Answering Your Questions About Custom Bracing
Tread Well • October 3, 2021
Custom braces have revolutionized the orthopedic industry. They provide patients with an external device that allows them to move and function well while keeping their bones and ligaments protected.
Overall, custom bracing ticks all the right boxes in terms of injury prevention and pain relief . However, if you’re new to the idea, you might not know what you’re in for. Here are answers to some of the more common questions we receive.
Question#1: What are the Benefits of Custom Bracing?
Custom bracing has a long list of advantages. But to shorten it up, the main benefits of custom bracing include:
Customization: In other words, these braces are tailored to the patient’s specific needs. While the general public may share standard foot sizes, that’s where the similarities end. Each person’s feet have different arches, pressure points, and shapes that we don’t necessarily find in basic foot braces. Custom orthosis ensures that the brace is comfortable and practical.
Load Distribution: Custom orthotics are the best choice if you want to have even load distribution across the whole foot. So, if a section of your foot is injured, the doctor uses pressure imaging to create an orthotic that takes the pressure off the injured area.
Better Balance: It’s safe to say that walking in orthotics is never easy, especially if you’re wearing a standard brace. Custom braces ensure better balance, which comes in handy for older adults who have trouble walking. It reduces the risk of a fall and makes walking easier.
Stabilization: Unlike a generic brace, a custom brace gives you a better chance to have a stable gait. Walking with an uneven brace overstresses specific ligaments in your legs, thus increasing rehab time.
Improved Proprioception: Proprioception refers to our ability to recognize our movement in space. Walking with a brace improves your body’s ability to be aware of where it’s located, so there are fewer missed steps and trips.
Question#2: Do I Have to Wear my Brace All The Time to Get Relief?
How long you wear your custom knee brace depends on the extent of your injuries.
Some orthopedic doctors recommend wearing your brace during the afternoon or any other part of the day for better pain relief . Or you can wear it during certain activities, such as walking or hiking.
However, if you have a more severe injury, it helps to wear your brace 24 hours a day. The point of wearing a brace is injury prevention . Wearing your knee brace more often will give your body the support it needs to recover more quickly.
Question#3: Does Insurance cover it?
If you live in Canada, any braces or supports for the knee, ankle, wrist, back, neck, and shoulders are covered by Medical Insurance because it comes under Durable Medical Equipment. You will need to get in touch with your medical insurance; they will have better information on getting your custom brace insured.
Learn More about Custom Knee Braces
Tread Well in Burlington, Ontario, offers custom knee braces and further orthopedic services for patients who require pain relief methods and help with injury prevention.
To get started on your custom knee brace , book an appointment here or contact us at (289) 337-1657.
