What Kind of Knee Brace Do You Need? - Some Answers Here, Read On...

There are a ton of different knee braces on the market. Which one do you need? Is there a perfect one for you?
That's a good question! We can help you weed through the billions of different braces you see online. This way you are less likely to waste your time and money. If you need support for your knee and know nothing about braces, you may have already gone to internet for help. That's not a bad first step. Just be careful who you listen to, of course. DR Brace Company will be the first to remind you that you need to beware of those people who just want to sell you their brace; there are way too many of them! In the next few paragraphs you will have an idea, that may save you hundreds of dollars, if not MORE! Not only that, you may find a brace that is more supportive for you too! But first, why should you listen to us?

Dr Brace Company was founded by American Board Certified orthotists (Professional brace makers/providers) that have earned the highest degree of education surrounding the topic of braces of all different kinds (except braces for your teeth!). Actually, if you want to be specific, professionals in the industry call braces, "orthoses". Treating patients with braces, on a per diem basis, is what a certified orthotist lives, eats and breathes. 99% of other websites can not claim American Board Certified status in orthotics, so why would you want to trust their word on a brace?? Just remember that their a lot of sales people on the internet that are just selling you the brace and have no idea about their product! They don't even know if they are going to harm you with the wrong brace! That is really scary and you need to stay away from that kind of situation.

Ok, lets get down to helping you.

First, when you want to figure out what brace (orthosis) you need, the first person to help you, is yourself. You need to answer the follwing questions for yourself : Do you have a pain? Is the pain always there? How severe is your pain on a subjective scale? Try to make a reference of this pain on a scale 1 out of 10; 10 being the worst. Is it so intense that you have considered going to the doctor? Or, is the pain past considering going to the doctor and you must GO NOW!? These are very important questions you need to ask yourself. We will start with supports that are mild and work our way up to strong knee braces in subsequent blogs. Many braces you can get online, can help you, but their purposes are not always equal. Always remember this, if your pain or diagnosis is intense enough you may want to visit your physician. This is something that can not be overlooked.

Let's get down to the basic supports first. In upcoming blogs we will continue to discuss even more options for you.

1.) The neoprene knee brace. What is neoprene? Neoprene is a soft somewhat stretchy material that provides support. These neoprene knee braces are considered to be far less restrictive than others that include a hinge, or that have metal components. This can be a good thing and a bad thing to be made of all neoprene. Drytex is a similar material used, which is like neoprene in nature. The bottom line is that neoprene knee braces are more of a reminder to you that you shouldn't do certain movements that will cause you pain. They do not really restrict movement which is what some people need due to their injury or diagnosis. These are the types of braces that a lot of basketball players used to wear, namely Michael Jordan. If all you need is a "reminder" kind of brace that will also warm up the area around your knee, then a neoprene brace could be for you.
2.) Neoprene knee braces with a hinged knee joint are next. Now you are moving up the spectrum. Why is a neoprene knee brace with hinges possibly more supportive? Basically, they can be more supportive because they have uprights that are attached to the joint that will help to restrict side to side movements at that knee that may be the culprit in causing you pain. These neoprene style knee braces are great for people that don't have a serious injury, and who need some side to side stability. This kind of brace may provide a little extra support while participating in activities of daily living, or playing sports.