How a custom fitted brace can help you
Do you want to be more active? Do you have pain when moving? Whether it is your ankle, knee, neck or back, pain can stop you from enjoying life. Often, joints become unstable over time with arthritis, injuries or surgeries. This can lead to more bone rubbing on bone, thus causing pain. A custom fitted brace can make a world of difference in enjoying daily activities. Whether you just want to walk without pain, or engage in aggressive sports activities, a custom-fitted bracing can give you the support you need.
Braces come in all shapes and sizes, fitting a variety of joints, including the spine. However, it is important to understand that generic braces are nowhere near as effective as a custom-fitted brace. A custom-fitted brace is fitted exactly to your body shape and size. As we are all made differently and our needs are different, having a specialist evaluate and fit a custom brace will give your joints the exact support they need.
Custom fitted braces are used for:
- Relieving knee pain and providing support with walking or sports
- Providing ankle support, which is especially important after injury
- Low back pain to allow freedom of movement while providing support
- Elbow and wrist pain with lifting activities or sports
Not all braces are the same, and having an expert guide you to the correct brace is essential. Thus how well a brace is designed and fitted will provide the needed support to your joints. Costs don’t have to be high for a custom fitted brace. Many off the shelf braces, just need the expert fitting to your body to allow maximum results. Our bracing specialist at Key Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre can recommend and properly fit a brace that will work for you and your budget.
Braces and splints can be useful for acute injuries, chronic conditions, and the prevention of injury. There is good evidence to support the use of some braces and splints. They have a relatively low cost, and no adverse effects.
Bracing can be used for the following conditions:
- ACL Reconstruction
- Tennis/Golfers Elbow
- Knee Osteoarthritis
- Carpal Tunnel
There are 4 common kinds of braces:
- Prophylactic braces are designed to protect knees from injuries during contact sports like football.
- Functional braces provide support to knees that have already been injured.
- Rehabilitative braces limit harmful knee movement while a knee is healing after an injury or surgery.
- Unloader/offloader braces are designed to provide relief from arthritis in the knees.
Why should you update a brace?
Braces will wear out with time, so it is important to have check ups to make sure the brace fits properly, may need adjusting or may need to be replaced.
In addition, brace technology changes rapidly and new models offer more freedom of movement and support. Often, insurance companies will cover for updates to braces and orthotics after a period of time. The end result is a brace that correctly fits you and supports you, allowing you to enjoy the activities you want without pain.
To learn more about our large selection of braces, custom fitting and competitive prices, request an appointment with Key Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre today. Your joints will be happy, well supported and allow you to enjoy the activities you love!