JointHealing.com: Patient preferred. Physician approved.

Affordable, customizable, sleeve-style wrap bracing for patients with mild to moderate knee arthritis or osteoarthritis!

The DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace is yet another in the DonJoy line of cost-effective, off-the-shelf products. It is designed for persons with mild to moderate arthritis or osteoarthritis in their knee. Many people typically develop arthritis on just one side of the knee (usually the medial – inside – of the knee). For these people, a full knee replacement may be a distant solution. Often, their physician will recommend supporting wrap knee brace, such as this one. What these knee braces do is shift some of the stress away from the arthritic portion of the knee, which often provides significant pain relief.

The DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace allows people to return to the activities of daily living. This is important because we know that regular activity is actually good for an arthritic knee. Activity helps to stimulate the cartilage cells in your knee. In addition, staying active helps you to keep your weight down, which is critical for knee health.

The DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader Knee Brace is perfect for people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis, arthritis, or patellofemoral malalignment.

The DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace has an easy-to-adjust design. In addition, the knee brace's short overall length makes it convenient to wear. It's easy to put on and take off thanks to the wraparound thigh and sleeve calf design. Because this knee brace has a very low profile at only 0.05 inches thick, it fits easily under clothing and will not rub your opposing knee.

Features of the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader Knee Brace include

• Made from DRYTEX, which is a unique, neoprene alternative of a patented nylon core and polyester lycra fabric. DRYTEX improves airflow while still giving ample support and compression. Perfect for those needing tissue containment in warm weather climates, or those with neoprene allergies.
• An adjustable pneumatic-condyle pad allows you to customize the load supported by the knee brace according to your activity level.
• Cool, lightweight, breathable and washable.
• Pull loops to help put on your knee brace.
• Easy hinge removal allows you to wash the knee brace.
• Low profile design (only 0.050” thick!) will fit easily under clothing.
• Patella stabilizing donut.
• Relatively short overall length: 14.5 inches.
• Pre-loaded hinge (up to 6° of correction) incorporates flexion and extension control.
• Single upright with thigh and hinge paddles.
• Floam™ condyle pad with 100% memory foam for increased comfort and compliance.
• 2, 3, and 5 mm neoprene condyle pads are included.
• Posterior thigh and calf straps help improve knee brace suspension.
• Flexion/extension stops kit.

1. Why did JointHealing select the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace over other knee braces for mild to moderate osteoarthritis? Like many of our patients, we understand you also may be looking for an arthritis/osteoarthritis knee brace with a moderate, but solid level of support. The DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace fits that need perfectly. It's very easy to put on and take off, easy to adjust, and the upright hinge really helps to off-load forces during the entire range of motion. We also love that it's made of DRYTEX, so we know you'll stay comfortable on hot days or during what we hope will be an active lifestyle. This is really the perfect knee brace for those people needing a moderate amount of support.
2. How is the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader different from the DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader and the Comfort knee brace? Put simply, the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace offers a moderate amount of protection and support to your arthritic knee, thus reducing pain and discomfort. The DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee brace provides more protection and support than the OA Lite Medial Unloader, while the Comfort knee brace provides less protection and support than either the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader or DonJoy OA Everyday Medial Unloader knee braces.
3. How do I know if the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace is right for me? We recommend that you see your doctor to make sure that you have primarily "unicompartmental arthritis"; this means that the arthritis is just on one side of the knee (medial – inside). We advise customers to check with their physician to make sure the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace would be appropriate for their type of arthritis.
4. What is the difference between an off-the-shelf knee brace and a custom brace? Off-the-shelf braces are designed to fit the majority of people. They are also a lot less expensive than custom knee braces. Custom knee braces need to be ordered via prescription and are through a local prosthetic shop; they typically run 3-4 times the cost of an off-the-shelf knee brace, plus fitting fees by the orthotist (often your leg has to be casted first). Because off-the-shelf knee braces are designed to accommodate a range of person sizes, they are more forgiving if your leg changes size (e.g., you gain weight, have knee swelling, or atrophy) than custom knee braces. For these reasons, most people choose off-the-shelf knee braces.
5. Does the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace have a warranty? Yes. DonJoy, the manufacturer, provides a 6 month warranty on soft goods and on the hinge.
6. Are accessories available? Yes, although the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader knee brace comes with the flexion/extension stops, we sell these stops on our web site in case you need replacements. Please see our knee brace accessory page for more information. DonJoy also has strap replacement and padding kits, as well as a goniometer/bending tool. Please write to Customer Service using our contact us form if you need these accessories and we can special order them for you.

All measurements taken six (6) inches (15 centimeters) above the middle of the kneecap. See our knee brace measuring guide for more information.

For the DonJoy OA Lite Medial Unloader Knee Brace, we recommend the following sizes (these are exact DonJoy size recommendations):

• Small: 15.5 to 18.5 inches (39 to 47 centimeters)
• Medium: 18.5 to 21 inches (47 to 53 centimeters)
• Large: 21 to 23.5 inches (53 to 60 centimeters)
• X-Large: 23.5 to 26.5 inches (60 to 67 centimeters)
• XX-Large:26.5 to 29.5 inches (67 to 75 centimeters)

If you're having a hard time deciding on size (e.g., your size is right on the line between two sizes), DonJoy provides the following additional sizing guidelines. "Calf" means the circumference of your calf at its greatest width. "Knee center" means the circumference of your knee taken right at the center of the joint (i.e., where your knee bends). Both measurements should be taken with you standing.

• Small
  • Calf Size: 12 to 14 inches
  • Knee Center: 13 to 14 inches
• Medium
  • Calf Size: 14 to 16 inches
  • Knee Center:14 to 15 inches
• Large
  • Calf Size: 16 to 18 inches
  • Knee Center: 15 to 17 inches
• X-Large
  • Calf Size: 18 to 20 inches
  • Knee Center: 17 to 19 inches
• XX-Large
  • Calf Size: 20 to 22 inches
  • Knee Center: 19 to 21 inches