Bracing For An OA Life

Individuals do not typically go see their doctor in the “beginning” stages of their knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Beginning stages may start with swelling that is more persistent, locking of the knee, more pain on the inside of the knee, you may even feel a little uncertain taking your normal stair route to the office! When the pain starts to affect your concentration at work, begins slowing you down at the gym, or interferes with even your simplist day to day tasks like standing in line at the bank, your KOA at this point has progressed from a mild state to a moderate degenerative state.

Your pain will most likely begin to get worse after this point. You want your pain to be gone, and you want it gone fast. The only option you can think of is to call your doctor.

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Surgery, injections, and oral medications are popular treatments for KOA, and while it’s no secret that there are specialists for these options, you may be waiting for your appointment for weeks, months, or even a year. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and gel injections are hyped up to be a “quick-fix” treatment for KOA due to their fast ability to decrease your pain; but the biomechanical elements of the knee remain unchanged, and the effects of long-term use of NSAID’s and injections are unclear.

While you are waiting to see a specialist, you don’t have to wait to start relieving your pain! Kinetic Konnection is your first line of defense to help with your KOA pain.

We have exclusive bracing options specifically designed to unload the degenerative compartment of the knee. Unloading bracing is safe, non-surgical, and they offer immediate pain-relief. They are also very cost-effective when comparing to some surgical procedures.

Technology has come a long way in KOA knee bracing. We all have heard and seen the big bulky metal braces… You will say, “I don’t want a big bulky brace” …. and I would say, “I wouldn’t either”.

It’s not that the older style of bracing was wrong, it’s just that the evolving technology of unloading braces keeps getting better and better. They are smaller instead of larger, lighter instead of heavier, and technology has even advanced as much to 3D print a custom unloading brace. Newer technology also provides with a more precise fit, and can be worn by any and all shapes and sizes.

You should always talk with your doctor about their thoughts about bracing options for you. At Kinetic Konnection, you can walk-in, call or text any of our three locations in Windsor, Tecumseh and LaSalle. It’s also very beneficial to our staff if you bring any xray or MRI reports you have available. Because we take KOA seriously, we do request 30-45 minutes of your time. During your appointment we will ask specific questions, and take time to listen to you so we clearly understand what you deal with on a day-to-day basis with your KOA. We have large private consultation rooms, and it is a one-on- one with one of our Human Kinetic graduates.

In a perfect scenario, everyone suffering with KOA would get an unloading knee brace, but we know perfect is just a word. Some individuals will want to think about it, some may need to talk to their spouse about it first, and some are just not ready to accept that they have KOA. All those scenarios are okay. Everyone who comes into Kinetic Konnection gets the same experience.

If you are ready to learn more about your KOA and what bracing options are available that will suit your lifestyle, don’t wait – start your KOA pain relief journey with us today!