We often notice sports players and gym enthusiasts wearing a knee brace/support every time they play or lift weights.
Knee braces can provide support to your knee joint and help prevent injuries during exercises and sports activities. In some cases, knee braces are also used to manage pain.
However, what you need to know is that, if it is painful enough to use knee support, then you should be taking a break. Also, if you are wearing it only to prevent pain, it won’t work. You might be actually weakening your muscles that in turn prolong the injury and pain.
Knee Joint And Injuries
The knee is a connecting joint between the ankles and the hips. The knee is generally never the first cause of pain unless it is due to advanced ageing, degeneration, osteoarthritis or a ligament injury.
Most commonly, it is due to repeated ankle injuries or weakness of the hips that adds an additional load on the knees.
This leads to the inability of the knee muscles to cope while you are working out or playing. Wearing a brace compresses the joint for gaining stability but it also affects the functioning of the muscles around the knee.
Strengthening the weak muscles and identifying the problems is the key to preventing knee pains and reducing the use of a knee brace.
Therefore, bracing any joint for a long period is not a good idea as it can affect the normal functioning of the joint.
If you are suffering from pain or mobility issues, consult a doctor to fix the underlying cause. This would work better than providing external support with the help of a knee brace.
Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.