Affordable medial unloader knee bracing for patients with knee arthritis!

This is DonJoy's newest addition to their off-the-shelf product line of knee braces. It is designed for persons with arthritis in their knee. Many people typically develop arthritis on just one side of the knee (usually the medial – inside – of the knee). For these people, a full knee replacement may not be the best solution. Often, their physician will recommend an "unloader" knee brace, such as this one. What these knee braces do is shift some of the stress away from the arthritic portion of the knee – this often provides significant pain relief.

The DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace allows people to return to the activities of daily living. This is important because we know that regular activity is actually good for an arthritic knee. Activity helps to stimulate the cartilage cells in your knee. In addition, staying active helps you to keep your weight down, which is critical for knee health.

The DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace has an easy-to-adjust design. In addition, the knee brace's short overall length makes it convenient to wear. It has a sweeping medial thigh and calf frame, which decreases the knee brace's profile on the inside of your knee – so that the brace does not rub excessively on your other knee. Importantly, it has a friendly quick-release buckle system which allows it to be placed on and off easily.

Features of the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader Knee Brace include

• Patient controlled telescoping condyle pad. Allows the patient to "fine tune" the unloading strength based on the activies they plan on doing.
• Lightweight – only 19 oz!
• Anterior application with quick-release straps – easy application.
• Ergonomic sweeping medial thigh and calf frame
• Relatively short overall length – 12 1/2"
• Contoured cuff shells oppose the three-point load and redistribute it across a broader surface area.
• Swivel straps and Sili-grips provide padding to decrease knee brace migration up or down your leg
• Floam™ condyle pad with 100% memory foam for increased comfort and compliance
• Thermoformed suede padding is standard on each knee brace

1. Why did JointHealing select the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace over other osteoarthritis knee braces? We have been searching for years for an unloader knee brace that we felt would be appropriate to sell in our store. We have rejected many other models, from DonJoy and other companies for various reasons. For example, we found that many other knee braces were too difficult or complicated to adjust. In addition, we found some of the other knee braces to be uncomfortable. We've seen this a lot in our medical practice – patients come in carrying a practically new knee brace that we prescribed months ago. When we ask them how the knee brace is working, they tell us: "Great!", but they never actually wear it because it is too uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Well, we feel that DonJoy has finally overcome these obstacles with the OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace – it is easy to apply, easy to adjust, and comfortable to wear. All the criteria we've been looking for!
2. How do I know if the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace is right for me? We recommend that you see your doctor to make sure that you have primarily "unicompartmental arthritis" – this means that the arthritis is just on one side of the knee (medial – inside). We advise customers to check with their physician to make sure an unloader knee brace would be appropriate for their type of arthritis.
3. What instructions come with the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace? Click here to a see a copy of the package insert. Note that the company recommends you have a medical professional assist you in applying the knee brace.
4. What is the difference between an off-the-shelf knee brace and a custom unloader knee brace? Off-the-shelf knee braces are designed to fit the majority of people. They are also a lot less expensive than custom knee braces. Custom knee braces need to be ordered via prescription and are through a local prosthetic shop – they typically run 3-4 times the cost of an off-the-shelf knee brace, plus fitting fees by the orthotist (often your leg has to be casted first). Because off-the-shelf knee braces are designed to accommodate a range of person sizes, they are more forgiving if your leg changes size (e.g., you gain weight, have knee swelling, or atrophy) than custom knee braces. For these reasons, most people choose off-the-shelf knee braces.
5. Does the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace have a warranty? Yes. DonJoy, the manufacturer, provides a 12 month warranty on the OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace.
6. Is the concept of a knee unloader knee brace new? No. Knee unloader braces have been around for decades. It is just recently, however, that they have become affordable to the public in an off-the-shelf design.
7. Why do you only sell the "medial" version of this knee brace? Although the manufacturer offers this knee brace in a lateral unloader version (for people with arthritis only on the outside of their knee), we do not carry it here. Our experience is that unloader knee braces do not work well for lateral knee arthritis. In addition, there have been reports of nerve stretch injuries with excessive unloading of the lateral compartment. Our decision to only sell the medial version is in keeping with our general philosophy here at JointHealing: we will only sell products we believe to be effective and safe.
8. Are accessories available? Yes. A black lycra undersleeve is available, which will help keep your leg comfortable underneath the knee brace. Please see our knee brace accessory page for more information.

All measurements taken six (6) inches (15 centimeters) above the middle of the kneecap. See our knee brace measuring guide for more information.

For the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader Knee Brace, we recommend the following sizes (these are exact DonJoy size recommendations):

• Small: 15.5 to 18.5 inches (39 to 47 centimeters)
• Medium: 18.5 to 21 inches (47 to 53 centimeters)
• Large: 21 to 23.5 inches (53 to 60 centimeters)
• X-Large: 23.5 to 26.5 inches (60 to 67 centimeters)
• XX-Large:26.5 to 29.5 inches (67 to 75 centimeters)

If you're having a hard time deciding on size (e.g., your size is right on the line between two sizes), DonJoy provides the following additional sizing guidelines. "Calf" means the circumference of your calf at its greatest width. "Knee center" means the circumference of your knee taken right at the center of the joint (i.e., where your knee bends). Both measurements should be taken with you standing.

• Small
  • Calf Size: 12 to 14 inches
  • Knee Center: 13 to 14 inches
• Medium
  • Calf Size: 14 to 16 inches
  • Knee Center:14 to 15 inches
• Large
  • Calf Size: 16 to 18 inches
  • Knee Center: 15 to 17 inches
• X-Large
  • Calf Size: 18 to 20 inches
  • Knee Center: 17 to 19 inches
• XX-Large
  • Calf Size: 20 to 22 inches
  • Knee Center: 19 to 21 inches

Make your brace more comfortable and safe with the following accessories:

Black Lycra Undergarment

Select one . . . Small Medium Large X-Large XX-Large

$29.99

DonJoy Sports Cover

Select one . . . Small Medium Large X-Large XX-Large

$49.95