PHYSIO ROOM
GUIDE TO BRACES AND
SUPPORTS
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G u i d e t o B r a c e s a n d S u p p o r ts
WHAT ARE BRACES AND SUPPORTS? Braces and supports are one of the most vital aspects of sports injury treatment and rehabilitation. Being able to run, turn, stop and start again is absolutely crucial to being successful in your chosen sport.
That’s why braces and supports can make all the difference when it comes to preventing injury. There’s also no coincidence that, when recovering from injury, be it short or long, you’ll find sports men and women across the world taking advantage of the latest in brace and support technology. That hasn’t always been the case, however. Using braces for the treatment or prevention of injury is a relatively new phenomenon. The first known example of a brace being used in the sporting world was back in 1967, when Dr. Robert F. McDavid Jr. invented a lateral knee brace with the intention of preventing injury or more specifically the relapse of previous injury. During the 1967-68 NFL season, including the grand finale, the Superbowl. One of the sport’s most famous faces, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath famously
wore a knee brace designed by Jack Castiglia and noted physician Dr. James Nicholas. The brace afforded Namath enough comfort to play, despite being constantly hit with knee injuries. Such is the fame of the knee brace, it is now on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This effort was continued by McDavid as by 1969 he had developed the first widely used protective knee brace for American Football. NFL players continued to blaze the trail in the 1970’s and in 1978, it was an NFL player, Mark Nordquist that went away with two colleagues to explore the possibility of using neoprene for braces. Neoprene went on to become, and still is one of the most widely used components in braces and supports. Neoprene may be a far cry from his earlier method of wrapping an old inner tube around his knee for support, but as times change so do methods and thinking. One thing that remains the same however, is the desire of the athlete to use braces and supports to aid their day-to-day activities.
3 things to remember when buying a brace or support • What type do I need? Braces come in different shapes and sizes, but can usually be categorised in to four types, sleeves, supports, stabilisers and hinges. Sleeves easily slip over the leg while supports are adjustable and usually wrap around the knee. Stabilisers offer advanced support by featuring steel springs either side of the knee. While hinged knee braces allow the knee to move in a natural motion while offering the most support. • What style do I want? There are two standard styles of braces, the slip on or the wraparound. Slip on’s are used by putting your foot through the brace and pulling up the leg. While wraparound braces, of course, wrap around and can usually be adjusted by straps made of such material as Velcro. • What size do I need? This all depends on which brace or support you choose. Typically, each will feature a size guide, but may require some DIY measuring for products such as knee braces. If you are between sizes, it’s often recommended you go for the larger size, but this may vary from product to product.
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KNEE BRACES
What you need to know. • This PhysioRoom.com Elite Pro Mesh Hinged Knee Brace was designed to protect the knee following any ligament sprains, cartilage tears or mild arthritis, while also stabilising the patella and knee joint. It features adjustable straps above and below the knee for added support as well as aluminium hinges for added stabilisation. • You can use this brace to help relieve knee pain, to protect the medial (MCL/inside) and lateral (LCL/outside) collateral knee ligaments. It can also be used following a cartilage tear. • Easy to apply and remove, this brace is made from a high quality mesh material which provides efficient air ventilation, while the hinged design provides stability to the joint. The warmth provided by the brace is also therapeutic, which can help relieve knee pain.
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KNEE BRACES
What you need to know.
• This PhysioRoom.com Neoprene Stabilising Knee Support is a hinge-free knee support that provides help with cartilage injuries, mild arthritis and collateral knee ligament injuries. Two lateral and medial flexible steel springs offer support to the knee joint, while the stabilising upper Velcro straps provide a customised fit for a secure fit and comfort. • You can use this brace to improve knee stability following injury, such as medial (MCL/Inside) and lateral (LCL/outside) ligament tears and cartilage damage. This support can also be worn during all competitive sports such as football, giving the extra support needed to compete. • This support is made from multi-directional stretch neoprene therefore providing a customised fit. An extra-soft patella pad protects and stabilises the knee cap, helping to prevent displacement, while the open patella gives ventilation and relieves pressure on the cap itself.
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ANKLE/FOOT SUPPORT What you need to know. • This PhysioRoom.com Air Shield Walker is used to effectively heal fractures and manage swelling. It presents a hygienic alternative to the traditional fixed plaster cast. To ensure easy application and to accommodate different leg shapes, the Air Shield Walker features removable front and back panels. • You can use this brace following acute ankle sprains or stable fractures of the lower leg, foot or ankle. • Covering a range of lower leg conditions, this Air Shield Walker incorporates a builtin air pumping system, which means the air flow can be adjusted to achieve the required compression levels. Its rigid structure provides enhanced weight bearing while it’s soft-foam lining with breathable fabric keeps the wearer dry and comfortable. It’s also designed to fit either foot, so if you break a different foot, you won’t have to buy a different one.
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ANKLE/FOOT SUPPORT What you need to know. • This PhysioRoom.com Advanced Adjustable Ankle Strap is a lightweight, neoprene wrap that can be easily adjusted and applied to a swollen or injured ankle. • Featuring Coolmax fabric lining to keep the wearer cool and comfortable, the advanced ankle strap has hook and loop closures that easily adjust for a custom fit and controlled compression. • You can wear this type of support during sports and activities to help provide added ankle stability which improves ankle function. It can also be used to aid recovery after a sprain or strain, or even ankle surgery.
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EXAMPLE of how to apply knee brace: • To apply the PhysioRoom.com Elite Pro Mesh Hinged Knee Brace, first detach all straps. The place the foot through the opening. • Once the brace is on your knee, with the patella opening directly over it, then secure the adjustable straps above and below the knee to your desired tightness. • Finally, for extra stabilisation, secure the patella straps either side of the knee. Now you’re ready to go.
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EXAMPLE of how to apply ankle support: • To use the adjustable ankle strap first detach the main straps and position the support on the foot making sure the heel opening is placed on the heel. • One the support is securely on your ankle, then secure the straps until the desired level of support is achieved. • The extended height above the ankle provides extra stability to an injured joint. If the strap is too tight, try re-adjusting until you find your optimum tightness.
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EXAMPLE of how to apply ankle/walker brace: • To use this PhysioRoom.com Air Walker (Ankle and Foot) Dual Left & Right, firstly, detach the main Velcro straps to expose the inside of the walker. • Next, simply slide your injured lower leg, ankle or foot in to the open walker and secure the four main straps along the walker. • Finally use the adjustable straps to find your optimum compression level, every leg is different, so it’s important to find what’s right for yours.
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Common injuries
Most common knee injuries/’The Usual suspects’:
Pain in your knee? It could be one of these two common injuries. Knee Cartilage Tear A torn knee cartilage, or meniscus tear is one of the most frequently occurring injuries in sport. It happens when the cartilage that provides a ‘cushion’ between the two bones gets ripped or torn. In some cases, after the initial knee pain and swelling, the swollen knee joint settles down and normal activities can be resumed without knee surgery. However, when it comes to professional athletes, if the flap of torn cartilage causes knee locking or giving way, surgery is required more often than not.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament The Anterior Cruciate Ligament, or ACL as it’s commonly known, lies deep within the knee joint, connecting the thigh bone with the shin bone. Its function is to prevent excessive forward movement of the shin in relation to the thigh and also to prevent excessive rotation at the knee joint. The ACL can be injured in several different ways during football, most notably by landing from a jump onto a bent knee then twisting, or landing on a knee that is over-extended. Pain in your foot/ankle? It could be one of these two common injuries.
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Common injuries Most common knee injuries/’The Usual suspects’: Pain in your knee? It could be one of these two common injuries. Metatarsal Fracture The injury made famous by the likes of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney has been prominent across all professional sports in recent years, accounting for over 30% of traumatic foot injuries. Fractures of the metatarsal can be caused by direct trauma, excessive rotational forces or overuse. The treatment of metatarsal injuries varies depending on the type and location. Usually a removable plastic cast and restricted weight bearing for 6-8 weeks solves the problem. But should you break the pesky fifth metatarsal, which usually has poor healing capacity, you could be looking at surgery.
Sprained Ankle injuries in football. It refers to soft tissue damage, mainly ligaments, around the ankle, usually caused when the ankle is twisted inwards. As well as damage to the ligaments, the capsule which surrounds the ankle joint can also be damaged. The damage causes bleeding within the tissues, which produces a swollen ankle and ankle pain. In the first few days following an ankle sprain it is important to follow the PRICE protocol protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation.
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Getting injured is never a good thing, but with these simple tips from the PRICE system, you can limit the damage to injuries such as sprains, strains, contusions and muscle pulls or tears.
And the best thing P
R
I
C
E
PROTECTION
Perhaps the most important initial of the entire acronym. Protection means to protect from worsening the severity of the injury sustained. For example, after suffering an ankle injury, you may use an ankle brace to limit range of motion as well as crutches to take the weight off.
REST
This one won’t need much explaining. Allow your injury time to heal, letting your ego take over and getting back on to the field while injured isn’t wise. Ensure a rehabilitation period to allow even the smallest of injuries to heal.
ICE
By applying ice to an injury, be it a pack of peas from your own freezer or with a PhysioRoom ice pack, you will reduce the pain and inflammation of the injury. Remember, never apply ice directly to the skin, always wrap bare ice to prevent cold burns.
COMPRESSION
ELEVATION
Although at least some swelling is unavoidable, if left unchecked, it could lead to loss of function, more pain and poor blood flow. By compressing the affected area, we can help reduce swelling and lessen the problems that come with it. Using a support or stretchy bandage is ideal. Elevating the injured ankle or foot so that it’s above the heart reduces blood flow to the area and prevents excessive swelling. Ensure that elevation is completely comfortable and do not elevate an injured area if it causes pain.