Patients use knee braces as support for an injured or painful knee. There are four main types of knee braces: prophylactic, functional, rehabilitative, and unloader/offloader. Prophylactic knee braces are designed to protect knees from injuries during contact sports like football. Functional knee braces give support to knees that have already been injured. Rehabilitative knee braces limit knee movement after an injury or surgery. Unloader/offloader knee braces can provide relief to people who have arthritis in their knees. You must understand which type of knee braces are used for what condition in order to ensure appropriate management.

Pharmacies, medical supply companies, and the actual manufacturers can all serve as a knee braces provider. When you include knee braces into your practice, here are some things to consider:

1. Learn more about knee braces.

2. Decide which type of knee braces to buy.

3. Find a knee braces provider.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn more about the similarities/differences between brands and types of knee braces

There are several different types or brands of knee braces for each condition. Since you may use a different knee braces provider for different patients, understanding which knee braces are similar can be helpful to your patients. You also need more education about the fitting and use of knee braces so you can remain current in your management.

I recommend: JointHealing.com has a brace equivalency guide which lists the different types of knee braces available for specific conditions and also lists the similar knee braces that are available on that website. Dr Brace offers a section to allow you or your patient to determine if a knee brace is needed and what kind.

Determine which kinds of knee braces are appropriate for your practice

Unless you are a physician or a physical or occupational therapist, you might not need to carry rehabilitative knee braces. If you manage patients who participate in sports or patients who are older and have arthritis, you will need to carry knee braces specifically for those conditions. You should create a knee braces list to use when shopping for knee braces.

I recommend: DME-Direct distributes a variety of braces for patients who have had knee surgery. OrthoAthletic.com offers several types of knee braces for patients who have injuries from sports while Ossur carries a line of ready-made or custom-made braces specifically for patients with osteoarthritis.

Select a knee braces provider that offers affordable options

There are wholesale knee braces providers which offer a variety of braces for many conditions. You can purchase braces and have them in your office to fit the patient when they visit or you can order braces as needed. Also, some knee braces providers provide custom brace fittings which could be more expensive for your office and your patient.

I recommend: SupportsUSA is a wholesale medical supply company that sells several different brands of knee braces. If you want to order a custom-made brace for your patient, Bledsoe Brace Systems can create one designed to your specifications. For other suppliers, visit a knee braces directory, like BizRate, where you can compare prices and see product reviews.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Purchase or create a chart in your office listing knee braces information for your patients.