Some people, by virtue of their chosen occupations or leisure time activities, are at higher risk for certain injuries than other people. Stress and strain on joints, repetitious body movements, and pressure from lifting, standing, or bending all day will take a toll on the shoulders, knees, backs, elbows, wrists and ankles. Protecting those body parts with quality knee braces and supports will reduce the risk of injury, and lessen the severity of aches, pains, and stiffness.
Who Needs Extra Support?
Professional and weekend athletes, construction workers, caregivers, security personnel, and many other people across industries benefit from support. People with prior injuries to a muscle group, bone, or joint also need to reduce risks of re-injuring that weakened area of the body. Those with certain medical conditions will want to protect vulnerable parts of the body. It is easier, cheaper, and less painful to prevent an injury than it is to recover from one.
What Kind of Support?
The type and degree of support differs between individuals based on several factors. Young athletes in high school, for example, may only need light support in the form of wrist, knee, or elbow bands for extra cushioning. A professional athlete who injured a knee last season requires something sturdy like a brace designed for stability and moderate support.
Caregivers, laborers, and people who stock shelves need to focus on protecting the knees and the back. Clerks, data entry professionals and IT technicians are at high risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, sore wrists, and swelling. Splints and compression work well in those cases.
How to Decide?
Recovery from injury often requires physical therapy. The therapist can recommend supports moving forward. Doctors, trainers that teach proper body mechanics, and medical supply store staff are all able to suggest what type of support to try. Most will be available over-the-counter (OTC), but some will have to be fitted and custom made.
Go with Experience
When selecting a brand of OTC products, seek out a top manufacturer that has been designing, improving, and manufacturing support products for decades. Mueller braces and supports range from stabilizing tape to hinged and reinforced knee braces. Pioneers of sports medicine and developing sophisticated materials for products, the company is among preferred brands for several professional sports organizations.
Many physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons recommend these products as well. The best way to decide what is right for your needs is to compare brands and try one product to see how it performs. Feel the materials, stretch the product and see how durable it is, and read packaging for any vital information provided.
Mueller braces and supports 