Are you wondering why your knee brace is not working that well? Here are some of the things that you need to look out for when you are having trouble with your knee brace.
1.) If your knee brace has hinges it is best to make sure that the hinges are located at the side of the knee joint and that the brace is not crooked. If the hinges are not lined up very well, and the brace is crooked, this will make one hinge slide forward in comparison to the other. When the joint is improperly aligned a simple motion like bending your knee can feel awkward.
2.) Usually, knee supports are made so that everyone from outside of you can read the writing on the brace the right way up. Typically, you should not be able to look down at the brace, while it is on you and be able to read everything very easily.
What we are trying to say here is that if people from outside of you can read the brand name of your brace the right way up, that means that you have the brace on right side up (i.e. it is not upside down).
At a glance many knee supports can look the same, and we have seen enough people put braces on upside down; even doctors. Therefore, we decided to include this section about making sure the brace is right side up.
3.) Is the brace slipping down when you wear it? Well, one reason why this is happening is that the knee support is not on snug enough. When you get a knee brace, no matter what brand it is etc., it is important to wear it snug (not tight where you loose circulation. There is a balance.) A loose brace will slide down and do you no good!
Moreover, if you are having trouble with the brace fitting you properly, you should think about when you got it. Although some knee supports will last you a long time, you will need to think about whether the elastic material is over stretched. If you use an elastic knee support, for example, and you wear it when you work out or walk a good distance then you are naturally going to sweat. – Over a year or two this might add up and cause the elastic part of the brace to stretch. This can cause a problem over time for you, if you are trying to reach the optimal fit you once had with the support.