Knee brace

definition

The knee orthosis as a custom-made support is used in a variety of areas.

She envelops that joint from the outside and serves to protect, relieve and stabilize the Knee joint. It also fulfills a calming and controlling function. As part of a sports or recreational injury Meniscus damage, Tapes- and Cruciate ligament tears frequent injury patterns. After an operation or conservative therapy, the gentle mobilization particularly important. A knee orthosis actively supports the rehabilitation process and bends damaging movements effectively.

With increasing age, signs of wear and tear appear. Since the degenerative processes cannot be reversed, the focus of treatment is on preventing further progression. The use of a knee brace arthrosis (e.g. with a Retropatellar arthrosis) has a pain-relieving and stabilizing effect. In addition, it enables various physical activities to be carried out.

Certain sports, in particular High-performance sports are associated with a high risk of injury and considerable stress on the knee joint. Next Motocross also belong Mountain bike and To ski in the category of sports with high risk potential. A knee orthosis not only allows you to practice sports, but also effectively prevents injuries.

Need for a knee brace

A knee orthosis is used to ensure the success of the therapy after surgery or conservative therapy. The surgical reconstruction of cruciate ligaments and fixation of the menisci requires gradual reloading in postoperative therapy. In the treatment of collateral ligament injuries and patellar dislocations, gentle mobilization should also be used.

Minimally invasive operations represent a gentle surgical procedure. Patients generally feel less pain than after large, open interventions. Swellings are also less pronounced. This can have the effect of hasty mobilization.
In this case, a knee orthosis is an important aid for therapy control. It also promotes the ability to precisely perceive the position and movement of individual limbs. Knee orthoses can also be used for one-sided relief after operations to build up cartilage.

Joint wear and tear in the context of osteoarthritis lead to severe pain and restricted mobility. As more and more cartilage disappears, the pressure on the shin bone increases. This causes increased pain and stiffness in movements. Since it is impossible to restore the original conditions, the focus of therapy is on relieving the pressure on the joint and relieving pain.
A similar therapeutic principle applies to bone marrow lesions and degenerative meniscus tears. The knee brace fulfills several functions in such cases. It enables a higher level of activity through relief, reduces the need for pain medication and can delay and perhaps even prevent the installation of an endoprosthesis.

Many sports are associated with a high risk of injury to the knee joint. These include, in particular, skiing, ball sports such as soccer, basketball and handball. Common clinical pictures are injuries to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligament, the collateral ligaments and the muscles attached to the tendons. Fast, abrupt changes in movement, constant starting and braking, and strong turning and lever movements in skiing are responsible for the extreme stress on the knee joint.

Motor sports such as motocross, enduro or rallying expose the knee joint to strong, sustained stress. In this area, the knee brace plays a preventive role, preventing one-sided strain and serious injuries.

The following article is also of importance to you: What does the lower leg orthosis do?

Appointment with a knee specialist?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

The knee joint is one of the joints with the greatest stress.

Therefore, the treatment of the knee joint (e.g. meniscus tear, cartilage damage, cruciate ligament damage, runner's knee, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of knee diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Knee orthosis for injuries

The therapeutic use of a knee orthosis is useful for the following injuries and clinical pictures:

• Front and back Cruciate ligament tear

• Collateral ligament tear with or without Menicus damage

• Knee joint instability due to different causes

• Relief and protection after for example Tibial head fracture, Surgery on the cartilage and Meniscal Refixation

• Kneecap dislocation

• Middle or side Gonarthrosis

A preventive role she plays in sports (jogging, handball, soccer, basketball, skiing) and in extreme sports.

Mode of action

There are many different types of orthotics.

Knee supports are elastic orthotics that fit snugly around the knee. On the one hand, they warm and, on the other hand, they promote blood circulation by exerting pressure on the joint.
They are used for mild osteoarthritis of the knee, arthritis and ligament instability.

The kneecap bandage (Patellar tendon bandage) is mainly used for front knee pain and is fixed to the leg with a Velcro fastener.

In the context of ligament instability, a knee support bandage has a therapeutic effect. It has lateral joints that have a stabilizing effect.
After a dislocation of the kneecap, functional bandages prevent it from dislocating again.

Special orthoses for ligament instability are made of solid material such as plastic or metal. Joints enable movement in the knee joint while protecting against loss of stability. Postoperative knee braces are sometimes used for controlled therapy. They guarantee an even position of the knee joint and help to carry out stable movements. There are models made of solid material as well as elastic textiles with rails.

Gonarthrosis orthoses have a multi-point system that shifts the point load. They consist of a stable frame with an adjustable angle.

Therapeutic benefit

The therapeutic and preventive benefit of a knee orthosis is based on mechanical and physical mechanisms.

Movements that one healthy knee Do not cause any damage with firm ligament structures, can have serious consequences after an injury or in the context of a chronic illness. Such movements are anterior or posterior displacement of the lower leg towards the thigh, full extension and flexion of the joint and one-sided heavy load on the knee joint towards the outside or inside. The knee brace works relieving, protective and if necessary, corrective into certain movement patterns.

The Wearing time the orthosis is in postoperative or conservative treatment between four to six weeks. Then the Musculature gradually take over their function again.

In therapy arthritic joint changes the knee orthosis is a recognized aid of the statutory health insurance companies. These take over the costs incurred during production.

Manufacturers and prices

Many manufacturers offer their services in the knee orthosis market. The offer includes systems adapted to requirements in different price ranges. There is a clear price difference when buying Series sizes or specially made models.
Simple knee braces are off 30 euro available. Complex models can contain up to several thousand euro costs. The individual production is carried out by orthopedic technicians.

Knee braces from Mueller®, Sporlastic, CT-Pro®and Push med®are between 30 and 120 euros available. Instability orthoses from LP support®, Medi®and Mueller®cost between 60 and 150 euros. Manufacturer's models Medi®come to the remobilization of Cruciate ligament tears, Collateral ligament ruptures and at existing instability for use. The price for an orthosis of this form is about 180 euros. LP support®and McDavid®offer inexpensive variants around the 70 Euro on while Peasant enemy®sophisticated orthotics around the 600 euros sold.

Orthotics from Össur®to treat the arthrosis have a Three point system. The point loading of the Knee joint is distributed over two main points and an opposite pressure point. One main point is located above and below the Knee joint. This reduces the main stress in the knee joint gap and widened the joint gap. Stretching and flexing movements can be carried out in this way with almost no problems. Depending on Severity different models are used for osteoarthritis. Physical activity is made easier, pain and restricted mobility are reduced. In terms of price, the knee brace is around 700 euro.

Gonarthrosis orthoses from Sporlastic®are already off 90 euros available, models from Peasant enemy®from about 300 Euro. In general, an individually tailored decision must be made in consultation with the treating doctor.

Should the knee joint Sports be protected and stabilized can be selected from a large selection of orthoses. A simple bandage from LPSupport®is already off 40 euros available. More expensive model from the same manufacturer or from Mueller®and McDavid® resign themselves 80 until about 180 euros.

A knee brace can be of great help in motorcross sports. Since the exact fit plays a particularly important role in sport, the exact one takes place Measurement of the knee joint and subsequent processing on the computer. Maximum flexibility and unrestricted movements are an important criterion in extreme sports.

Light but stable frame material Carbon and Titanium joints guarantee high static support. While the specially made version, for example of Össur®, from 1500 Euro is available, standard sizes are from 1000 Euro to have.

The manufacturer Ortema® also offers custom-made knee orthoses for extreme sports. It serves as a supportive aid to avoid knee injuries, after cruciate ligament tears or osteoarthritis. The cost of an individual production based on a plaster cast is around 2000 euros. Other manufacturers such as Alpinestars®, Leat® and POD MX® offer cheaper knee braces. The price range is between three hundred and seven hundred euros.