Why Are Braces Used As a Treatment For Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis begins when there is a breakdown of cartilage causing pain and stiffness. And now, when you know you are diagnosed with arthritis, your doctor would suggest you wear braces. You might be wondering what braces are and why they are known to be beneficial for osteoarthritis?

A brace is a tool that helps when you have pain in your joints. It eases the pressure on your joints. Experts say "knee braces have proven to help manage the pain." The brace helps reduce pain by shifting the weight of your body to the most damaged part of your knee. And so, when you wear a knee brace, it tends to improve your mobility comfortably. Braces are also known as a non-surgical treatment to soothe disability and discomfort. There are several benefits of wearing a knee brace as a treatment for osteoarthritis.

Enhance stability- braces are built on shifting weight away from the damaged part of your joint, hence helps in reducing pain and discomfort.

Align your knees- knee braces keep your knee straight and offer support by shifting weight away from your knee.

Eases pain- if you have osteoarthritis under your knee cap or ankle bone, a brace that comes with a cut-out area can help in reducing pressure and soothe the pain by keeping the bone in place. Also, knee braces make exercise more tolerable, so you can keep on doing exercises and strengthen the muscles around your knees.

Allow ligaments to heal- some knee braces will help keep your knee locked in a place and recover after surgery or injury.

Boost your confidence- when you wear knee braces for your knees, have extra support, which gives you greater confidence knowing that you can efficiently complete your daily task without any discomfort.

However, not all people with osteoarthritis benefit from a brace. Its effectiveness mostly depends on where osteoarthritis has caused damage or instability. For instance, if the medial compartment of your knee is damaged, a knee brace would help place more support on your outer knee. Research states, "braces have limited effectiveness." And so, your doctor would suggest braces according to your pain and where it is located.