Bracing in Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Bracing options for the therapeutic and preventative treatment of cartilage injury and osteoarthrosis have traditionally been understudied and underutilized due to poor patient compliance and a lack of published clinical efficacy data. However, recent advancements in 3-dimensional printing, biomechanical analysis of the joint, and dynamic joint unloading technologies are re-establishing bracing as an effective, low-cost, and low-risk non-surgical treatment option. When combined with other operative and non-operative methods in a data-based approach, bracing may offer improved outcomes in therapeutic, palliative, and prophylactic applications for cartilage disease and injury.

Keywords: 3-dimensional printing; Brace; Bracing; Knee; Osteoarthritis; Unloader.