Does anybody use joint braces for their pain? I have wrist braces, ankle braces, knee braces, and elbow braces, none of which I use on a totally regular basis, but use occassionally when the pain around my joints gets out of control. Any thoughts on this?
Hi Fibro-fab and welcome! Thanks for this very good topic and question, since the topic may affect a lot of us.
Yeah, I had them for every single joint while I was still working. They did help but they were also stiff to wear and caused pain and swelling after walking around in them for several hours. But they definitely do have their place. I absolutely could not have gotten by without the knee pads. If you find them helpful, it makes sense to wear them.
Please be aware that you can buy them new on Ebay and oftentimes find good deals on them. Oh man, just saying that brings me back to the days of looking like an Eskimo from being swaddled up in them!
Do you have anything in particular you want to know about them?
Yes, I have those also, including the 'lift-belt' that CNA's use. It is a MUCH better back brace than the back brace, the medical supp store wanted to sell to me for $60!!! M
Petunia and Luna,
Thanks so much for your helpful replies, I asked this question because when I asked my rheumatologist about wearing braces she told me not to wear them because it would cause muscle dependency. But my thinking is if they help, and I only wear them when I need them, why not?