Are Unloaders Hot To Wear?

Those living in warm climates often ask how hot they are going to be wearing an unloader knee brace in summer.

Modern unloaders are not enclosed braces and as such are much cooler to wear than a neoprene sleeve or other type of covered brace.

They are not as cool as wearing nothing but many are surprised.

In very hot areas it is often wise to buy an extra set of padding and straps so you can wash one set while the other is on the brace. Rotating them makes a huge difference and extends the life of the softgoods.

How Long Do Unloader Knee Braces Last?

Knee Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition and unloader knee braces need to be able to provide long term support. The big manufacturers all have a warranty on their flagship products:

The Donjoy OAdjuster comes with a one year warranty on the frame and hinges and six months on the softgoods.

The Ossur Unloader comes with a two year frame and hinge warranty and six months on the softgoods.

The Bledsoe Thruster has 3 years on the hinge, one on the frame, and 90 days on the softgoods.

All of these braces have been around for a number of years and have shown themselves to be up to the job long term.

Unloader Knee Braces and Watersports

Another common question: Can I wear an unloader during watersports?

This depends on the brand. Not all are designed to be worn in the wet but some such as the Donjoy OAdjuster are regularly worn by surfers.

Although they tolerate water well, getting sand in the hinges is not advised.

If you have a specific sport or functional task in mind, check the capabilities of your chosen unloader knee brace before you buy.

Different names

An Unloader knee brace can also be known as an offloading knee brace.

It is also included in the category term Arthritis Knee Brace but this would also include basic products that do not provide an unloading force.

The use of the word "unloader" is becoming much more common and it will probably take over completely from offloader soon.

Can You Use Unloader Knee Braces For Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease and as a result is widespread and not focused on just one area of the body. Each joint that is affected also has widespread arthritis so unlike unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis, there is no "good" half of the knee to unload onto. 

For this reason, Unloader Knee Braces should not be used by those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

A basic knee support may be of help in these cases.

Can you use an Unloader Knee brace with widespread arthritis?

Modern unloader knee braces decrease the workload of the worn half of the knee by shifting the body weight to the other side.

If both sides of the knee are worn there is no "good" side and any unloading of one side is likely to aggravate the other.

In this case a basic knee support is a better idea (and cheaper) than an Unloader Knee Brace

Can Unloaders Be Worn Prior to High Tibial Osteotomy?

Both an Unloader Knee Brace and a High Tibial Osteotomy aim to unload the affected compartment of the knee. An osteotomy does this on a permanent basis through the realignment of the bones, an Unloader does this by applying an external force and can be adjusted to suit. An unloader cannot correct as much as an osteotomy but comes with significantly less risks.

Unloaders can be used prior to osteotomies and can help to delay the need for one. Some surgeons place all of their osteotomy patients in an unloader prior to surgery.

This makes sense as it is a way to "try before you buy" and approximates the effects of the surgery.