Custom Knee Bracing

Custom knee bracing is done for myriad reasons and to varying degrees of success.  At the Knee Clinic, we prescribe and measure custom knee braces to aid individuals who have either degenerative knee ailments or joint instabilities.  Three categories of knee braces are utilized within our clinic:

1. Osteoarthritic (OA) custom unloader knee braces. These braces are utilized in situations where it’s desirable to ‘unload’ one particular aspect of the knee.  When we walk, approximately 80% of our mechanical load is placed on the inside (medial) aspect of the knee.  This very often leads to disproportionate wear of that aspect of the joint.  This process is exacerbated in patients who have had prior surgical procedures to their knee (i.e. meniscectomy, debridement, trimming or ‘clean ups’ of the soft tissues within the joint.  Custom unloading knee braces do an outstanding job of mitigating the impact to this affected part of the joint without placing appreciably increased load on to the opposite side of the knee.  These braces are custom fit down to the millimeter and are comfortable and svelte; they often fit under normal pants or overtop of tights.
2. Custom ligament knee bracing. These custom knee braces are made of a carbon composite material that is very light and exceptionally strong.  Custom fit down to the millimeter, they provide exceptional stability to a knee that has sustained injury to either medial or lateral collateral ligaments, or to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).  A properly fitted custom ACL knee brace is commonly used as a pre-and post-surgical aid to limit damage to other structures (namely the meniscus) prior to a surgical procedure as well as to protect a fresh surgically reconstructed ACL graft.  Custom braces for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) instability can also be prescribed and provided.  Our turn around time for any of our custom knee braces is approximately 6 – 7 business days.
3. Custom cartilage (rebound) knee bracing. Similar in design to an OA unloader knee brace, a ‘rebound’ cartilage unloader is designed to offload one particular part of the knee that has sustained damage to its cartilaginous or meniscal surface.  As with all of our other custom knee braces, these rebound cartilage braces can be for both daily use or for more active or sporting activities.

Custom Knee Brace – tips on wearing:

At the Knee Clinic, our knee braces are truly custom made.  As custom devices, adaptation can take a bit of time.  We encourage our patients to take a bit of time to get used to their new knee brace through progressively increased use over the first few days.  Because of the grip required to keep a custom knee brace in place we ask our patients to wear the brace directly against bare skin whenever possible.  Some patients have more delicate skin than others, so if the skin becomes irritated from direct contact with the brace we can provide a thin undersleeve to create a reduced friction surface.  Be advised that this can increase the likelihood of the brace sliding slightly.  Proper fitment of the brace begins with careful measuring on our part, but continues with you taking care to put the brace on carefully and methodically each time.  We provide each of our patients with one-on-one instruction on how to put on their brace and we can adjust or modify the brace on an as-needed basis without hesitation.  A custom knee brace is only valuable to our patient if it is comfortable, effective and actually worn regularly. We pride ourselves as much in the after care of your brace as we do in the initial prescription and provision.

Custom Knee Brace Cost and Insurance Coverage

The vast majority of people with workplace health plans will benefit from 100% coverage of their custom knee brace.  Of course, this varies with the merits of your particular plan, so we encourage you to check with your insurance company either before or after your visit with us.  We can provide you with a prescription when clinically indicated, as well as a quote letter outlining methods and materials so that you can get a clear answer from your insurance company.  Keep in mind that insurance companies are in the business of making money, so do not be put off if their initial response to your prescription submission is negative.  Persistence is key.  Furthermore, some insurance companies require a prescription specifically from your family doctor in order to cover the cost of a custom knee brace.

We encourage you to call or email us today to schedule an appointment to see if a custom knee brace may be beneficial in helping you return to, or continue with the activities that you’re passionate about.

Call us at 403-457-5633

Email us here: [email protected]