Thursday, October 25, 2007

Soft Knee Braces have great support benefits


Soft braces or "sleeves" are made of stretchable material such as synthetic cloth material or neoprene. Soft braces are designed to be either pulled up to fit around the knee or strapped into place using velcro or another similar method.

Soft braces have the benefits of being easy to use and easy to care for. They function by giving the knee a small amount of support. This support may be more of a function of proprioceptors (nerves that provide feedback as to orientation in space) around the knee than it is of actual knee stabilization since cloth or neoprene are not stiff enough to restrict motion.

Neoprene material is known to provide the highest heat retention and insulation of any material. Unlike elastic braces which can stretch only in two directions, neoprene braces can stretch in four. Neoprene's unique characteristics allow it to support your knee without bunching up and maintains its shape. Neoprene usually lasts longer than standard elastic braces. Many athletes use this type of brace in cold weather sports, such as skiing and ice skating.

Dr. Robert Molloy, an orthopedic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, said a knee brace is a device that is worn around the knee to provide support and reduce excessive loading on a damaged joint. The simplest type of brace is a one-piece sleeve made of an elastic rubber -- neoprene -- that fits snugly around the knee area, which is available at Medex01.com.

Some of the goals of the Ace Neoprene Knee Brace are :

Increase activity
Stabilize kneecap
Decrease anti-inflammatory medications
Decrease pain symptoms
Improve knee function
Provide warmth to knee
Ace Neoprene Knee Brace sold at MedEx01.com