Knee support

jambosteve1
jambosteve1 Member Posts: 1
in Hints and Tips

Hi all, I'm new to the group and have osteoarthritis in the knee.

My job has me on my feet all day walking up and down stairs.

What can anyone recommend a support that works and easies the pain?

TIA Steve

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Comments

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 877

    Hi @jambosteve1

    I think it depends on where in the knee your arthritis is as to what type of support you could get to help. You could pay £7 for a strong elasticated support from a high street pharmacy or £1000 for a top of the range unloader type brace. I've used a strong elasticated support for a number of years now which has mostly worked for me. I'd had a partial meniscus removal many years ago so my arthritis caused medial pain problems with any sideways movement of the knee. I was told in early 2022 - based on x-rays from July 2021 that I needed a knee replacement 'sooner rather than later'. I'd put it off and got by with the strong elasticated support and pain relief patches when it flared up. However by 2023 it had deteriorated further and I'm now on a 2 year waiting list for knee replacement. I thought I'd look at getting a brace meantime to help but there's so many products on the market I've actually called the orthopaedics consultant I saw in 2023 to ask his advice. I'm waiting on a reply at present.

  • tayze76
    tayze76 Member Posts: 1

    Hi there,

    I can completely relate to your situation. I'm also on the waiting list for knee surgery—it's been two years now as both of my knees are in pretty rough shape. In the meantime, I’ve been using a knee brace that’s really made a difference for me. I understand how challenging it can be to navigate all the different options available, and it’s great that you’re seeking advice from your orthopaedics consultant.

    The brace that I use is a unloader as it completely takes the weight and strain from your knees. To be honest I think that I would be pretty shafted without them at the moment.

    I bought mine from here. Knee Brace Unloader it is definitely worth taking a look.

    I hope you find a solution that works well for you and eases your discomfort while you wait for your surgery. If you ever want to chat more about braces or anything else, feel free to reach out!

    Best of luck, and hang in there! 

    Antony

    neenca leg brace 7.png
  • cabman
    cabman Member, Unconfirmed Posts: 1

    Hi I'm a newcomer to the forum, I have had Arthritis in my knees for some years, in March 2024 following an exray on my left knee my GP referred me to my local Orthopaedic department for a knee replacement, in May I phoned the hospital to find out when I would be seen by a surgeon only to find that the earliest date I would have my initial appointment would be April 2025 so presumably I would then be placed on a waiting list for surgery.

    Not happy with the prospect of possibly 2 years before surgery I contacted my GP and asked if NHS operations could be farmed out to the private health sector.

    Happily I was able to see a consultant in a private hospital on 01/08/2024 and am due to have my operation on 16/09/2024 funded by the NHS.

    The moral of the story is if you do not ask you will never know what help is available

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,558

    Hi @cabman

    I am so pleased for you others have doe this others have resorted to paying privately so well done! We ahve to be our own advocates these days😊

    Toni

  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 2,009

    Hi @cabman just a quick welcome from me that was a shockingly long wait to even see a consultant I think you did absolutely the right thing pushing for a your surgery NHS surgery to be outsourced to the private sector,

    I am so pleased you have already seen your consultant and the surgery is taking place this month.

    Best of luck with it I hope you'll et us know how you get on.

    Ellen.

  • NeverSurrender
    NeverSurrender Member Posts: 16

    Hi @cabman Really good to hear that you managed to get treatment on the NHS - Sounds like a miracle to me!

    I doubt you will be on here much anymore, but just wanted to ask which NHS Trust are you under? I am only asking because I live in Hertfordshire and I have just seen a GP, due to horrific pain in my hips (I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis of my neck, hips, knees and back quite a few years ago)

    My Private Physio diagnosed a large amount of Calcium in my left hip and I have been researching Barbotage as a means of the possibility of drawing it out. Some NHS Trusts actually do this - but the GP just told me this is not one of them and her best suggestion was for me to increase the Pregabalin from 2 to 3 capsules /day!

    I asked her for Metformin and she said that she could only use "Evidence based Medicine" - I told her that there is research and actual successful trials of this for OA - of the knees and actually my Pregabalin was prescribed "Off Label" in the first place!

    Her answer was to open the door and wait for me to hobble out!

    RESEARCH SHOWING BARBOTAGE ULTRASOUND IS SUPERIOR TO X-RAYS.pdf
    FOR GP'S APPT How is Arthritis.pdf

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