Knee Brace for after Microfracture Surgery

[Dan1514]

Hi All, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what type of knee brace would be the most benefitial after having microfracture surgery.  I've heard some positive feedback on unloaders but wanted to see what everyone else tried and if they had it prescribed by your OS.
Thanks!!

[D1annamar13]

Hi,
I'm not sure about a knee brace, but am also interested in finding one. I've been on my crutches for nine weeks post op after microfracture surgery. I still have swelling and my knee gets hot every two to three hours. I've been swimming to strengthen the muscles, but I still need crutches because of tge other symtoms. I too would like an unloader brace or something to help me be free of the crutches. Did you or do you get a hot knee? How long ago was your surgery?

[Dan1514]

Hey there,
I'm still currently on crutches and am only a little over a week post op.  I had my first post op appt. three days ago and the plan at this point is to have me start bearing weight in three more weeks and have full weight bearing in 6 wks post op.  I know that every situation is different depending on where the microfracture was done and how much weight gets beared on that spot.  Let me know if you find a brace that helps!

[dm]

I got to spend 6 months in a Townsend post op brace with my ROM locked at various points. Not real fun in Florida temps. I wore mine from early Oct to mid April. Then found out in late May that my mfx failed.... I was one of the 20% for whom mfx doesn't work. Procedure was technically correct, but it just didn't heal over, even though I spent 2 months NWB, and another 6 - 8 weeks getting back to walking again, and a total of 4 months in therapy, starting at 1 month postop.

Now they want me to have OATS, and if that fails, nothing else to do but TKR. Cant take 4-5 months off work on a new job, so won't be having that surgery anytime soon.... as much as my OS wants me to have it sooner rather than later.... no choice, gotta eat and have a place to live, pain sucks, and the knee's gonna need a tkr anyway one day, so if I wait it's not gonna make that much difference in the end... except maybe make them decide they can't do it and spare me the procedure and say urp... go straight to tkr...