One of the most common parts affected by arthritis are the knee joints, and the use of knee braces is an age old technique for reducing the often debilitating pain caused by arthritis. These braces help lessen the pressure on the leg and knee, gradually aligning the leg in the right position to lessen the impact of arthritis pain.

Arthritis knee braces have 2 broad categories - off-the-shelf and custom-made. "Off the shelf" involves choosing the right knee braces from a ready-made collection, while "custom made" pertains to requesting a brace design based on precise condition and considering your own unique knee requirements. Obviously, custom-made braces are more expensive than the off-the-shelf knee braces. However, a custom-made knee brace is signigficantly better, as it is customized to address your own condition. Aside from arthritis knee braces, your choice of footwear is also important to determine your body pressure on your knees. The type of shoes a patient wears may either improve or worsen the pain correspondingly.

Besides these two broad classes, knee braces may also be grouped into 4 distinct types.

An off-loader arthritis knee brace, otherwise known as an unloader, is normally used to improve knee alignment. Off-loader knee braces support the knee by lessening the varus (valgus) stress from the knees, or the abnormal mechanical alignment on one side of the knee.

Prophylactic braces, meanwhile, are worn typically by individuals who suffer from knee injuries, particularly sports injuries.

Alternatively, rehabilitative arthritis knee braces are recommended to improve lateral and/or medial movements. Rehabilitative arthritis knee braces also help to enhance the flexion & extension of the knee joint after knee injuries or a surgical procedure.

OA braces, as their name implies, are worn especially by those suffering from Osteoarthritis (OA). OA knee braces reduce pain by enabling proper knee alignment.

In general, arthritis knee braces are an inexpensive and reliable way of relieving joint pain of the knees. Knee braces have been known to work in the majority of cases. Nonetheless, there are opposing opinions about their efficiency.

Some groups insist that these braces are only a momentary treatment to a long-lasting condition, and often delay the requirement for knee surgery. The artificial support of these knee braces can debilitate the knee and leg muscles, which may consequently bring about permanent weakness and all the more deteriorate the patient's condition.

However, a number of users swear that when used regularly, arthritis knee braces effectively work in promoting proper alignment, controlling your body weight on the knee, as well as significantly reducing pain.

Of course, the end results of knee brace use are dependent on the unique conditions of each case and should not be hastily generalized. The patient's body constitution, overall health, and the degree of arthritis, among others, may have an impact on the outcome of knee brace use.

In picking out the proper braces for yourself, always consider your own requirements. The particular type of knee brace for you is dependent on the degree of your pain or the severity of your condition. The more severe the injury, the larger the knee braces you need. Off the shelf knee braces are just as reliable as custom made ones, unless you have a unique pain or area to treat or a rather unusual knee shape.

As always, it is prudent to discuss this with your physician first to identify the right knee brace for your condition. Always consult a physician before using any method of treatment, whether medicinal drugs or natural remedies or knee braces.