Heritage Medical Equipment, LLC

Knee Braces for Patellar Syndrome

Knee braces for patellar syndrome are designed to control the knee cap.  The knee cap can cause pain in several ways.  It can slide out of place, it can tilt, it can become broken, or the tendon holding it in place can become swollen or torn.

Patella stabilizers are designed to either force the knee cap into a certain postion, or to prevent it from moving.  Knee cap control is achieved with a buttress.  The buttress can be either static or dynamic.  A static buttress should prevent the knee cap from moving.  A dynamic buttress applies pressure to force the knee cap into a desired position.

Patella stabilizers only need hinges when some measure of protection and stability is required, like with a meniscus tear or ligament injury.  If the knee problem is only related to the knee cap, hinges are probably more than you need.    

Patella Tracking

So it's finally here.  This is a neoprene patella tracking brace that attaches to most hard shell functional knee braces:  Townsend, Don Joy, Bledsoe, Ossur, CTi, or Breg.  Patients no longer have to choose between wearing their unloader knee brace or their patella stabilizer.  They can now wear both at the same time.  

This adjunct stabilizer retrofits most ACL knee braces, Arthritis knee braces, and Funcional knee orthotics.   

AMP1 Basketball Returns to Long Island

Jackie Berkoski and Jovan Booker

March 26, 2011.  AMP1 Basketball returned to the courts in Mattituck, NY last week.  The charity game sold out the high school gym and packed the grandstands.  The Werner Family deserves to be recognized for the continued success of this stand-up basketball league.

Celia Werner, Shoreham High School Student, and her father Marc played an important role in bringing this team back to Long Island, and promoting this event.  However they were not alone.  Celia's mother Karen, brother Charlie, and diving-phenom-sister Chelsea all helped out.  In fact Karen was helping throw t-shirts to the crowd at halftime.  I caught one.  Thank you Karen! 

Jackie Berkoski, pictured above, was the only senior from the girl's team to play.  Yes, those are Hely & Weber patellar syndrome braces she is wearing.  Jovan Booker played for AMP1 but he is also a member of the Mattituck High School Team.  They both played a great game.  

The Mattituck team consisted of teachers, Jackie, and the Long Island Boys Class B Champs Mattituck Tuckers.  Though AMP1 lost by four the game was a close contest.  

 

Patellar Tracking Disorder

Knee cap problems occur when the patella (knee cap) doesn't move correctly when the leg bends and straightens.  In most cases the knee cap shifts laterally or towards the outside of the leg.  Tendons secure the knee cap in place along its top and bottom edges.  Tendons attach muscles to bones.  Ligaments secure the knee cap on its sides.  Ligaments attach bones to bones.  And to make it just a little more complicated the underside of the knee cap is lined with a slippery layer of cartilage.  

The patella can slide, glide and rotate off-track if the groove it moves in is too small or the cartilage protecting it becomes damaged.  If the ligaments, tendons, or muscles surrounding the knee cap become damaged, loose, or torn bad things can also happen.  Trauma to the inside of the knee can cause problems and sometimes tracking issues are hereditary and run in families.

Patellar syndrome braces are a great way to relieve pain and provide stability.  Some have a static buttress to hold the patella in place, while others provide a dynamic force that actually pull the knee cap where it is supposed to be.  Some of these knee braces have hinges in the cases where stability is required, while others are just a simple wrap-around design.  If you have any questions about which brace is right for you or your patients please contact us.  Heritage Medical is happy to help!

 

 

 

Patella Stabilizer - Controlling Knee Pain

Patella Stabilizers are knee braces that come in various shapes and sizes.  Why so many?  Because the knee cap is a tricky little bugger.  It can tilt, slide, and glide out of place which causes pain and discomfort.  Many times the patella slides laterally (or towards the outside of the body).  A brace that pulls the knee cap back into place is best for this type of condition.  Sometimes the knee cap just tilts a little, so all that is needed is a "U" shaped buttress to hold the patella in place.

And sometimes the knee cap stays right where it is supposed to but the tendon securing it becomes inflamed.  In this situation a simple strap (Tendonitis Strap) across the patellar tendon helps it from becoming painful.  The trick with this type of brace is that it has to be worn before the knee starts hurting.  If you put a tendonitis strap on after your knee starts hurting chances are the brace will aggravate the condition further.