Many injuries require the use of braces and supports to assist in patient recovery. Individuals who are suffering from ligamentous injuries, patellar instabilities or knee osteoarthritis may benefit from the use of standard or custom braces. After your orthopaedic consultation, Dr. Olivia Cheng may refer you to one of our skilled health professionals at OSI to assist in the fitting of an appropriate brace.
Many individuals are diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee – this is characterized by a loss of the protective cartilage at the end of each bone in your joint, usually more on one side of the knee than the other. OA generally occurs due to gradual wear and tear of a joint over decades of physical activity, but can also be caused by an injury.
The development of custom OA knee unloader braces have led to another non-invasive, drug-free solution for people suffering from knee OA. These lightweight braces are designed to reduce pressure on the side of the knee that has worn down. Once your leg has been measured (circumference, angle, shin contour, etc.), a high density aluminum is used to form your custom brace – this allows it to be supportive, lightweight and most importantly, functional in your daily activities. Once fitted, these braces are easy to don and, due to their low-profile build, can easily fit underneath your outdoor skiwear or regular clothing.
These extremely light and durable braces are appropriate for any knee injury – we simply have to select the proper brace to suit the knee deficiency. Bracing is available for, but not limited to:
- ligament instabilities i.e. ACL, PCL, LCL, MCL
- meniscal injuries
- patellofemoral syndrome/chondromalacia patella and patellar subluxations
- knee osteoarthritis i.e. medial compartment, lateral compartment