DonJoy OA Fullforce Unloader Knee Brace

The DonJoy OA Fullforce unloader knee brace off-loads the affected compartment of the knee while reducing ligament strain, allowing active patients to go more kilometers with less pain.

3-Point Off-Loading mechanically shifts the painful joint loads from the degenerative compartment to the healthy compartment, while the hinge allows the ability to fine-tune the load. 4-Points-of-Leverage is clinically shown to reduce ACL strain by keeping the knee in a stable position to minimize further cartilage damage.

A Little about Osteoarthritis

The knee has 2 compartments, the inside (medial) compartment and the outside (lateral) compartment. Most of the time, when you get osteoarthritis of the knee, you wear down one compartment more than the other. In a majority of the cases, the inside of the knee wears down more, leading to a bowlegged appearance of the knee in extreme cases (medial compartment OA).

Other times, the outside (lateral) compartment of the knee wears down leading to a knocked knee appearance of the knee (lateral compartment OA).

The Donjoy OA Fullforce Unloader knee brace is designed to take the pressure off the compartment that is more severely worn down. For this knee brace to be fully effective, It is important to figure out which knee compartment (medial or lateral)  is worn down more before deciding which OA Knee brace is right for you. 

One of our physiotherapists can help you make this decision.  Feel free to contact us for help.

What Is an Osteoarthritis (OA) Unloader Knee Brace?

An osteoarthritis unloader knee brace unloads stress from the affected joint. Most often, unloader knee braces are prescribed for those with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (affecting the inner portion of the knee).

When you walk, if you have medial knee osteoarthritis, the instability in the knee can be obvious to someone who is watching you walk — the knee actually wobbles towards the inside. Usually the affected leg has a bow (bow legged, genu varus). Some designs of unloader knee braces can unload either the medial (inner) or lateral (outer) part of the knee — just by adjusting the unloading hinge.

This takes stress and unloads the side of the knee that has the arthritis, taking the pressure off and helping re-align the knee. This can help reduce pain, inflammation and help you walk better.

Features and Benefits

• Lightweight Comfort – Provides a snug comfortable fit allowing knee function.
• Reduce ligament strain – The 4-Points-of-Leverage™ is clinically shown to reduce ACL strain by keeping the knee in a stable position to minimize further cartilage damage.
• Minimize pain – The adjustable system shifts the painful joint loads from the degenerative compartment to the healthy compartment. 4 degrees of correction is built into the frame while the hinge allows the ability to fine tune the load.
• Designed to give 3 degrees of correction.
• Designed for moderate to severe osteoarthritis (OA) knees.

Sizing Guide

Select which leg, then select which part of the knee you want to “unload”, finally select the size of the brace.

Unload the Medial or Lateral Compartment

If you have medial compartment osteoarthritis as diagnosed by your healthcare professional, you would select Unload the Medial Compartment. Usually your would have pain on the inside of your knee and would be considered bowlegged. If you are not sure, ask your healthcare professional.

If you have latera compartment osteoarthritis as diagnosed by your healthcare professional, you would select Unload the Lateral Compartment. Usually your would have pain on the outside of your knee and your legs would be considered knock kneed. If you are not sure, ask your healthcare professional.

This brace only works if you have only one knee compartment with arthritis either the medial or lateral compartment. This brace is not designed to work if both compartments have an equal amount of arthritis. Ask your healthcare practitioner if this brace is right for your condition.

Select the Brace Size

Size	Thigh Circumference (6″ above Centre of Knee)	Knee Circumference (Centre of Knee)	Calf Circumference (6″ below Centre of Knee)
X-Small	13” – 15.5”	12″ – 13″	10″ – 12″
Small	15.5” – 18.5”	13″ – 14″	12″ – 14″
Medium	18.5″ – 21″	14″ – 15″	14″ – 16″
Large	21” – 23.5”	15″ – 17″	16″ – 18″
X-Large	23.5” – 26.5”	17″ – 19″	18″ – 20″
XX-Large	26.5” – 29.5”	19″ – 21″	21″ – 23″
3X-Large	29.5” – 32”	21″ – 23″	22″ – 24″

Measurement:Measure your thigh 6 inches above the center of your kneecap using a flexible tape measure. Next, measure your calf 6 inches below the center of your kneecap with the same tape. Use these measurements to select the appropriate size. If you are at the top of one sizing group, we recommend you select the next sizing up.  Still not sure,  feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@physiostore.ca