The Q&A: Donjoy OA Braces Explained!
OA Braces are designed to tackle osteoarthritis in your knee by offloading pressure and stress from side of your knee to the other. While they won't act as a cure for osteoarthritis, they can prevent knee pain, allow for better mobility and prevent your osteoarthritis from getting worse. if you're recovering from an injury, they can prevent osteoarthritis from taking hold.
If you're thinking about buying a Donjoy OA Brace, then you might have a few questions. This Q&A will hopefully answer a few questions that you might have about your first brace.
Find Your Question
Click on any of the points below to head on down to the question of your choice.
- What Is Osteoarthritis?
- What Is Offloading?
- What Is Unloading?
- Where Can I Buy Offloading Braces?
- How Long Should I Wear an Offloading Brace For?
- Will I Have to Wear an Offloading Brace for the Rest of My Life?
- What Is the Difference Between the Medial and Lateral Part of My Knee?
- Are OA Braces a Cure for Osteoarthritis?
- Can I Be Active While Wearing an OA Offloading Brace?
- How Comfortable Are the OA Braces?
- What Age Groups Are OA Offloading Braces For?
- Can Sportspeople Wear Donjoy OA Braces?
- Why Should I Buy from Health and Care?
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the wearing down of the cartilage that sits between your joints. Cartilage plays an important role; it acts as the body's natural cushioning system that prevents bone from wearing on bone. If your cartilage has been worn down, it means that there is nothing to prevent the bones in your knee from rubbing on one another, which can lead to knee stiffness, knee pain and immobility that gradually gets worse over time.
What is Offloading?
Osteoarthritis is caused by pressure on your knee and one way to help prevent some of the symptoms is to offload the pressure on your knee from one side to the other. To do this you can use an Offloading Knee Brace; these braces apply pressure to the opposite side of your knee, meaning that the affected side feels less pressure, which reduces the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
What is Unloading?
You'll notice that some of our knee braces are called Unloading Knee Braces and often we'll use the terms offloading and unloading interchangeably. If you do see this you don't need to worry, both terms mean the same thing. Unloading and offloading pressure simply means that pressure has been shifted from one side of the knee to the other.
Where Can I Buy Offloading Braces?
Here at Health and Care we sell a wide range of OA Knee Braces that are designed to tackle osteoarthritis. Click on the button below to see our full range.
How Long Can I Wear my Offloading OA Brace For?
We would recommend talking to your GP about how long you should wear your brace for, as it differs from person to person depending on how serious your osteoarthritis is. However, we do recommend that you don't use your brace constantly, as the knee brace is a serious piece of medical equipment which realigns the knee joint, meaning that your ligaments, muscles and bones will be forced to move in a way that they haven't before. Start slow, and increase use of your brace over time to reduce any pain that is caused by the use of the brace itself.
For severe osteoarthritis, we would recommend using the brace for any activity that stresses your leg for more than 30 minutes.
Will I Have to Wear the OA Brace For the Rest of My Life?
This depends on the severity of your osteoarthritis. If you suffer from minor osteoarthritis, often the sort that starts after a serious injury or in younger patients, then you might find that your osteoarthritis starts to fade and go away after a few weeks of using the brace meaning that you won't need to use it anymore. If you suffer from extreme arthritis, then we would recommend that you continue to use your brace as the brace itself won't act as a cure for the condition.
What Is the Difference Between the Medial and Lateral Part of My Knee?
When you purchase your OA Knee Brace you will be asked to choose between the unload is either on your medial or lateral part of your knee. Some braces require changing through the use of a hinge, however all of the braces in Our Range offer the choice before you purchase. When you do purchase your knee brace, remember:
- Medial: This is if the pain is on the inner part of your knee
- Lateral: This is if the pain is on the outer part of your knee
Are OA Braces a Cure for Osteoarthritis?
It's important to remember that OA Offloading Braces are not a cure for osteoarthritis, however they can tackle the pain, stiffness and immobility that can come with the condition. If you suffer from mild osteoarthritis, then you might find that after using the brace the pain starts to go away.
Can I Be Active While Wearing a OA Offloading Brace?
Yes, OA Offloading Braces should be used whenever you undergo a period of activity. In fact, we would actually recommend using the brace when you are active, as the brace will make walking easier and reduce the bone on bone rubbing which is damaging your knee.
How Comfortable Are Donjoy OA Braces to Wear?
Donjoy OA Braces will wraparound your knee and are generally made with lightweight metals and plastic. You might experience some discomfort at the start, so we recommend speaking to your GP and starting slow with your use of your OA Brace.
What Age Groups Are OA Offloading Braces For?
It doesn't matter what age you are when you use a Donjoy OA Brace. Anyone can suffer from osteoarthritis, however it is more common in the elderly. If you're younger and active, we would recommend you take a look at the Unloader 3, and if you're older and want to avoid surgery, we would recommend taking a look at the OA Nano.
Can Sportspeople Wear Donjoy OA Offloading Braces?
Yes, Donjoy OA Braces are recommended for keeping active. Some of our braces are suitable for sportspeople recovering from injuries such as the OA Adjuster 3, while others can be used by the elderly who want to keep active such as the OA Clima-Flex.
Why Should I Buy from Health and Care?
- Full Donjoy OA Brace Range
- Free and fast UK delivery on all products
- Product support and expert advice
- Available in all sizes for all users
Do you have any questions about our knee supports, or would you like a recommendation based on your symptoms? Please don't hesitate to let us know in the comments, or find us on Facebook and Twitter!
Tags: Arthritis, Knee Pain, Donjoy OA Braces