Osteoarthritis Knee Pain: Brace Yourself

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee affects approximately 12%
of the population aged 25 – 75. Levels of disability attributable to knee OA
alone is as high as that due to cardiac disease and greater than that due to
any other medical condition in older people. In addition to age, risk factors
for osteoarthritis include excessive torque, joint trauma, obesity, excess stress,
repetitive joint use or irritation of an un-repaired injury.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by breakdown of
the joint’s cartilage, which cushions the ends of the bones. The breakdown of
cartilage causes bones to rub against each other, leading to pain, tenderness,
swelling and decreased function.

How is knee osteoarthritis treated?

Treatment of osteoarthritis focuses on reducing pain and improving mobility.
Because the condition is degenerative, the treatment therapies are progressive
and may include several of the following, over time or together.

Osteoarthritis onset (Non-Pharmacological Interventions)

• Use heat or cold for temporary pain relief.

• Exercise to restore joint movement and strengthen the knee.

• Lose weight to reduce wear and stress on the joint.

• Use appliances such as braces, insoles or wedges to reduce the load
on the affected compartment.

Early Stages (Pharmacological & Biomechanical Interventions)

• Use aspirin or acetaminophen to reduce pain.

• Take anti inflammatory drugs as instructed by your physician.

• Your physician may prescribe an OA brace to manage the pain, improve
function and restore activity.

Mid-Stage (Pharmacological & Biomechanical Interventions)

• Continue the use of an OA brace.

• Your physician may add glucocorticoids or Hyaluronan injections to improve
joint movement.

Advanced Stages (Surgical interventions)

• Osteotomy – correction of malalignment.

• Arthroplasty – Total or partial knee replacement.

How does a brace eliminate pain?

OA braces actually provide a biomechanical change to the knee to prevent the
pain of bone-on-bone contact.

An OA brace is a simple, well-proven and non-invasive biomechanical method
to relieve pain prior to the need for surgery.

What are the benefits of wearing a knee brace?

• Stabilize the knee joint

• Increased blood circulation

• Compression reduces swelling

• Increase activity level for better health

• Decrease pain during and after activity

• Improve sensory motor control

Three reasons to choose an Otto Bock knee brace

• Proprietary use of Space Tex ® material that wicks moisture away
from the skin, keeping it dry and comfortable, and allows the brace to be worn
for longer periods of time.

• Otto Bock ComforT™ Orthoses are designed to actively balance
temperature extremes to increase comfort and ultimately, their compliance. Made
with a special Phase Change Material developed for NASA astronauts, ComforT™
products absorb surplus energy when the temperature rises, and release it again
when temperature falls.

• The Otto Bock “Sensa Line” consists of three-dimensional,
flat-knitted fabric with its open mesh structure providing comfortable compression,
an anatomically correct shape and a fit without creases.

What can I expect from wearing a knee brace?

Given your physician’s approval, you should be able to do anything you like.
How you feel will be the determining factor in what activities you can do.

Some individuals will wear their brace all day long. Others will wear it only
for a specific activity, such as playing sports, gardening, or walking in the
mall.

No matter what your routine, you will quickly determine how the knee brace
best works for you.

Kinetic Konnection offers a complete line of Otto Bock orthopedic knee braces
to meet all your bracing needs. Modern materials and advanced designs make our
braces easy to use without compromising functionality or durability, and ensure
high patient compliance. Kinetic Konnection has been providing expert brace
fittings and consultations for over 12 years. Visit us at one of our 3 locations, on the web at www.getmobile.ca or email specific inquiries to [email protected].

Windsor – 2303 Howard Ave. at Logan (519-258-4795)

Oakville – 380 Dundas St.E. at Trafalger (Longos Plaza)(905-257-4335)

Vaughan – 4585 Hwy 7. (Piazza Capri Plaza)(905-850-2030)

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