Although the efficacy of bracing the knee post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery has been widely debated, knee bracing has been regarded as a necessity for protection of the ACL post reconstructive surgery. Functional knee braces are intended to stabilize the knee during rotation, reduce strain on the ACL graft, and are most often seen in in sports that require various, fast direction changes (Paluska & Mckeag , 2000). Typically, the choice of the patient wearing or not wearing a brace post ACLR is decided by the individual physician. A survey of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in the early 2000s revealed that 62.9% of surgeons recommended a brace during sports participation after ACL reconstruction (Marshall, Gelber,
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A study conducted by Linsdtorm is known to be the first to analyze effusion rather than motion or laxity of the knee. Lindstorm, along with colleagues reported that, “Post-operative bracing neither prevented joint effusion measured at three-months post-operatively nor one-year functional and subjective outcome parameters,” (Lindstrom, Wredmark, Wretling, Henriksson, & Fallander-Tsai, 2015). Knee effusion is the term for having water or fluid around the knee joint. In this study conducted by Lindstorm, 60 of 67 patients had knee joint effusion before reconstructive surgery, during the year post-operation, and twelve months after surgery. In these cases, the effusion was noted as excessive at three months post-operatition. From these results the conclusion can be drawn that wearing a brace has little to no effect on joint effusion of the knee. Furthermore, wearing a knee brace does not enhance the recovery of the knee joint of a patient in relation with effusion and swelling of the knee. Goodstadt and colleagues put patients through multiple tests with and without a functional knee brace. One specific test was the hop test which included four different hopping sequences (single leg, cross-over, triple hop, and time hop). The patients preformed significantly better when not wearing their brace compared to then they had their brace on. For …show more content…
Each of the patients went through the same test in their individual studies. Although there were several variations in the result either promoting a functional knee brace or going against patients wearing a brace, many of the studies reported that in the years following surgery the patients had no difference in performance whether they were in a brace group or a non-braced group. The use of a functional knee brace will continue to be controversial until profound evidence is found that advocates that either wearing or not wearing the brace enhances the functionality of the knee. Multiple tests and studies have been conducted in search for the effectiveness of a brace post-ACLR. While the studies have enhanced the knowledge of physicians, physical therapists, and other medical personnel, they are still inconclusive. Further research, studies, and patient reviews need to be conducted in order to properly evaluate and determine if bracing the knee is a necessity post
A study conducted by Linsdtorm is known to be the first to analyze effusion rather than motion or laxity of the knee. Lindstorm, along with colleagues reported that, “Post-operative bracing neither prevented joint effusion measured at three-months post-operatively nor one-year functional and subjective outcome parameters,” (Lindstrom, Wredmark, Wretling, Henriksson, & Fallander-Tsai, 2015). Knee effusion is the term for having water or fluid around the knee joint. In this study conducted by Lindstorm, 60 of 67 patients had knee joint effusion before reconstructive surgery, during the year post-operation, and twelve months after surgery. In these cases, the effusion was noted as excessive at three months post-operatition. From these results the conclusion can be drawn that wearing a brace has little to no effect on joint effusion of the knee. Furthermore, wearing a knee brace does not enhance the recovery of the knee joint of a patient in relation with effusion and swelling of the knee. Goodstadt and colleagues put patients through multiple tests with and without a functional knee brace. One specific test was the hop test which included four different hopping sequences (single leg, cross-over, triple hop, and time hop). The patients preformed significantly better when not wearing their brace compared to then they had their brace on. For …show more content…
Each of the patients went through the same test in their individual studies. Although there were several variations in the result either promoting a functional knee brace or going against patients wearing a brace, many of the studies reported that in the years following surgery the patients had no difference in performance whether they were in a brace group or a non-braced group. The use of a functional knee brace will continue to be controversial until profound evidence is found that advocates that either wearing or not wearing the brace enhances the functionality of the knee. Multiple tests and studies have been conducted in search for the effectiveness of a brace post-ACLR. While the studies have enhanced the knowledge of physicians, physical therapists, and other medical personnel, they are still inconclusive. Further research, studies, and patient reviews need to be conducted in order to properly evaluate and determine if bracing the knee is a necessity post