Use of novel postoperative recovery brace improves pain and function while decreasing narcotic dependence in the early recovery period: A narrative review

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a frequently performed procedure that is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades. Patient satisfaction following TKA is largely contingent upon pain control, swelling management, range of motion, and functionality. Addressing each individual area can be a challenge, especially as therapies directed toward mitigation of swelling and pain fail to prioritize extension. Knee extension in the early postoperative period has generally been overlooked, this lack of priority increases the patient's risk of developing a flexion contracture and suffering from lifelong gait abnormalities. The present study will discuss the common pitfalls in the early TKA recovery period and demonstrate the benefits of cryotherapy, compression, and extension bracing. Administration of each of these individual therapies have been shown to promote pain control, reduce narcotic use, improve outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction following TKA. To the author's knowledge, the TR CC brace ® is the only apparatus that combines proven multimodal pain management strategies while maintaining proper joint positioning. It would stand to reason that the presence of all therapies in one device would have a synergistic effect on recovery and maximally optimize postoperative outcomes.