weight bearing knee brace?
Posted , 7 users are following.
I ran into someone who was wearing what she called a weight bearing brace on the outside of her pants. It was fairly large, with straps and metal side supports. Now, when arthritis acts up my ROM is good but I can't bear weight on that knee without a lot of pain. does anyone know about these and possibly even have a brand name? My ortho doc just said, 'well, there's lots of braces' and wasn't sure what I meant. Me either!
0 likes, 8 replies
laurel65763 jeffscott
Posted
CHICO_MARX jeffscott
Posted
Look up donjoy online. Call them and talk to a local rep. I did. I want a brace so I can resume some skating without the danger of twisting my knee. For that specific purpose, I'm getting a "defiance" brace. They have many braces for many different situations...gotta talk to them and get the correct one for your purposes. There are off-the-shelf models starting at $100 all the way to custom-fit ones for $900 and up. It all depends what you want to use it for and how much vertical and/or lateral; stability you need. For me, I don't want to torque my knee while skating. They recommended the correct brace.
Note: You don't need ANY brace after a TKR. This is only if you want to resume a "questionable" activity...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/do-s-and-don-ts-after-a-tkr-a-typical-list-541794
Running, jogging, etc. are still banned...so are competitive, high intensity or contact sports. But leisurely skating, tennis and skiing might be attempted...that's where I'd want to use a brace.
debz13 jeffscott
Posted
Your doctor may have a preferred brand.
mceastside jeffscott
Posted
I was using an "Unloader" brace, brand name, not sure, seems to follow your description
BTW, I have had stem cell and PRP treatments, seem like finally getting some relief. Only problem, as i have mentioned before, is after I am on my feet for a while, knees get stiff, seeing doc end of November, as of now tylenol is ok, no Ibuprofen
jeffscott
Posted
Thanks for all the replies. It seems that unloader braces often brace one side of the knee or other. I'll contact my ortho but it seems that my weight bearing pain is straight on. I wonder how best to 'fit' for one of these braces?
I'll assume that my x ray will tell the tale. These braces are pricey so I want to do this right the first time!
CHICO_MARX jeffscott
Posted
Two ways that I know of...if the ortho doesn't do it.
1. My wife suffers from dropfoot plus her foot turns inward...all caused by her brain aneurysm surgery plus two mini-strokes which damaged the nerves in her calf. Doc recommended a local prosthetics shop. They casted her lower leg and foot in the correct position to make a custom brace for the back of her calf, custom hinged at the ankle and extending about 3/4 of the length of the bottom of her foot from the heel. Insurance took care of $1,000...we paid $120.
2. I believe I mentioned the Donjoy company that is the #1 brace manufacturer on the planet. A call to them got me the number of my local rep here in Dallas/Fort Worth. I explained to her that I wanted a brace that would not allow my TKR knee to twist/torque/rotate. Although there are off the shelf models for such use (~$200), she also said that a custom one could be done for around $900. That would require her taking specific measurements and having the brace manufactured to those individual specifications.
If you're looking for a brace to unload the knee, call Donjoy and get the number for your local rep. Explain your situation and have them recommend the correct brace or brace options to do the job you require. Go back to the Donjoy website so you can see and read about the brace(s) recommended. You will probably have the same two off the shelf and custom options. You can also look up a local prosthetics shop, go for a visit and see what they can create for you. Column A and Column B...pick one...or ask both before you decide.
Just make sure you do your research and get the brace that will both do the job and fit you properly. Money is the last consideration. If this is for long-term use, the money is irrelevant. Short-term...cheapest one that does the job. In my case, I want to use the brace for skating and maybe some light skiing for years to come. In that case, it pays to protect the knee...spend the bucks...
jeffscott
Posted
I can't get this site to fully load so responding is nearly impossible. I'm looking at DonJoy for sure.
CHICO_MARX jeffscott
Posted
For my issues, they recommended the Defiance model (picture)...yours could look very different. All their braces come in a variety of different customizations. I really want to visit the rep and talk the whole thing out. They literally have hundreds of models for all different applications. Call them to ask which line of braces you should be looking at and then get the phone number of your local rep. Done... Wasn't that easy???