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Knees braces help protect and support the knees especially when you’re dealing with moderate knee injury as a result of ligament or cartilage damage. The best knee braces for sciatica nerve pain not only alleviates pain but also speed up the healing process by limiting unnecessary movement.
Therefore, it’s important to be well protected and that means wearing a knee brace correctly. Wearing the right type of knee brace depending on the injury level is equally essential for best results. Keep reading to find out more about best knee braces for sciatica nerve pain.
How to Wear a Knee Brace
Putting on a knee brace sounds quite simple but can be a bit frustrating.
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Choose the right type of knee brace
You need to choose a knee brace depending on the type of injury and its level of severity. For instance, if you’re dealing with a mild sprain, a compression sleeve would be an excellent choice for you. For severe fractures or tears, a heavy-duty hinged knee brace will come in handy especially one that’s reinforced with plastic or metal. For this reason, you’ll need to consult a physician to help you choose the right type of knee brace for your condition.
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Apply the brace on the injured knee
For starters, the knee brace should go directly on the skin. If you’re using a slip-on knee brace, slip the affected knee into the top part of the brace and out at the bottom. Try sliding the knee brace up your leg ensuring it rests over the injured knee.
If you’re using a wrap style knee brace, place the interior pad against the knee and wind around the straps.
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Centre the brace on the kneecap
Most braces usually feature tiny holes at the front to help you figure how to put them on. You’ll know you’ve worn the knee brace correctly if you can see the hole through the kneecap. This not only guarantees ultimate comfort but also helps regulate temperature underneath the knee brace. Plus, the brace should be aligned to avoid pinching or irritating the skin.
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Once the knee brace is positioned properly, you can proceed to tightening the straps
Compression sleeves usually come with additional straps. Guide the straps around the back of the brace then secure them at the front with the Velcro straps. Ensure it fits snugly, neither too tight nor too loose.
How to Wear a Knee Brace Comfortably
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Wear the knee brace underneath clothing to prevent it from slipping down
You might need to cover up the knee brace in different environments like school and places of work. In this case, you can wear loose fitting clothes for added comfort and to also allow the brace to fit properly.
Extra Tip: Always ensure you strap the knee brace since it works better when its closer to the joint and it will also prevent it from slipping down. You can go for athletic clothes since they are baggier and stretch more which makes managing them a lot easier.
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Wear shorts
One of the easiest options is to wear a short especially if you are lounging at home. Shorts help promote airflow to your legs and prevent the knee brace from slipping down since they have less material. Shorts are also best suited for longer knee braces like hinged functional braces that usually sit high on the leg.
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Remove the knee brace periodically
Removing the knee brace periodically helps relieve pressure off the knee and gives your skin room to breathe. Don’t place too much pressure on the injured knee when you’re not wearing a brace. It’s also important to stay lying down or sitting with the brace on.
Always take off the brace before swimming or showering to prevent it from getting wet. The physician will let you know how long the affected knee can remain unsupported in case you take off the brace.
How to Protect Yourself from Further Injuries
Follow your physician’s advice to the latter
Your physician will advise you on how best to take care of the injured knee and how to brace it for best results. You might need to wear a brace for a few hours during the day for mild knee injuries or for certain activities. Severe injuries may require you to have the brace on at all times.
Tread lightly
Try keeping some weight off the injured knee to avoid straining the joint. You can use crutches if the pain is severe.
Limit movement
The best knee brace helps prevent the affected knee from bending a lot. This means that even when wearing the knee brace, too much rotation or flexion of the knee can cause further injury. For this reason, you need to keep your knee elevated, straight and relaxed during the healing process.
Best Knee Braces for Sciatica Nerve Pain
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
It’s one of the most popular orthopaedic knee braces that help relieve stress and pressure on the knee joint during exercise. It comes with fully adjustable straps that you can attach to any exterior point to accommodate a range of users and prevent it from slipping down. The reinforced stabilizer ring ensures the kneecap stays securely in place during extension and flexion to evenly distribute the stress.
In addition, this knee brace provides increased stability to help improve the alignment of the leg for optimal recovery and loading. Plus, it helps ease acute and chronic knee pain.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
This knee brace is made with high-quality materials for comfortable and safe all-day wear. It helps alleviate pain, swelling and physical local fatigue among others. Adopting self-heating fabric helps promote metabolism, improve blood circulation, enhance immunity and clear the meridians. It comes with an incredibly soft self-adhesive elastic pad that’s easy to wear and take off.
This knee brace offers pain relief and also protects your knee as you go about your daily activities. That’s why its one of the best knee braces for sciatica nerve pain.