Written by our Human Movement Specialists
What is Knee Osteoarthritis?
Feeling reoccurring pain or stiffness in your knee? Noticing a lack of ability to perform average daily tasks? Do you find this pain getting worse after longer bouts of activity? You may be suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease caused by wear and tear on the knee joint. The knee joint consists of the end of the shin bone (tibia), the thigh bone (femur) and the patella (kneecap). At the end of the leg bones is a layer of cartilage. As the cartilage wears away, the space between the thigh bone and shin bones decreases. The result is pain, swelling and stiffness.
Severity and Bracing Options for Knee OA
The severity of the degeneration determines which intervention makes the most sense.
If you are in the early stages, wearing a compression sleeve to keep the joint warm and allowing more rest in between bouts of activity can help to alleviate some of the symptoms.
If you are experiencing moderate to severe symptoms, decreasing the load on the affected joint is a very effective way to reduce the pain. This can be done with the use of walking poles and/or an offloading brace.
If you have pain in the feet or ankles, an orthotic (custom or non-custom) can help to alleviate pain and change the load placed on the feet to provide relief from osteoarthritis.
Custom Knee Bracing
When it comes to moderate to severe ligament injuries, custom knee braces offer the ideal fit as they are built for your leg shape, length, alignment and tailored to treat your injury specifically. They provide maximum support and stability and are available in Unloader versions for osteoarthritis and meniscus tears.
We provide solutions for all stages of knee osteoarthritis. Book an appointment to discuss which option fits your lifestyle.
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