College Football Athletes to Use Knee Braces for Injury Prevention

Implications in Sports MedicineCollege football is a highlight of every new school year as parents, students and even athletes prepare to represent their favorite alma mater. For many college athletes, college football offers a time when physical fitness is at its best and
�it is a time when fitness instructors are able to test out new devices to promote athletic health in the college students. For some athletes, the use of knee braces may be considered, not as a way to heal and recover from injury but, instead, as a way to prevent injury from occurring while practicing and playing the game of football.Commonly referred to as "prophylactic knee braces", some college campuses are investing in the devices as a way to provide knee bracing to college football players who may be at a greater risk for knee injury. Because knee injuries are considered to be the most common low leg injury, the use of knee braces from a preventative health standpoint almost seems to be the right decision. In fact, almost one-fifth of all college athlete injuries are attributed to some type of knee pain and, understanding this, college students are using knee braces on their own. If you are coaching college football, or if you are a college athlete or the parent of a college athlete, it is important to become familiar with the use of knee braces and how they may prevent injury. Consultation with an orthopedic specialist who has specific training in collegiate athletic injuries would be prudent. Because some college athletes find no benefit from the use of knee braces for prevention, the decision to use the knee brace during practice and games must be determined on a patient-by-patient basis. Once it has been determined that a knee brace may be beneficial in reducing knee injury, the next step is finding the right fitting knee brace. Because not all knee braces are created equal, the right fit will be important to knee injury prevention and, without proper fitting, there is actually a greater risk for knee injury to occur while using the knee brace. It is important, again, to consult with a sports medicine doctor and find the right solution in preventative health for your athlete.College Football Athletes to Use Knee Braces for Injury Prevention

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