The effect of Rebel Reliever Knee Brace on patient pain and function
Today, more than 27 million people in the U.S. have osteoarthritis, with knee osteoarthritis (OA) accounting for 80% of them. Commonly referred to as “wear-and-tear” arthritis, OA can cause disabling pain, swelling, stiffness, and an impaired quality of life for those who have the condition. Managing OA tends to include conservative treatments, including a combination of medication (NSAIDs), exercise programs, weight management, and knee bracing.
Knee braces can bring major relief to those with OA. They are designed to support and stabilize the knee by distributing weight away from the damaged areas to alleviate pain. However, not all knee braces are created equal. Some may not provide enough support for the knee while others can be uncomfortable, causing low compliance rates by patients.
The Rebel Reliever Osteoarthritis Knee Brace by Thuasne USA’s Townsend is the only knee brace that is universally adaptable for medial OA, lateral OA, and ligament instability. It gently applies a three-point corrective force to the leg and its patented LoadShifter technology provides the necessary mechanical leverage to shift compression away from the damaged side of the knee. The amount of corrective force can also be increased as needed by making adjustments to the angle of the thigh shell. Furthermore, the brace effectively limits varus or valgus misalignment and redistributes the patient’s weight across a broader aspect of the knee joint resulting in less pain.
The Rebel Reliever and ROTOR Randomized Clinical Trial
Recently, researchers investigated and measured the effect of the Rebel Reliever Knee Brace with patients in a study called the ROTOR randomized clinical trial. The purpose of this controlled trial was to assess how well the Rebel Reliever worked as a conservative treatment of medial OA by accomplishing it’s two primary goals:
- The rigid superstructure of the brace that helps maintain the leg in a neutral alignment.
- Corrective forces applied by the three-point pressure system.
The ROTOR cohort consisted of patients with symptomatic medial knee OA who required management of persistent and severe pain that was disabling their daily activities. Patients were instructed to use the Rebel Reliever Knee Brace for a total of 6 weeks and see if it had any impact on reducing their pain and limited mobility.
Results of the ROTOR trial showed that the Rebel Reliever Knee Brace provided immediate improvement due to its biomechanical effect. According to the study, “the corrective forces of the three-point pressure system helped distribute the load away from the damaged compartment, resulting in immediate pain relief.” Patients saw a significant decrease in pain as soon as Day 10, proving that this brace does not need to be worn for a long period to show efficacy.
The study concluded that combining a 6-week treatment with the Rebel Reliever unloading knee brace with usual care is a powerful therapeutic strategy to reduce pain and improve function in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis patients.
What makes Thuasne USA’s Townsend Rebel Reliever stand out?
Townsend is the orthopedic industry’s most diversified manufacturer of ligament, OA and specialty knee. The proprietary technology and fabrication processes focus on these critical factors: Fit, function and compliance. For the Rebel Reliever, this includes:
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LoadShifter & Snaplock: To further improve leg alignment and reduce compression on the side of the knee, the Rebel Reliever incorporates the patented LoadShifter mechanism and tool-less SnapLock. By adjusting the angle of the thigh shell, the LoadShifter increases corrective pressure at the top of the leg and alleviates
stress. - The Townsend Motion Hinge: These hinges track with the anatomical movement of the knee and keep the brace properly positioned on the limb throughout range of motion. Unlike generic hinges that cause the brace to gap, piston, and migrate, the Townsend Motion Hinge optimizes the function and suspension of the brace, producing the best outcomes and patient compliance.
- Anti-migration Anatomical Calf Strap: This Synergistic Suspension Strap nestles into the flexion fold behind the knee, tightening into the medial and lateral sides of the leg. It utilizes the top of the calf muscle as an anatomical shelf, and can’t slip down over the wider aspect of the calf.
- Femoral Sub Shells: Semi-rigid padded sub-shells are strategically mounted into opposing sides of the thigh section. The pads compress into the femoral hallows above the bony condyles, comfortably burrowing into soft tissue to eliminate any potential for brace migration.
- Rotation Control Tibia Bolsters & Contours: For ligament instabilities and OA, controlling internal or external rotation is critical to the function of the brace. The Rebel Reliever does this through a tool-less adjustable bolster that can be ideally positioned against the medial flare of the tibia.
Knee osteoarthritis continues to be a highly prevalent disease that causes severe pain, decreases mobility, and impairs the daily lives of those with the condition. While some of the causes still remain unclear, the Rebel Reliever Osteoarthritis Knee Brace by Townsend is a proven treatment option that can help relieve the disabling symptoms that patients experience. As the only knee brace that is universally adaptable for medial OA, lateral OA, and ligament instability the Rebel Reliever helps optimize patients’ mobility, pain relief, and quality of life.
