knee, a ko can provide stabilization to the knee by replacing the function of these injured or damaged parts. for instance, knee braces can be used to relieve pressure from the part of the knee joint affected by diseases such as arthritis or osteoarthritis by realigning the knee joint into valgus or varus. in this way a ko may help reduce osteoarthritis pain, however, there is no clear evidence to advise people with osteoarthritis of the knee about the most effective orthosis to use or the best approach to rehabilitation. a knee brace is not meant to treat an injury or disease on its own, but is used as a component of treatment along with drugs, physical therapy and possibly surgery. when used properly, a knee brace may help an individual to stay active by enhancing the position and movement of the knee or reducing pain. prophylactic, functional and rehabilitation braces prophylactic braces are used primarily by athletes participating in contact sports. evidence about prophylactic knee braces, the ones football linemen wear that are often rigid with a knee hinge, indicates they are ineffective in reducing anterior cruciate ligament tears, but may be helpful in resisting medial and lateral collateral ligament tears. functional braces are designed for use by people who have already experienced a knee injury and need support to recover from it. they are also indicated to help people who have pain associated with arthritis. they are intended to reduce the rotation of the knee and support stability. they reduce the chance of hyperextension, and increase the agility and strength of the knee. the majority of these are made of elastic. they are the least expensive of all braces and are easily found in a variety of sizes. rehabilitation braces are used to limit the movement of the knee in both medial and lateral directions- these braces often have an adjustable range of motion stop potential for limiting flexion and extension following acl reconstruction. they are primarily used after injury or surgery to immobilize the leg. they are larger in size than other braces, due to their function. soft braces knee bandage/knee bracea soft brace is sometimes also called soft support or a bandage. bandages, which belong to the field of orthoses, are so-called support bandages, which are supposed to protect the joints from excessive loads. soft braces are also classified according to regions of the body. in sport, bandages are used to protect bones and joints. one of the purposes of these braces is injury protection. they mostly consist of textiles, some of which have supportive elements. the supporting functions are low compared to paralysis and relief orthoses. bandages should also achieve proprioceptive. equally, orthoses are sometimes used prophylactically or to optimize performance in sport. at present, the scientific literature does not provide sufficient high quality research to allow strong conclusions on their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. upper limb orthoses upper-limb (or upper extremity) orthoses are mechanical or electromechanical devices applied externally to the arm or segments thereof in order to restore or improve function or structural characteristics of the arm segments encumbered by the device. in general, musculoskeletal problems that may be alleviated by the use of upper limb orthoses include those resulting from trauma or disease (arthritis for example). they may also be beneficial in aiding individuals who have a neurological impairment such as stroke, spinal cord injury, or peripheral neuropathy. disease is the standard respiratory rate. types of upper-limb orthoses upper-limb orthoses clavicular and shoulder orthoses arm orthoses functional arm orthoses elbow orthoses forearm-wrist orthoses forearm-wrist-thumb orthoses forearm-wrist-hand orthoses hand orthoses upper-extremity orthoses (with special functions) spinal orthoses measurement of the pelvic tilt during the physical examination to determine the indication for the use of a spinal orthoses to treat scoliosis scoliosis, a condition describing an abnormal curvature of the spine, may in certain cases be treated with spinal orthoses, such as the milwaukee brace, the boston brace, charleston bending brace, and providence brace. as this condition develops most commonly in adolescent females who are undergoing their pubertal growth spurt, compliance with wearing is these orthoses is hampered by the concern these individuals have about changes in appearance and restriction caused by wearing these orthoses. spinal orthoses may also be used in the treatment of spinal fractures. thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis: jewett hyperextension body brace fitted to adolescent female patient in full support body suit.(designation of the orthosis according to the orthosis fitting: body parts included the thoracic, the lumbar and the sacroiliac regions of the trunk english abbreviation: tlso for thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis) a jewett brace, for instance, may be used to facilitate healing of an anterior wedge fracture involving the t10 to l3 vertebrae. a body jacket may be used to stabilize more involved fractures of the spine. there are several types of orthoses for managing cervical spine pathology. the halo brace is a cervical thoracic orthosis used to immobilize the cervical spine, usually following fracture. the halo brace allows the least cervical motion of all cervical orthoses currently in use; it was first developed by vernon l. nickel at rancho los amigos national rehabilitation center in 1955. orthoses for the head helmets are an example of orthoses for the head.