Is Your Knee Pain Osteoarthritis?

What is Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is extremely common, affecting millions of people worldwide. People who suffer from osteoarthritis often experience debilitating symptoms including pain, stiff and tender joints, loss of full range of motion and more.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is a joint disease that mostly affects cartilage. Cartilage allows bones to glide over each other and helps to absorb the shock of movement. In osteoarthritis of the knee, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together. The rubbing causes pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain and disability in people over 50.

Stages of Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis ranges from mild to severe and can have a debilitating effect if left untreated.

Common Symptoms

  • Pain that is worse after activity or towards end of day
  • Pain going up and down stairs
  • Pain after standing for long periods of time
  • Morning stiffness
  • Limited movement
  • Mild swelling around joint

Who is at Risk?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is usually caused by repetitive stress to the joint due to activities such as exercise or work. Damage to the cartilage can be the result of a previous injury, such as a dislocation or fracture. Age, heredity, injury and infection are the most common causes of OA. Of all factors contributing to osteoarthritis, age is the most important one.

 

Common risk factors include

  • Anyone over 50, although women are more likely than men to be affected after the age of 55
  • Those with a family history of osteoarthritis
  • People who are overweight or obese
  • Individuals with low levels of activity
  • Anyone with prior injury or surgery to knee

Women are more likely than men to be affected after the age of 55

Is an Osteoarthritis Knee Brace Right for Me?

While the underlying cause of osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, OA knee bracing has been shown to be clinically effective at reducing the pain of osteoarthritis and allowing you to return to your favorite activities quickly and safely.

Braces work by re-distributing pressure in the knees from the affected area to the healthier side of the joint, creating a sense of relief when walking. This brings comfort to the affected area while providing the ultimate relief to improve mobility for a more active, healthier lifestyle.

 

The benefits of OA knee bracing include:

  • Decrease knee pain Increase activity levels
  • Slow the progression of the disease
  • Increase function Improve stability
  • Defer a total knee replacement
  • Can be used as an adjunct with other knee treatments for more clinical effectiveness

OA knee bracing has been shown to be clinically effective at reducing the pain of osteoarthritis

Braces work by re-distributing pressure in the knees from the affected area to the healthier side of the joint

Which knee brace is right for you?

The type of OA knee brace varies based on both severity of osteoarthritis as well as the level of activity.

For example, those with moderate to severe OA who currently conduct either a low to moderate level of activity are likely to benefit more from the OActive 2 knee brace while those with both mild OA and who are experiencing a low level of activity are more likely to benefit from the FreeFlex OA knee brace. Meanwhile, those with moderate to high activity with OA ranging from mild to severe are most likely to benefit from the Catalyst Propel OA knee brace

In addition to being clinically proven to help decrease knee pain and improve function, VQ OrthoCare knee braces feature a low profile for greater comfort. They can even be worn discretely under slacks.

While many people do experience immediate relief from OA after using braces, other users may not see results for several weeks. It is important to keep wearing the brace in the first few weeks, even if the amount of pain is not significantly reduced because it can take up to a few weeks for braces to ease joint inflammation.

Is Knee Pain Limiting Your Life?

Take Our Quiz!

Do you have persistent knee pain? YES     NO
Are you over 55 years of age? YES     NO
Are you over your ideal weight?
 YES     NO
Do you have a family history of arthritis? YES     NO
Does your knee hurt going up and down stairs? YES     NO
Have you reduced your activity because of your knee pain? YES     NO
Is you knee stiff after inactivity or first thing in the morning? YES     NO
Have you been told you need (or will need) a total knee replacement? YES     NO
Have you been diagnosed with arthritis, osteoarthritis of degenerative joint disease? YES     NO

If you answer YES to three or more questions or the last two questions, you may be a candidate for a knee brace. Check out our complete selection of OA knee braces.

Selecting the right knee brace depends on both osteoarthritis severity as well as level of activity.

Low profile and sleek design embraces patient compliance.

Brace can be worn comfortably and discretely under slacks.