Unloader Knee Brace

jamieA

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of using an unloader knee brace and is willing to give the pluses and minuses of doing so. I'm on the waiting list for a knee replacement but I've been thinking if one of these worked I could defer or even cancel this. I'd had a football injury almost 40 years ago and the meniscus had to be removed at the time but I'd not had anything other than niggling issues until psoriatic arthritis struck in 2020. It was the first joint that became swollen with PsA and in 2022 I was told I needed a knee replacement 'sooner rather than later'. I'm still able to walk my dog 50-60kms a week on relatively flat ground - albeit with a limp. Inclines and declines are an issue as are stairs but other than that I get by. The pain in my knee is always to the inside and above the knee joint right where the scar of the meniscus removal operation is. At present I use a strong elasticate knee support. If I understand the unloader principle correctly the brace is set up to relieve vertical pressure on the joint on one side. I know these are expensive and require fitting/tailoring to the individual if you go for the upper end of devices so would like some real life experiences before I commit to buying one.

annabanana

Hi @jamieA , unfortunately I cannot give any advice on purchasing an unloader knee brace but hopefully someone else with more experience with them will come along to give advice.

Bryony

I bought a secondhand one in 2020 off ebay for my right knee, medial OA, when I couldn't get access to face to face physio and not a chance in hell of seeing an orthopaedic specialist. I asked my GP about them and they were unable to prescribe them. Only orthopaedic nhs specialists can prescribe them. That one was an Ossur Unloader One X. I couldn't find a secondhand one in the right size for my left knee, which was actually a bit more badly affected by OA. Though it did seem to help a little with pain and also more with instability, it caused my leg to swell and it worsened my varicose veins. I had to stop using it, and had to get my varicose veins treated (privately - the NHS won't do them). It is clunky to look at and wear, and had a tendency to slip down. Some people swear by them.

Forward to 2024 when I was given by the NHS a set of unloader braces by Breg Freestyle OA, one for each leg. They look neater than the Ossur ones. The one for my right leg made my leg swell, just like the Ossur did, so I stopped using it (must be something about my right leg). I use the one for my left leg which doesn't cause swelling. The dial on the side is not comfortable, and I can only wear it over trousers which give a bit of padding. The brace has a tendency to slip, for me anyways. Also the big velco straps tend to knock loose. It is rather difficult to wear a pair unless you are bow legged as they tend to catch each other and the velco from one catching on to the other, and your legs stick together!

It does help a bit with stability, for me, and as when my knee gives way that is extremely painful, it does reduce the frequency of knee giving way, and hence some reduction in that source of pain. It doesn't really help with my more generalised OA knee pain though. I certainly don't get a switching off of pain when I turn the dial, so I'm not sure if there is much benefit over an ordinary brace. I use it whenever I try to walk more than a short distance, and when I attempt some gardening, like pruning or cutting the lawn.

It restricts knee bending, so I have to remove it to climb a stile, for example. Also it is a nuisance for stairs.

Both my knees need replacement and cause a lot of pain. The most effective thing for me, I've found, is using 2 walking sticks that I can load bear my weight on. Just one stick is next to useless. Unfortunately doing shopping does not really work with 2 sticks, so when pushing a trolley, which I find too high to be effectively load bearing, I do put on the brace and don't use sticks. For hand basket shopping I use the 2 sticks but have a squashable fabric basket which I put the items in (and no doubt attract the attention of the security staff) which I can just about manage to carry in one hand as well as using a stick in that hand.

As you are under the care of an NHS orthopaedic specialist I suggest you ask them about a brace, and you may then be able to be prescribed one, at no cost to you. They are very expensive to buy.

claudsl

Thank you @Bryony for the advice. Hope you find this useful @jamieA :)

jamieA

Hi @Bryony

Thanks for the extensive reply it's given me something to think about.