Should I wear "knee braces" if my knees are degenerated? Doctors reveal how to choose eyebrow corners: Is it better and faster to use the "basic style"?
Degenerative knee arthritis won’t go away! How to choose knee pads to protect them?
The knee joints of the elderly have begun to degenerate and may even suffer from “degenerative knee arthritis”. How should we choose appropriate protective gear to protect the joints? Dr. Li Yanyu, director of Renyi Boai Rehabilitation Clinic, shared on social media that an elderly patient once had recurring knee pain for 2 years and could not fully recover even with injections. After evaluation, in addition to articular cartilage degeneration, the patient also had synovial membrane inflammation.
Dr. Li Yanyu pointed out that the treatment of knee joints is changing with each passing day, from early steroid injections to later hyaluronic acid, shock wave and proliferative therapy, which are all very effective. According to recent comprehensive analysis and research, “knee braces” can have an auxiliary effect on the knee joint. In this elderly patient’s condition, a general knee brace that can tighten the knee joints through wearing equipment will suffice.
However, with so many knee brace products on the market, how do you choose one to effectively prevent knee degeneration? Dr. Li Yanyu lists the following:
General knee pads: Light weight, elastic, and can cover the entire knee. No magic felt, suitable for mild degenerative arthritis.
Edged knee pads: Suitable for use after medial and lateral collateral ligament injuries and tendon injuries.
Patella hole knee brace: It is suitable for patients who perform high-intensity sports or suffer from patellar or femoral pain syndrome. It is rich in Velcro and can adjust the tightness.
Patellar ligament strap: suitable for cases with runner’s knee, jumper’s knee, etc.
Dr. Li Yanyu also advises patients that hyaluronic acid injections and knee pads can indeed help with knee joint degeneration. However, you still need to pay attention to diet control and use regular exercise measures to lose weight and maintain your figure. This is the only way to treat both the symptoms and the root cause.
How is degenerative knee arthritis diagnosed? Pay attention to “foreign body” growing on your knee
If a physical examination reveals “bone spurs” in the knee, may it be a sign of degenerative knee arthritis? Dr. Li Yanyu said that generally speaking, degenerative arthritis of the knee is defined as cartilage degeneration and wear, long bone spurs, and muscle weakness leading to knee joint pain, swelling, deformation, and even water accumulation and difficulty in walking. In terms of clinical diagnosis, if Patients can be diagnosed if they have knee pain and bone spurs on X-ray, and meet any of the following conditions: over 50 years old, sound in the knee, morning stiffness for less than 30 minutes, etc.
Dr. Li Yanyu said that the classification of degenerative arthritis is as follows:
Level 1: X-ray examination reveals no obvious bone spurs.
Level 2: Obvious bone spurs appear, but joint stenosis is not obvious.
Level 3: Multiple obvious bone spurs, obvious joint stenosis, and slight hard bone sclerosis and wear.
Level 4: The bone spurs become larger, the joints are severely narrowed, the hard bones are significantly hardened, and the joint surfaces are severely worn and deformed.
Further reading: What injuries can result from regular running? Doctor: If you run more than “this number” in one week, beware of “plantar fasciitis”
Don’t think that it’s okay to wear protective gear! Doctors urge you to do “3 things” to prevent knee degeneration
If you suffer from degenerative knee arthritis, besides wearing knee braces to protect your knees, what other measures can you take? Dr. Li Yanyu pointed out that when it comes to conservative treatment of degenerative arthritis, appropriate exercise and weight loss, as well as stretching exercises (stretching 3 times a day for 30 seconds each time) are necessary. Do not neglect training because of knee injuries. However, it is recommended that the public still focus on the training content recommended by doctors.
In addition, patients can also discuss with the doctor about manual treatment, instrument treatment, injection treatment and other measures. In serious cases, surgery may be considered. In general, Dr. Li Yanyu advises the public that if they experience knee pain, discomfort, etc. due to age or sports injuries, they should immediately go to the rehabilitation department or orthopedics department for treatment to avoid worsening of symptoms and affecting the quality of life.
Reference:
Assist Technol. 2022 Sep 3;34(5):501-517.
Adam G Culvenor et al. Br J Sports Med. 2020.
Source:
How to choose knee pads? －Dr. Li Yanyu’s Rehabilitation Chat Room
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