USA

Clinical Studies

The Role of the Knee Brace in the Prevention of Anterior Knee Pain Syndrome

Shlomo BenGal, MPH, Joseph Lowe, MD, Gideon Mann, MD, Alexander Finsterbush, MD, and Yoav Matan, MD

Published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine, January/February 1997

A prospective study of 60 young athletes (army personnel), 27 in the brace group and 33 in the non-brace control group, underwent a vigorous physical training regimen to determine the efficacy of a knee brace with a silicone patellar support ring (Bauerfeind GenuTrain). Due to dropouts, the results were considered significant only among male brace users.

Data was collected in the 1st and 8th week of the study by investigators who did not know the identity of the candidates. Data included the following: personal estimation of pain levels, orthopedic examination, and documentation of physical fitness levels.

The incidence of anterior knee pain syndrome increased with the intensity of exertion as the study progressed.

There was a significant reduction in the incidence of anterior knee pain syndrome at the end of the study in male athletes who had applied the braces before exercise sessions and in the brace group as a whole, compared with the control group.

The significant reduction of anterior knee pain in brace users may have been because of the support of the patella by the silicone ring with resulting reduction in load and cyclic trauma, as well as increased proprioceptive feedback.

Prophylactic use of the brace did not reduce the ability of the athletes who wore braces to improve their physical fitness parameters in response to exercise.

The data indicates that the use of the brace may be an effective way to prevent the development of anterior knee pain syndrome in people participating in strenuous and intensive physical exercise.

Anterior knee pain in army personnel could lead to considerable loss in manpower hours and some claims for disability pensions. Based on that assumption, use of the knee brace could lower the loss of working hours and decrease medical costs associated with anterior knee pain syndrome.


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