Knee Brace for Hyperextended Knee Treatment
Hyperextended knees occur when a strong force makes one’s knee extend too far back, stressing the tissues that typically prevent that from occurring. This typically results in pain, inflammation and instability, with the degree of one’s discomfort depending upon the degree of injury. Incorporating a brace into treatment for hyper extended knee injuries can help address all of these symptoms.
Wearing a hyperextension knee brace can stabilize the knee joint, reduce stress on it by helping to absorb excess force and it can simply make one more confident getting back to athletic activity.
The hinges of this knee hyperextension brace offer the additional benefit of controlling one’s range of motion. Limiting the degree of extension allowed can reduce one’s risk of re-injury when the knee is in a more vulnerable state.
The compression the brace applies is also good for hyperextended knee recovery as this promotes blood flow to the injured leg that reduces inflammation and encourages healing. These qualities equip the knee brace for hyperextension for remedying:
- Knee hyperextension
- Medial/lateral instability
- Muscle/ligament injury
- Weakness of muscles or ligaments
- ACL/PCL instability (moderate)
- Knee sprains or strains
- Degenerative joint disease
The hyperextension knee orthosis is intended for non-contact sports and daily living activity.
The lower portion of the knee brace for hyperextension is a lightweight sleeve that applies compression, while the upper portion is a wrap. This is convenient when it comes to knee hyperextension treatment since pulling a knee sleeve all the way up the thigh can be a hassle, plus it would require sliding the hyperextension brace over one’s sore, swollen knee. The two-part hyperextension brace plus handy thumb tabs make application easy.
Also in the interest of keeping pressure off one’s injured knee, the brace for a hyperextended knee care features cutouts over the kneecap and at the back of the knee (popliteal area). Besides keeping pressure off the knee joint, these openings also improve the breathability and flexibility of the brace. The popliteal opening also helps prevent uncomfortable bunching.
The range-of-motion hinges with aluminum uprights that enable the knee brace to prevent hyperextension can be locked to allow varying degrees of extension and flexion. The polycentric hinge includes settings of 0, 15, 30, 60 and 90, and it comes with a contoured condyle shell and a suede hinge cover.
This enables one to easily adjust the degree of flexion/extension permitted as one’s knee hyperextension recovery progresses. For instance, one may need to immobilize the leg in a straight position at the onset of one’s treatment for a hyperextended knee and then allow more and more bend as one’s knee heals.
The 13-inch brace for knee hyperextension is composed of premium-grade neoprene. This knee brace to stop hyperextension is free of latex.
What Is a Hyperextended Knee & How Can a Hyperextended Knee Brace Help?
What is hyperextension of the knee? Quite simply, this refers to when one’s knee extends too far backward, possibly damaging ligaments, cartilage and other structures associated with stabilizing the knee. In severe cases, this overextension of the knee can tear the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) that is important for preventing the tibia from moving too far behind the femur.
A strong, sudden force to the knee when the leg is straightened is typically to blame for such injuries. Thus, knee hyperextension injuries are common in sports that involve a lot of jumping or direction changes (think basketball or volleyball), as well as in sports like gymnastics that require a lot of flexibility (check out our selection of braces for gymnastics). Car accidents, a fall when the foot is caught, instability and weak quadriceps muscles are other possible causal factors.
Hyperextension knee treatment will vary depending upon the severity of one’s injury. Mild hyperextension typically results in a sore knee for a few days or weeks.
In such cases, following the steps of RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) is the best treatment for hyperextended knee injuries. Taking anti-inflammatory painkillers can also help with the pain in addition to lowering inflammation.
Some opt to wear a knee brace with hyperextension stoppage features for added support when the knee is weak and unstable. This particular brace for treatment of hyperextended knee injuries has the added benefit of applying compression around the kneecap and calf. Compression improves blood flow to the region, reducing inflammation and promoting healing.
More serious hyperextension knee injuries that also entail damage to the ligaments or cartilage of the knee can take months to a year to fully heal. Symptoms of such injuries include pain on either side of the knee or behind it, swelling, limited range of motion that makes it difficult to bend the knee or walk, instability and bruising.
In such instances, hyperextension of the knee treatment might involve wearing braces for hyperextended knee injuries like this one that can immobilize the leg in a straight position or limit the knee’s range of motion. As one’s treatment for hyperextension of the knee progresses, one can adjust the control settings to allow a greater degree of flexion and extension, while limiting one’s risk of another hyperextension.
And of course, the added stabilization of the brace is a key feature when it comes to how to treat a hyperextended knee. Using a functional knee brace that controls the movement of the knee can reduce stress on the knee.
In addition, wearing knee braces for hyperextended knee injuries can help one return to athletic activity more quickly while limiting the risk of re-injury. Using a brace for hyperextension of the knee treatment can also increase one’s confidence and diminish one’s pain as one goes through physical therapy and returns to athletic performance.
In some cases, surgical repair of damaged tissues of the knee may be required. After such a procedure, one will likely need to immobilize the knee for a period of time, after which a gradual, controlled return to motion will be allowed. Again, this brace is optimized when it comes to post-surgical treatment for knee hyperextension.
Key Features of Hyperextension Knee Brace
Wearing a knee brace with ROM control can play an integral role when it comes to what to do for a hyperextended knee. Following is a list of the features that make this one of the best knee braces to prevent and/or treat hyperextension.
- Brace supports and stabilizes, as needed to heal a hyperextended knee
- Polycentric hinge and aluminum uprights offer full extension and flexion control
- Degree of bend allowed can be adjusted as one’s hyperextension of the knee treatment progresses
- Hinged knee brace includes the following settings: 0, 15, 30, 60 and 90
- Range-of-motion hinge comes with a contoured condyle shell and suede hinge cover
- Lower portion of the brace to treat hyperextended knee injuries is a compression sleeve
- Upper part of the brace to treat a hyperextended knee is a wrap for quick and easy application/adjustment
- Thumb loops at the top enhance ease of application
- Knee brace for an overextended knee features openings at the popliteal and patella
- Indications: Knee hyperextension, medial/lateral instability, muscle/ligament weakness or instability, moderate ACL/PCL instability, knee sprains or strains, degenerative joint disease
- Brace designed for non-contact sports and daily living activities
- Premium-grade neoprene knee brace provides soothing warmth and is soft against the skin
- The short knee brace has adjustable straps both below and above the kneecap for a secure fit
- Straps feature fastener-closures that are quite versatile in terms of sizing
- Brace for a hyperextended knee comes in numerous sizes ranging from small to 4X-large
- Latex-free brace for treating or preventing a hyperextended knee
- Black hinged knee brace
- Brace for hyperextended knee instability should be hand-washed in warm water with mild soap and air-dried
