I was put in a knee brace when I tore my MCL several years ago. The clinic billed Medicare $1,000 for the brace. Later, I found it for sale by the maker for $178. Same brace, same serial number, no difference at all. What a racket! Medicare reimbursed them $700 for it. Wouldn't you think Medicare knows what those things really cost? I complained, never heard back.
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Your right on the rip off of braces. I got wrist braces from my one doctor for both wrists & found out how much they had charged my insurance company. My co-pay for each was $30. I could have gone to Walmart & bought two for $30.
 
Rose65 said:
My diagnosis is confirmed, osteoarthritis. One knee the kneecap is out of alignment, the other knee has really bad wear and tear. Both will need surgery eventually. I am to have steroid injections, painkillers and physio for the foreseeable.
My right knee has now flared up and I can barely walk. I know this will settle after resting it.
My husband suggests a knee brace while I await my appointments. I am inclined to wait for the proper advice but I wondered if there is a simple inexpensive type of knee brace I could get to give some relief. Has anyone here had good results from a brace?
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I have all that.. My right kneecap actually faces 90 deg towards my left knee..both knees have little cartilage, and so I went through all the physio for years.. didn't do anything at all for the pain.. but it took it's toll on my purse for sure

I used Knee Braces. the compression type one , for years, they're very good, especially if you have to drive long distances.. an hour more.. because the right knee being the gas pedal... takes a beating when you're driving, and I found that if I drove any distance.., my husband had to drive back because it was too painful for me... or vice versa,,

My physio told me to get the simialr patella support as @Lilac just posted for my mis-aligned knee-cap.. but I found it to be too bulky and scratchy.. and I couldn't get my jeans over it...(it's held together with Velcro)... so instead I bought the compression type... and they've been great when my knees are hurting and I have to walk or drive a long way I wear them..

These are the ones I have.. but a word of caution, if you're going to buy these you MUST follow the instruction to measure above your knee, to get the correct size, otherwise they'll be no good to you...

knee braces

In the meantime I get cortisone injections in my knees, they only last 3 months, but it's like getting new knees..
 
hollydolly said:
My physio told me to get the simialr patella support as @Lilac just posted for my mis-aligned knee-cap.. but I found it to be too bulky and scratchy.. and I couldn't get my jeans over it...(it's held together with Velcro)... so instead I bought the compression type... and they've been great when my knees are hurting and I have to walk or drive a long way I wear them..

These are the ones I have.. but a word of caution, if you're going to buy these you MUST follow the instruction to measure above your knee, to get the correct size, otherwise they'll be no good to you...

knee braces

In the meantime I get cortisone injections in my knees, they only last 3 months, but it's like getting new knees..
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I agree they are bulky & I've only been using them when I'm home. I'm going to look at the knee braces that would fit under my jeans. I remember my Dad had ones like those when he worked.

The cortizone shot took about two weeks or so to kick in, but when it did it was great. I think my knee is starting to tell me it's time to go back again. The doctor said I can get about 4 per year.
 
Lilac said:
I agree they are bulky & I've only been using them when I'm home. I'm going to look at the knee braces that would fit under my jeans. I remember my Dad had ones like those when he worked.

The cortizone shot took about two weeks or so to kick in, but when it did it was great. I think my knee is starting to tell me it's time to go back again. The doctor said I can get about 4 per year.
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yes mine took about a week for the severe pain to wear off , and 2 weeks for the full effects of the cortisone injections...

I've been told that I can only have a few injections because the cortisone eventually damages the cartilage in the joint, so it's best to only have 2 a year . My last injections were in December, and my pain is back again in my knees , came back in April tbh.. so I have to get more done before I take the 6 hour round trip drive to the coast in July...
 
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Cortisone is just a temporary fix until surgery & I wish it was more of a long term treatment. My doc thinks I have a torn meniscus in one knee & he'll do an MRI when I go back for another shot. I think that is what's causing most of my pain. It also doesn't help that I have a heel spur in the opposite leg giving me fits right now. I have shoe inserts for that & I'm getting a little relief.
 
Lilac said:
Cortisone is just a temporary fix until surgery & I wish it was more of a long term treatment. My doc thinks I have a torn meniscus in one knee & he'll do an MRI when I go back for another shot. I think that is what's causing most of my pain. It also doesn't help that I have a heel spur in the opposite leg giving me fits right now. I have shoe inserts for that & I'm getting a little relief.
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I've only had to use the velcro-wrap types for minor but painful strains. They worked quite well.

@Lilac I hope you can get all this under control quickly!
 
Thanks so much for all this information.
I am currently in pain with both knees, the left is swelling. So today I must get medical help - perhaps naproxen or other anti-inflammatory.
I can barely walk or sleep.
 
Rose65 said:
Thanks so much for all this information.
I am currently in pain with both knees, the left is swelling. So today I must get medical help - perhaps naproxen or other anti-inflammatory.
I can barely walk or sleep.
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Oh no. I would see someone about it. My sports medicine doctor told me not to use a brace on my knee when I injured it. He prescribed PT. I think he felt I would be dependent on the brace. You can ice your knee to take down the inflammation. Ten minutes at a time is what I did. And turmeric is helpful as well.
 
Rose65 said:
Thanks so much for all this information.
I am currently in pain with both knees, the left is swelling. So today I must get medical help - perhaps naproxen or other anti-inflammatory.
I can barely walk or sleep.
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you might find naproxen useful..I never did when they gave it to me for my back... it gave me an upset stomach. My doctor prescribes me Co-codomol on repeat prescription for my knees
 
birdy said:
Oh no. I would see someone about it. My sports medicine doctor told me not to use a brace on my knee when I injured it. He prescribed PT. I think he felt I would be dependent on the brace. You can ice your knee to take down the inflammation. Ten minutes at a time is what I did. And turmeric is helpful as well.
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how very odd your doctor wouldn't want you to use the brace .. my Sports PT was the one who suggested the brace , while I was having Physiotherapy.. and thank Goodness he did
 
I had a torn meniscus and wore a knee brace when I had to be on my feet.
The brace was one of those with the hinged metal rods, and while it did keep my knee from twisting, it was like walking with one leg in hip deep mud.
It was exhausting to wear it for any length of time.
I spent nights and weekends cooking in a little cafe and was on my feet for hours at a time, and I think that job is what caused the problem.
About 5 years ago, I went to the knee doctor who did X-rays and told me that while it hurt like crazy, he wouldn't recommend surgery.
He gave me a shot of cortisone. The shot actually hurt more than the injury.
As others have said, it took a week or 2 to take effect, but when it kicked in, it was like a miracle.
That was 5 years ago, and it hasn't bothered since.
 
Cornhusker said:
I had a torn meniscus and wore a knee brace when I had to be on my feet.
The brace was one of those with the hinged metal rods, and while it did keep my knee from twisting, it was like walking with one leg in hip deep mud.
It was exhausting to wear it for any length of time.
I spent nights and weekends cooking in a little cafe and was on my feet for hours at a time, and I think that job is what caused the problem.
About 5 years ago, I went to the knee doctor who did X-rays and told me that while it hurt like crazy, he wouldn't recommend surgery.
He gave me a shot of cortisone. The shot actually hurt more than the injury.
As others have said, it took a week or 2 to take effect, but when it kicked in, it was like a miracle.
That was 5 years ago, and it hasn't bothered since.
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you're so right abut the pain of the steroid injections. Oddly only one of my knees hurt.. and jeez that hurt like nothing else.. I nearly hit the ceiling . I wasn't expecting it either because they did my right knee first which is the most painful knee, and I really didn't feel a thing.. and then they did the left knee.. it took 2 of them to hold me down.. I nearly shot through the ceiling with the pain... :eek:😩

TBH it's the only thing putting me off having it done sooner.. but I must get some courage and have it done again...
 

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