What are braces and supports for?

Braces and supports are widely used orthopaedic devices that can help when you have an injury of the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones. You can use them as part of a non-surgical treatment plan for an injury or condition, and during post-surgical rehabilitation. 

Devices vary in support depending on the material they are made from. For example, simple sleeve or wrap-around products mainly support through compression and light stabilisation, whereas more complex braces, such as hard-shell braces, can also restrict movement. Different designs and levels of stabilisation are available to target different types of injures and conditions. With some types of braces and supports, you are also able to adjust the product to your individual needs, for targeted treatment throughout your healing process. 

Your doctor will be able to tell you which type of product is most suited for your condition.

People sometimes use the words braces and supports interchangeably, but in reality, they have different functions targeted to specific needs. That’s why choosing the right product for your unique circumstances is really important. Here are just some of the situations where you may benefit from using an orthopaedic device: 

• Chronic conditions and injuries
• General weakness and instability
• During recovery from acute injuries like sprains and strains
• Arthritic conditions
• Specific conditions such as tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome

Braces and supports are typically worn around the affected body part, such as the knee, ankle, elbow, or wrist. They often provide compression which can help to prevent and reduce swelling, which then reduces pain and improves your range of movement. Braces and supports can help you to take on daily challenges by alleviating pain in your joint. For example, a knee support can help you with day-to-day mobility by providing stability to the affected joint. Braces and other devices that offer musculoskeletal support can also help relieve aches, prevent injury, and aid the healing process.

Read on to discover more about the differences between braces, supports and other related products, and which option may be suitable.

There are various devices available that can help when you have a sprain or strain or another orthopaedic injury. These devices can also help people living with chronic conditions such as arthritis. Here are some examples of how specific devices are used. 

Actimove Sports Edition Knee Brace, Wrap Around, Polycentric Hinges, Condyle Pads helps to provide pain relief through medical compression and therapeutic warmth. On each side of this specially engineered brace, polycentric metal hinges provide extra stability to manage pain from ligament injuries.

Actimove Everyday Supports Wrist Stabilizer Carpal is a stabilising brace medically engineered to provide comfort and pain relief from tendonitis and other wrist conditions and injuries. The integrated stay is anatomically shaped to provide support and to hold the wrist securely and comfortably while allowing full movement of fingers and thumb. 

The Actimove Everyday Supports Knee Support Closed Patella delivers firm compression to help with painful knees.  

The Actimove Everyday Supports Knee Support Closed Patella, 2 Stays has two spiral stays to add further stability to the joint.  

For reduced pressure on the kneecap (patella), the Actimove Sports Edition Knee Support with Open Patella has an open design which is suitable for managing knee pain. The support helps relieve pain and aids healing through balanced warmth and medical compression, and features COOLMAX^® AIR technology to keep you cool and dry while you work out.  

Actimove Sports Edition Patella Strap supports pain relief by applying pressure on the kneecap tendon through its specially engineered high-density insert. This medical device stays in place during active movement, thanks to its special silicone dot lining. For those suffering from tennis or golfer's elbow, the Actimove Sports Edition Elbow Strap with Hot/Cold Pack helps relieve your elbow and features a hot and cold pack for additional pain relief.

The length of time you will need to wear a brace or support will differ depending on your diagnosis or condition. For example, you may need to wear a brace for a sprained ankle for several weeks; however, if you have a condition such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, you may need to wear it any time the condition flares up.

Speak to your doctor or a medical professional to confirm how long you should wear your support. Remember, braces and supports are designed to assist with the healing process and allow you to live your daily life.