How to Buy a Knee Brace

Knee braces can serve a variety of medical functions, from providing basic support to weakened joints or tendons to aiding in therapy following a sports or stress-related injury. With a wide range of available brands and styles, finding the right brace for your particular need or injury can be difficult. A few simple tips can help you buy the knee brace that is right for you.

Instructions

1. Know your injury. Before shopping for any kind of orthopedic brace, you should be well aware of what conditions you want it to treat and what problems you are seeking to remedy. These specifications will affect the kind of bracing product that you eventually buy. A brace that is needed for support while running, for example, will need to be flexible but supportive and should also be made of material that is easily washable, while a brace being worn because of a ligament injury from a car accident might need to immobilize the area completely and would therefore be different.

2. Consult a medical professional. Whether seeing your primary physician or an emergency room physician, they will be able to help you assess the areas that you need to focus on when selecting a knee brace. This information will also be helpful to any healthcare professionals that help to fit you for the brace.

3. Measure your knee. Most orthopedic braces are fitted by size according to the measurement in inches of the appendage. Using a measuring tape, measure the circumference around your knee at the place where your knee bends. It is best to take this measurement as early in the day as possible. Everyone's legs swell throughout the day and taking the measurement in the morning will ensure its accuracy and a proper fit for your knee brace.

4. Shop around. There are certain brand names that will be recognizable but this does not necessarily mean that they are they best brace for your injury or treatment. If there is a healthcare specialist helping you, ask their opinion of the most durable and lasting brand.

5. Note special features to your knee brace. Many knee braces come with features specific to an injury, such as open or closed patella spaces to allow or disallow movement of the kneecap while walking or side stabilizers to limit mobility. Whether you need any of these features will depend again on the kind of injury you are treating. If you are not sure, it is best to consult your physician; choosing the wrong brace could further exacerbate your injury.

6. Examine the product. Most suppliers of orthopedic bracing will frown upon you actually trying the brace on for sanitary reasons, but it is not unreasonable to ask if you can open the product, feel the fabric that the brace is composed of and examine any closures or other features it has. Make sure the brace's fabric is one that will be tolerable for long periods of wear and that the material itself feels stable enough to give your knee the support it needs.

7. Choose the proper size. Most bracing products will feature size charts on the back of their packaging. Use the measurement you took of your knee to determine which size is best for you. It is important to note that if your measurement is close to the maximum measurement for a size, it is best to graduate to the next largest size. If a small knee brace has a maximum measurement of 8 ½ inches and your measurement was 8 ¼ inches, a medium brace will probably fit you better.

8. Once you have assessed special features, sizing and pricing, purchase the knee brace that you feel best fits your needs and requirements.

9. Save any receipts and packaging from the purchase of your knee brace. This will enable you to return the brace if you find that it is not the right fit for you. It may benefit you to inquire as to whether the establishment where you are buying your brace will be willing to give you a cash refund upon return of a worn brace or if they will replace it at no additional charge.

Tips & Warnings

• Never begin any healthcare or therapy regimen without first consulting a physician.