4 Ways a Knee Brace Can Help Knee Arthritis  

No matter what type of arthritis you have, chances are good that your knees will be affected at some point. Assistive devices, like knee braces, can help ease your pain and protect your mobility. Here are four ways knee braces can help with knee arthritis. 
 

An unloader brace can help people with arthritis affecting the inner part of the knee (medial knee). This specialized brace pushes the knee back into normal alignment, putting more force on the outside of the knee and taking pressure off the inside of the knee, says J. Martin Leland III, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with University Hospitals in Ohio. An unloader brace won’t cure arthritis, but it can help relieve pain and prevent the knee from collapsing.  

For injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL, the band of tissue on the inside of the knee that connects the shin and thigh bones), a hinged knee brace, prescribed by your doctor, provides the support needed to allow healing. Tears on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL, the ligament in the middle of the knee connecting the thigh and shin bones) often require surgical repair. In those cases, a drop lock hinged brace prescribed by your doctor or physical therapist may be locked to immobilize the knee or unlocked to allow the knee to bend during healing after surgery. 

When cartilage weakness or softness under the kneecap causes pain, a neoprene brace with a cutout for the kneecap can help keep the bone in place and ease pain. It should enable you to more comfortably do exercises to strengthen the quadriceps, says Matt Holland, manager of physical therapy for the Methodist Center for Sports Medicine in Houston. Strengthening the muscles around your knees, like the quadriceps and hamstrings, may help support the knees and prevent injury. Low-impact exercises, including swimming, water aerobics and cycling on a stationary bike, are best. You can find neoprene braces at pharmacies and sporting goods stores. 

Many people also report relief from knee pain with a sleeve-style brace, also available at pharmacies and sporting goods stores. Experts believe these braces may help by providing warmth and compression, which may relieve swelling. "It gives you a feeling of support and reminds you to be more careful of that knee when you're physically active," says Holland. 

Ask your doctor or physical therapist about the type of knee brace that you may benefit from the most. The right knee brace may help you heal an injury, relieve pain or provide support so you can remain active.