View Full Version : Osteoarthritis knee bracing.....
greenberetTFS
11-13-2008, 12:31
Just started getting my first shot for my right leg,have done 3 shots on my left. They suggested I use on both legs OA knee bracing. Any one here ever used them and was it successful? :confused:
GB TFS
Red Flag 1
11-13-2008, 13:14
PM inbound!
RF 1
Blitzzz (RIP)
11-13-2008, 14:19
greenberetTFS, I'm Dave Boltz and as many of us, have pretty bad knees. Right is a rebuild and the left was scoped (tuned up). My knees were done in '81 and '82 and I retired under a rucksack as Team SGT. of ODA 585.
I retired from SF in 92 and went to school for Physical Therapy Assistant. I worked physical therapy for 16 years and am now retired due to a rare Brain cancer.
The best treatment I found for severe Osteoarthritis was Ultrasound to the joint line followed by 60 high speed reps of seated knee extension without resistance. Results are within 2 weeks. If you don't have access to an ultrasound machine then about 10 minutes of heat will do.
As to your question about bracing, I found a neoprene slip on reduces the pain enough to walk and work. A hard brace will allow your knees to weaken and the pains will increase.
Good luck with what ever you choose. Blitz
Boomer-61
11-13-2008, 15:47
Most braces are used for symptomatic treatment depending on the wear pattern of your arthritis. In our hands the most successful bracing has been for either medial or lateral compartment arthritis and that is with the use of an off loader brace. If your knee has medial compartment arthritis, bow legged, an off loader brace will push the joint line towards a normal alignment and unload the damaged compartment. The idea is to redirect the forces through the center of the knee. The brace requires a perscription and need to be fitted. Some patients love them, some hate the idea of wearing a brace. I tell my patients that bracing is cheaper and easier than surgery.
Good luck.
greenberetTFS
11-28-2008, 11:53
Most braces are used for symptomatic treatment depending on the wear pattern of your arthritis. In our hands the most successful bracing has been for either medial or lateral compartment arthritis and that is with the use of an off loader brace. If your knee has medial compartment arthritis, bow legged, an off loader brace will push the joint line towards a normal alignment and unload the damaged compartment. The idea is to redirect the forces through the center of the knee. The brace requires a perscription and need to be fitted. Some patients love them, some hate the idea of wearing a brace. I tell my patients that bracing is cheaper and easier than surgery.
Good luck.
Boomer-61,
Thanks for the feedback. I've completed my Visco shots and they haven't helped
so I really hope the knee bracing will. I'm waiting for the VA to contact me for my fitting........:(
GB TFS :munchin
Boomer-61
12-05-2008, 15:18
TFS,
How are those knees treating you with the visco supp on board?
Boomer
greenberetTFS
12-06-2008, 02:26
TFS,
How are those knees treating you with the visco supp on board?
Boomer
Boomer-61,
The shots haven't helped me at all and yesterday I was at the VA to get fitted for my braces. They said they'll have the braces in about a month. Sure hope they'll help,all thats left as an option is the surgery which I'm not looking forward to thats for sure,
Thanks for the interest, I'll let you know after I get them and see how they work out...........
GB TFS
Boomer-61
12-07-2008, 07:52
TFS,
I hope the braces work. I do have a friend and patient that has been wearing a brace for five years. He is not fond of the brace but is less fond of surgery. If if comes down to surgery, and I hope it doesn't, are you locked into the VA?
Boomer
greenberetTFS
12-07-2008, 11:59
TFS,
I hope the braces work. I do have a friend and patient that has been wearing a brace for five years. He is not fond of the brace but is less fond of surgery. If if comes down to surgery, and I hope it doesn't, are you locked into the VA?
Boomer
Boomer,
Yes I am. I'm on medicare but I didn't sign up for the supplement part. I only have parts A and B, so I would have to pay the difference on what ever medicare wouldn't cover. I really can't complain the VA has been good to me........
GB TFS
greenberetTFS
06-20-2009, 06:21
TFS,
I hope the braces work. I do have a friend and patient that has been wearing a brace for five years. He is not fond of the brace but is less fond of surgery. If if comes down to surgery, and I hope it doesn't, are you locked into the VA?
Boomer
Boomer-61,
Just got some new shots,one in each leg of a new product called Synvisc One (HYLAN G-F 20)............ :) It's one shot with triple doses of the shots that were required of 3 per knee in 6 weeks time. Now you can get 1 shots each knee that is suppose to last 6 months........
Big Teddy
greenberetTFS
02-26-2010, 18:05
I just picked up my new braces available now at the VA..... They are much lighter,easier to put on and lock(only 4 straps with quick release latches)...If your wearing the older types,see if you can get this new model.... They take and keep your old ones(?) but these new ones are great to wear.....If you want more info just PM me and I'll try to fill you in as much as possible...........:):):)
Big Teddy :munchin
It's been about year since I had a total knee replacement, in my left leg. It takes about a year for complete recovery, but it has been a long time since my knee felt this good.
robert2854
03-04-2010, 15:05
I.M 64 yoa and had three knee operations on my knees back in the 70's. I also had the knee shots9(cortisine or whatever) and my knees felt great for 5-7 days but then they felt bad after that. They felt bad for years and then in 2005 I had a knee replacement on my left knee and then on my right knee. They feel better now,but these knees are not near as versatile as the original ones. I feel like an old man, but it doesn,t hurt.
I am 60, don't feel like an old man, I go to the gym about 4 time a week, work out on the eliptical or tread mill for 45 minutes. The knee has some very minor limititations, but it is a lot better than before the replacement. I was on the motrcycle less than 2 months after the surgery.
TOMAHAWK9521
03-05-2010, 21:15
Was medically retired last year due to knees degrading beyond my ability to grit my teeth. Turned out I've ground off most of the cartillage under both knee caps. The army gave me 5 SYNVISC shots in each knee last spring with the hopes that it would help for 1-2 years. The stuff failed by September. Since the army wouldn't do any surgery I had to wait to get the VA to go in and do something. The VA scoped me, doing a lateral release and polishing up the underside of the left knee. The doc told me the rest of the joint looked pretty good except for my ACL. Turns out I tore roughly 80-90% in a freak parachute landing in August of '88. It was never diagnosed, even with 3 MRIs, until this operation. I asked the VA if they were going to fix the ACL. I was told no because the injury was too old and there was too much arthritis in both knees for a graft to work. :mad:
greenberetTFS
03-06-2010, 12:40
I tried to get the VA to scope my knees but they said they don't do it anymore! :confused:
Big Teddy :munchin
Boomer-61
03-11-2010, 14:18
Big Teddy, I know you've been strugglilng with those knees of yours for quite some time and you've tried most everything I know of to try short of knee replacement. I'm not sure a knee the arthroscope will help at this point. Scopes are good if you have an acute tear in the ligiment or cartilage but for osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis) it's likely to make things worse. If your knees are already bone on bone, the bracing, and or injections didn't give you lasting relief then the scopes probably wont help. The only only other thing I can think of which may offer the smallest amount of relief is weight loss if that is even an issue. You can reduce the force accross your knee by 2.5 pounds per step with each pound of lost body weight. If you'd like, I can talk to you about surgical options or look at films if you have them, just PM me.
Boomer
Habu-MFFI 175
09-19-2010, 21:57
I know this thread has some age to it but so do I..:p
I was wondering where you stand with your knees, any other treatments?? I too have bad knees and just checking out what your treatments were. I am also diagnosed wth Osteoarthritis. I have trouble with both knees and both shoulders. I had my right should operated on 2 years ago and I swear that its worst now than it was....:confused:
Thanks for the update....
greenberetTFS
09-20-2010, 12:43
I know this thread has some age to it but so do I..:p
I was wondering where you stand with your knees, any other treatments?? I too have bad knees and just checking out what your treatments were. I am also diagnosed wth Osteoarthritis. I have trouble with both knees and both shoulders. I had my right should operated on 2 years ago and I swear that its worst now than it was....:confused:
Thanks for the update....
Habu,
My knees are totally shot,I need replacements in both knees....... I would do it in a minute if I could,but I can't do anything due to my wife's medical condition...... That operation would put me down for a while and I wouldn't be able to cook or take her to her doctors which are many(7)also keep up the basic house cleaning chores.......... She's in a power wheel chair and unable to do much,so I'm just wearing my braces when I need to............. They do help but they are still kinda bulky to get around in comfortably............I'm still getting my shots,but like you my shoulders are killing me now,I've got Osteoarthritis also............ Try the braces,they do help,you should be able to get them from the VA without a problem.......If you need info on them like brand name,etc just PM me and I'll try to help....... :)
Big Teddy
greenberetTFS
11-02-2010, 05:57
They have stopped giving the cortisone shots at the VA,so I went to a private ortho doctor for them and he introduced ms to a product called "Pennsaid".............I've just started using it.............It is a prescription drug that's very expensive .............I'll let you know if it works.........;)
Big Teddy :munchin