FAQ

In the summer, exercising outdoors raises the body’s temperature. The elevated body temperature can be reduced by cooling the overexerted muscles, the neck, the armpit, the top of the thigh, and so on. In the winter, it is advisable to move into a warm, indoor space as soon as possible after outdoor exercise and to begin stretching and icing inside.
Summer: Cool the neck, the armpit and the top of the thigh if the body temperature has risen too high!
Winter: Icing in cold environments can lead to frostbite.

 

RICE measures can be applied regardless of age and sex. They are commonly used as first aid treatments all over the world. The optimum duration of icing differs slightly among individuals. Let’s learn the correct ways to use the RICE methods and implement them!
Onset of injury -> Take “RICE” measures immediately -> Rest, Icing, Compression, Elevation -> Avoid moving, cool the affected area, compress the affected area appropriately, and keep the affected area above heart level
 

The shoulder is one of several joints with a wide range of motion that are quite difficult to support. Unfortunately we do not manufacture supports that target the area extending from the shoulder to the elbow in our Zamst line for various reasons, including the challenge mentioned above. We do not currently manufacture customized supports. We apologize for the inconvenience. 
 

Unfortunately we do not have any supports to stabilize a broken nose, nor do we make customized items for the Zamst line. In many cases, prosthetists who deal with hospitals custom-make nose stabilizers like the one you are seeking. We recommend that you consult your orthopedic surgeon about wearing a nose stabilizer. If the doctor agrees that you need one, have a specialized prosthetist make it for you. We apologize for the inconvenience.
 

It is medically proven that when you have pain in the muscles or joints, providing effective compression to the affected parts will alleviate the pain. Therefore we recommend that you wear a support that compresses your outer calf to deal with the pain.
CS-1 in our Zamst line provides compression to your calf and could ease your pain. CS-1 has an adjustable design and can provide customized compression to your calf.
 

The most important thing to prevent a recurrence of the peroneal tendon dislocation is to complete a thorough rehabilitation regimen.  If you would like to wear a support to protect your ankle joint after rehabilitation, we recommend the A1 from the Zamst product line.  If you have questions or concerns about using supports, we suggest that you consult your doctor.
 

Which one should I choose?  Although my knee ligaments are not torn, I cannot bend my knee without pain ?

JK-2 is designed to support the patella and surrounding area, which primarily need support when jumping is involved.  Given that you feel pain even when you merely bend your knee, you might need a stronger support than the JK-2. 
The ZK series in the Zamst product line offers strong compression and stabilization to the knee.  In light of your symptoms, we recommend ZK-7, the strongest support in the series.
 

I had another meniscectomy in the same meniscus last March because it had worn out and was hurting. I started running again after the second meniscectomy, but the muscles had severely weakened. 
I purchased a ZK-7 support at a sports store on the salesperson's recommendation.  I thought that this kind of support was not suitable for endurance sports like running. What is your view on this?  Is it okay to run while wearing the ZK-7?  Though I understand that there may be limits, I would like your advice ?

Some runners use supports when competing in marathons. The ideal length of time to exercise with supports on is 1.5 to two hours.  After this period, we recommend that you take off your support and then put it back on later.

It may be okay to use the ZK-7 for the moment because your knee is under considerable stress caused by the weakened leg muscles. 
We recommend that you gradually transition from a strong support to a lighter one as your leg muscles become stronger through training.
It is common for people who are a bit nervous about starting to run again without supports to use products like the ZK-7 (for compression to the knees) at first and then replace them with lighter ones before ultimately abandoning supports altogether.

We also recommend that you take off your support after training and apply cold therapy (icing) to the knee and surrounding area. This will eliminate the fatigue accumulated in the muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee during training, thus speeding up recovery. 

Considering that you have had a meniscectomy before, it is important for you to strengthen the muscles that support the knee. Taking care of the area around the knee is essential to reducing the pain in your knee.  

I heard that supports should be removed eventually and that I should exercise without supports.  I would like to know the support manufacturer’s opinion on this ?

We think that continuing to wear the support poses no problem unless you experience discomfort.  It is true; however, that exercising with no support is ideal, if this is possible.  That said, it would be good for you to wear a support to prevent injury or further injury if you have already been hurt or if you worry about getting hurt.  In addition to the physical support provided, some people, such as top athletes, wear supports to gain a mental edge because it allays their fears about injuries. 
We must reiterate that these products are merely a means to support your body parts, which means that it is essential that you take steps to train and care for your body to prevent injury or re-injury. Remember to stretch and cool down every time after you exercise and train the muscles around the affected body part.
Now that you understand the facts, please make the most of supports to enjoy sports.
 

I would like to wear a support while walking and doing rehabilitation exercises. I would like some advice about which one to purchase ?

Unfortunately we do not have a support in our Zamst product line that is designed for PCL injuries. You should be able to get one at a hospital with an orthopedics department or from an orthopedic surgeon’s office. We recommend that you consult an orthopedic surgeon.
 

Unfortunately no supports in the Zamst product line are designed specifically for meniscus injuries. We do believe, however, that the ZK-7 is the best Zamst support for you. 

Support for the ACL:

As you can see in the picture below, the medial meniscus is connected to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which keeps your lower leg from extending out past your knee.  Using a support that promotes ACL function (e.g. ZK-7) might alleviate your symptoms. 

Support for the meniscus itself :

The meniscus absorbs shock and friction in the knee joint and controls the joint's motion.  When the meniscus is damaged, the cushioning function and joint control might be impaired.  Knee-compressing supports with medial and lateral stays (such as the ZK-7) might stabilize your knee, though they cannot compensate for the lost shock absorption function.

ZK-7 :

The ZK-7 offers anterior and side-to-side stability with its crisscross straps in front and resin stays on both sides, while its main structure ensures proper compression.  This is why we think that the ZK-7 is the best support for you from the Zamst product line.

 

Cold spray is convenient because it is portable and easy to use. However, unlike ice, its cooling effect does not last long for it was designed as a means of temporary cooling. After reading the instructions given in the package insert, spray onto the affected area from a distance of 20-30 cm for about five seconds. You should then wait a few minutes before using the product again. You should exercise caution because spraying too close to the skin or for too long can cause frostbite.
 

I am looking for good supports to protect my ankles and prevent a relapse so that I can continue playing badminton for as long as possible.  ?

We recommend that you use A2-DX or A1 to prevent sprains or relapses of sprains. A2-DX is suitable for guarding against both inversion ankle sprains (which cause swelling on the outside of the ankle) and eversion ankle sprains (which cause swelling on the inside of the ankle). A1 is used mainly for inversion ankle sprains.

A2-DX offers strong support to restrict excessive motion, while A1 offers moderate support to fit comfortably against the ankles.  Though A2-DX offers a higher level of support than A1, the A1 product is very effective. Many top players, including professional athletes, use the A1 support to prevent sprains.  This is why we recommend the A1 as well as the A2-DX for you. 
Inversion ankle sprains account for 80% to 90% of all ankle sprains.  If you sustain inversion ankle sprains, both of these products are suitable for you.  We suggest that you try them on at the store and choose the support that feels comfortable to you.
 

But I’m afraid that it will be hardto shoot baskets with a wrist band.  What is your advice? 


Our Zamst Wrist Band is designed to stabilize the wrist by restricting range of motion, including stretching and bending of the wrist. Therefore, you may indeed experience difficulty taking shots in basketball when you wear the support on your wrist because of the restricted range of joint motion.

There are many people, however, who are aware of this and still use the support when they play basketball. Some of them say that shooting the ball with the support on their wrist is not hard at all once they get used to it. Furthermore, it may be better for you to play basketball with your support and feel safe, rather than play basketball without a support and feel unsafe.
 

MCL injuries and jumper’s knee present different symptoms. The type of support you should use depends on your main symptoms. 
The MCL controls the knee's range of motion; an MCL injury causes side-to-side instability in the knee when you first put weight on it or play sports. 
The ZK series is designed to prevent this symptom of MCL injury from worsening.  We recommend the ZK-7 for severe knee instability.

The JK-2, on the other hand, is designed for jumper’s knee. If you are more affected by jumper’s knee than by the MCL injury, we recommend JK-2 for you. This may be your case if, for example, you injured the MCL a long time ago and now it is the jumper's knee pain that prevents you from playing, rather than the existing knee instability.

Jumper’s knee is an inflammation of the lower tendon of the quadriceps (thigh muscle), whose function is to extend the leg. This inflammation causes pain in the areas above and below the kneecap. The pain will last until the inflammation subsides. The most important key to recovering from jumper’s knee is rest. Please make sure to do plenty of stretching and warm-up exercises before and after you play and to apply cold therapy (icing) on the affected area each time after you train.
 

So far none of the injuries has been serious.  I also suffer from recurrent inversion ankle sprains.   
Should I choose the A2-DX instead of the A1?  Do you know of anyone (including professionals) who plays contact sports like soccer while wearing the A2-DX? 

Safety Aspect :
Because you play futsal, we recommend that you use A1, A1-S or FA-1 rather than A2-DX.  If you play contact sports like futsal with an A2-DX support on your ankle, you might injure other players if its outer rigid guards scrape against other players during contact. 
A few soccer players wear the A2-DX for several reasons, especially to prevent from inversion and eversion.  When it comes to professional soccer players, few of them wear it.  There are, however, some soccer players who wear the A2-DX for rehabilitation after ankle surgery.

Ball Control Aspect :
The A2-DX makes it rather difficult to touch and trap the soccer ball, especially when playing full-court soccer.  On the other hand, when playing futsal, the A2-DX might not affect ball control much because you mostly use the tips and soles of your feet in futsal.  Please note that you should still be careful not to injure other players during contact.

A2-DX is ideal for no-contact sports :
A2-DX is mainly used in no-contact sports like volleyball, basketball, handball and others.  Although handball can be considered to be a contact sport, there is little contact at the ankles. 
 

My doctor said that this is not just a simple sprain; the epiphysis of my anklebone has shifted slightly from the diaphysis along the epiphyseal cartilage.  I wore a cast for three weeks after the injury.  It has been a whole month since the cast was removed, but my ankle has only recovered to a point where I can barely manage to walk.  I worry a lot about whether my ankle will fully recover.  When I resume playing soccer, I would like to use a Zamst support to prevent further injury.  I heard that A1-S is good for soccer.  Does it prevent inversion ankle sprains?


A1-S is designed to stabilize the ankle and is good to wear after you have fully recovered.  Its main function, however, does not go beyond stabilizing the ankle and restricting excessive forward flexions of the ankle.  A1-S helps to prevent inversion ankle sprains, but it is difficult to prevent 100% of them.  We recommend the A1 for you if you need a support that is designed specifically to prevent inversion ankle sprains.
 

Goichi Motomura, who has signed a sponsorship deal with us to promote our Zamst brand, uses the A1.  Motomura has been using the A1 for many years and gives it high marks. He says that the A1 feels better and performs better than the supports he used to wear.  He also says that the A1 demonstrates high tolerance for his aggressive plays.  If you have sprained your ankle before, or if you are worried about spraining your ankle because you often play on omni courts, we recommend that you try wearing the A1.  In addition to Motomura, many other tennis players regularly use the A1.
 

Although we cannot be certain about what is causing this sensation, we do not think that it is because you wear a support only on one ankle.  There are two conceivable causes for what you are experiencing.  The first possibility is that you are fastening the support or the optional straps attached to the support too tightly; this could cause pain in the sole of your foot.  The second possibility is that you are tying the shoelaces on your left shoe as tightly as those on the right. This could put extra pressure on your left instep because your left shoelaces should be looser to allow some room for the A2-DX to be worn between your foot and shoe. 
Here is our advice for you :

1.    Do not fasten the A2-DX or its straps too tightly. 
2.    Do not tie your shoelaces too tightly. 
3.    Take off your support occasionally and do some stretching when you train for long periods (generally after one to two hours of training with the support on).

* In cases where the user has high insteps or is somewhat flat-footed and supports in his/her size are too tight around the instep or sole, we sometimes recommend that the user try wearing the support in the next size up. 

 

Recently I have been playing intense volleyball and now I'm suffering knee pain again. I'm not sure which support to choose. Do you think the JK-1 is the best choice for me?  What about the JK Band?  I prefer compact designs to bulky supports. Are the compact supports less effective for Osgood-Schlatter disease?


First, we recommend that you see an orthopedic surgeon or a doctor who specializes in orthopedic sports medicine.  If your doctor gives you permission to play sports, we recommend that wear a support when you play.  A support that covers the whole knee offers more stability than one with a compact design. This is why we recommend the JK-1 in many cases similar to yours. On the other hand, if your symptoms are not too serious, the JK Band will also help.
 

I also feel pain and heaviness in my knees when I squat. I would like to buy the JK-2.  Would it help?

Based on your comments, it sounds like you have the typical symptoms of jumper’s knee.  We think that the JK-2 is right for you.  However, we do recommend that you consult a doctor first because we cannot issue a diagnosis.
 

I get pins and needles in my foot after about 10 minutes of use, even though the A1 is lighter than the support I used before.  I have a friend who uses the same support who told me that I will get used to it soon.  I wonder if I am experiencing this because my support is not the right size or because I am not used to it yet.  I don't think the support would work effectively if I tried to wear it looser ?


If you “get pins and needles in [your] foot” even though you are wearing a properly sized support, please read the following explanation before you use it again. 
On rare occasions, some users who have tried our supports report that they felt tingling or prickling in their feet when they first wore them because they fastened the straps too tightly. 
Note that your support's inversion-prevention straps and stirrup straps are adjustable.  If you secure these adjustable straps too tightly, you may get pins and needles in your foot. 
Some people think that the support cannot be effective unless it is fastened tightly.  Even if you don't fasten each strap really tightly, the very structure of the A1 can provide support for your ankle with its thin, removable plastic stays (personal fit stays) positioned on the inside and outside.  Thus we recommend that you adjust the straps so that the support fits you better.  

 

He is 55 and was hospitalized with a herniated disc.  I am looking for a good support to help with his rehabilitation.  Though I understand that product recommendations depend on the user’s’ symptoms, I would like to know what kind of support would be recommended if he were to wear a support when engaging in light exercise ?

We recommend ZW-3 or ZW-4 for light exercise. Each of them offers rather light support (not strong). This facilitates mobility while the breathable mesh fabrics offer comfort. 

We recommend ZW-3 or ZW-4, which offer enough support for light exercise, though our product line also includes ZW-5 and ZW-7, which deliver stronger support.

If your uncle is still in the hospital, we recommend that you first consult his doctor to discuss using a support and then choose one and try it out.

 

cold. I would like some information on good supports that offer proper compression and keep my knees warm, but that don't restrict knee movement with their firm support ?


We recommend SK-1 or SK-3 because they do not restrict movement but offer effective compression. Because they are short, you will not feel uncomfortable running marathons with them on.  When it comes to warmth, both of them offer breathability rather than heat retention. Please try them on at a store.
 

Are there any supports that fit my needs in your Zamst product line ?

Unfortunately we do not offer supports that protect the Achilles tendon in our Zamst product line.  There is, however, a support that provides compression to this part of the foot and helps you remain aware of the injury: the A1-S.  Thus we recommend that you wear the A1-S even though it was not designed to guard the Achilles tendon. 
Although the tendon is tough and thick, your Achilles tendon could rupture again if the injured area is strained unexpectedly or suddenly.  This is why we suggest that you keep the advice provided below in mind; it can help you prevent re-injury to your Achilles tendon and make the most of our supports. 
High-impact activities such as repetitive jumping or running cause fatigue to accumulate in the Achilles tendon. This quickly causes minor wounds, and then inflammation, of the tendon.  This process can cause the Achilles tendon to rupture again.
Here is our advice for preventing inflammation of the Achilles tendon :

1.    Do some stretching before and after you exercise and again after taking a hot shower or bath to warm your body. 
2.    Apply cold therapy (icing) to the affected area right after exercise. 
3.    Strengthen the muscles around the Achilles tendon so that you can use them instead of overworking the Achilles tendon. This will allow you to reduce the stress exerted on the injured area.  Build muscle strength, especially in your calf, by using accessories like commercially available bands and always maintain a good level of fitness.
4.    Use cushioned shoes or cushioned insole.

Now I play volleyball with a strong rehabilitation support to limit harmful knee movements.  Do you have any strong supports in the Zamst product line?

The strongest knee support in our Zamst product line is the ZK-7, which has a soft resin stay on each side. The soft stays do not severely limit the knee's range of motion because Zamst supports are designed to help users participate in sports.  We recommend that you try on the ZK-7 at a store.
 

A lot of my friends who ski moguls have torn their knee ligaments because mogul skiing is a strenuous sport. I would like to purchase a support to prevent such ligament injuries and further knee injury. I have tried on the ZK-7 before. I liked the comfortable, firm support, but I wondered if I would be able to move my knees freely when I ski with the hard support on because this is crucial for skiing moguls. Can you please share your thoughts on this?

The ZK-7 and all other Zamst supports are designed to be used while playing sports.  When you wear them during sports, it must be even easier to move than you expect.  Many skiers use ZK-7; it is also used by many athletes who play other intense sports, like basketball.
 

Should I wear A2-DX on both of my ankles?  Or is it okay to wear it only on the left?  What problems, if any, could arise if I wore a support only on the left ankle?


We always recommend that our customers wear Zamst ankle supports on both of their ankles in order to prevent further sprains, which can occur anytime. Wearing these products also provides support to ankles that are already sprained.  A2-DX not only offers support for your already sprained ankle(s), but also helps to prevent new sprains in uninjured parts.  However, there is nothing wrong with wearing the support only on your left ankle.  In fact, some top players wear the A2-DX on only one of their ankles when they play.  We assure you that the A2-DX is perfectly safe even if you wear it on just one ankle.
 

I wear the A1-S on both of my ankles, but they cause my soles (especially the left one) to hurt when I wear them.  Without them, however, I sometimes sprain my ankle and fall down.  Please give me some advice ?


A person's feet are not always the same size because of factors like the influence of the dominant leg.  You should first check to see if your feet are the same size and adjust your supports accordingly to fit each foot.  If you still feel pain in your soles after making the adjustment described above, follow the advice given below: 

1.    Loosen the elastic strap (crisscross strap) on each support a bit and put the supports on.
2.    Fasten the hooks located behind the elastic straps (crisscross straps).  Do not fasten them too tightly. 
3.    Take off your support occasionally and do some stretching when you train for long periods (generally after one to two hours of training with the support on).

ZK-3 and ZK-7 in our Zamst product line protect injured medial collateral ligaments (MCL). If your symptoms are not very serious, we recommend that you use the ZK-3. The ZK-3 helps prevent your knee from bending inward or outward, which could occur when a collateral ligament is damaged. The ZK-7 limits not only side-to-side motions, but also harmful forward knee movements that could occur when you suffer from a damaged anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is commonly associated with MCL injuries.
 

I feel pains on the inside and outside of my knee when I go up and down stairs, carry something heavy or twist my legs. Please tell me which product is the best for me ?


Our first recommendation is that you consult a doctor.  If your doctor says that no medical treatment is needed and that you should wear a support, we recommend supports that provide the following :

1- Compression to the affected area
2- Medial and lateral stability delivered by stays on both sides of the support
 

In the Zamst product line, MK-3, ZK-3 and ZK-7 meet these criteria. We recommend that you try them on at a shop.
 

1- Use a neutral detergent and hand wash it in a tub or sink. Dry away from direct sunlight.
2- Please note that the product may fade as a result of washing.
3- Do not place in a dryer or have it dry-cleaned.
4- Do not iron it or use chlorinated detergents.

 Can you please advise us on which support to choose?

Based on your comments, we assume that your mother suffers from osteoarthritis in her knee. This frequently occurs in women in their forties and older.  Osteoarthritis progresses with age and causes genu varum (bowleg) or genu valgum (knock-knee). In many cases, these deformations cause friction in the knee, which results in medial or lateral knee pains. 

We recommend that your mother consult an orthopedic surgeon rather than wear supports available on the market.  If needed, her doctor will recommend supports or prescribe medicine for her. In these cases, when doctors recommend wearing supports, the devices are generally custom-made by prosthetists who work directly with hospitals to match the patient’s unique needs. These customized supports differ from those on the market in many ways. Therefore, we recommend that you talk about your mother's symptoms to an orthopedic surgeon.
 

He would like to buy the ZK-3 or ZK-7 in a size 2XL, but does not know which one to choose.  He needs a support to help smooth knee flexion and extension. Can you please give us some advice as to which one to choose?

When it comes to smoother knee flexion and extension, the ZK-3 and ZK-7 both work well.  However, considering the overall needs of a knee with a meniscus injury, we think the ZK-7 is the most suitable support in the Zamst product line.

Support for the ACL:
As you can see in the picture above, the medial meniscus is connected to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which keeps your lower leg from extending out past the knee. Using a support that promotes ACL function (e.g. ZK-7) might alleviate your son's symptoms. 

Support for the meniscus itself :
The meniscus absorbs shock and friction in the knee joint and controls the joint's motion.  When the meniscus is damaged, the cushioning function and joint control might be impaired.  Knee-compressing supports with medial and lateral stays (such as the ZK-7 and ZK-3) might stabilize the knee, though they cannot compensate for the lost shock absorption function.

ZK-7:
The ZK-7 offers anterior stability with its crisscross straps in front and side-to-side stability with its resin stays on both sides, while its main structure ensures proper compression.  This is why we think that the ZK-7 is the best support for your son from the Zamst product line.


 

 He complained about pain in his right elbow the other day and was diagnosed with chipped bone fractures in the external condyle of his upper right arm.
The doctor recommended that he refrain from pitching for a month.  We are afraid that he will suffer a relapse when he starts pitching again.  Your Elbow Band is advertised as easing stress on the elbow.  We would like to know if it could prevent a recurrence of his chipped elbow?

The chipped bone fracture is an injury that is commonly diagnosed in many baseball players of all ages, from children to professionals.  This injury occurs when bones and cartilage in the elbow joint are repeatedly subjected to impact.
Unfortunately our Zamst Elbow Band does not cover bone problems like this.  The Zamst Elbow Band is designed to ease stress on the muscle located where the ligaments meet the elbow bone (epicondylus lateralis humeri), not to shield the bone itself.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

Here is our advice to help you prevent a recurrence :

1- Do not overwork your elbow before it recovers completely.
2- Maintain proper pitching form (form that does not strain your elbow), for it is thought that there may be some correlation between chipped elbow and pitching form.
3- Make sure to always perform stretching exercises and cold therapy (icing) on the affected area after training and games.

He says that he sometimes feels pain in the knee or thigh of the leg that was injured. I would like to know what kind of support he should wear ?

Though he completed treatment, his injured thigh muscle may now be weaker than the other thigh. The pain he feels in the knee or thigh of the affected leg could be caused by unequal muscle strength between the right and left thighs.
First, we recommend that he begin muscle training to improve muscle strength in the affected thigh (to get back to the level of strength he had before the injury). Bear in mind that he should train with a light weight and do many repetitions. If he trains with too heavy a weight because he is trying to recover quickly, he could inadvertently cause further injury to the muscle.

If he feels any pain during exercise or muscle training, he must stop immediately and take a break.
After following the advice above, he should try wearing a support that compresses his thigh to support the weakened area during exercise. We recommend TS-1 from our Zamst line for this.
Since the weakened thigh muscle could be causing not only the pain in his thigh but also the knee discomfort, strengthening the affected thigh muscle (getting back to the level of strength he had before the injury) will also help to relieve the pain in his knee.

If he would like to try wearing a support on his knee, we suggest that he use one that provides effective compression to the top of the knee. We recommend JK-2 from our Zamst line.
Using cold therapy (icing) on the affected area each time after exercise or training will also help.
Since muscles get hot after exercise, cooling the muscles, especially inflamed areas (the area that was previously injured), helps the body to recover quickly from pain and fatigue. (The ideal duration of cold therapy is 15 to 20 minutes each time.)
 

Though my son has not complained about such pains so far, I worry about him. I would like to ask your advice about wearing supports or other ways to prevent injuries to these areas.  My son says that he does hard running exercises during practice, including dashes, sudden stops and dozens of laps during the two- to three-hour training sessions, which are held almost everyday. These could put considerable stress on the knees?


Our Zamst products aim to prevent recurrence of a user’s previous injury. Given that your son has not felt pain in the knees or other areas so far, we consider it unnecessary to make him wear supports right now. (On the other hand, we recommend that our customers wear ankle supports to prevent sprains even if they have never injured their ankles before because ankle sprains occur quite frequently and can happen anytime.)
Considering that your son engages in extremely intense training almost everyday, we offer you the following advice :

- Include plenty of warm-up and cool-down exercises (including stretching) in every training session. Use cold therapy (icing) after training, especially on the knees.

- Take a break from training once or twice a week, if possible. Otherwise, engage only in low-intensity exercises instead of doing the regular hard training.

- If your shoes are worn out or damaged, purchase shoes with proper impact-absorption soles to prevent knee injuries.

- If you feel any knee or lower back pain in the future, avoid training for a few days and see if your pain goes away. If not, get early treatment from a specialist.  Do not strain yourself when you are experiencing pain.

- Refer to our Zamst website for practical information about stretching and cold therapy.

His coach recommended Zamst supports, but I am not sure which one to choose from the extensive product line.  Please give us some advice as to which support is most appropriate for my son.  I would also like to know if there are any supports he can wear during soccer games ?

Because of the way it was designed, the JK-1 from our Zamst product line could work for knees affected with Osgood-Schlatter disease. The patellar tendon padding on the inside of the support could alleviate symptoms. Please note, however, that supports do not heal the knee.  We recommend that your son use supports and that you consult his doctor if the pain persists despite the supports. 

He can wear the JK-1 in games as well as in practice. The JK-1 contains no hard objects, such as metal parts. This means that he will not injure himself or other players with the JK-1 on his knee, even during contact with other players.

 

Our Zamst knee supports are designed for sports, but you can also use them for everyday activities. Please note, however, that too much reliance on supports could cause muscle weakness because they provide strong support to your knee. 
Therefore, please keep the following advice in mind when you use a support.

- Do some muscle training and stretching exercises targeting the area around the knee.
- Take off your support after about 1.5 to two hours of use and then put it back on later. Avoid wearing a support continuously for too long.
- Make sure to take off the support when there is no chance of straining your knee, for example, while eating or sleeping.

Care should be exercised to avoid excessive cooling to prevent the risk of frostbite.

Icing is contraindicated in patients with the following :

- Raynaud’s disease or other vasospastic disorders
- Cold hypersensitivity or impaired local circulation
- Symptoms of heart disease
 

Particular care is needed when applying icing to patients affected by the following :

- Paralysis, coma, coronary artery disease, rheumatism
- Symptoms of hypertension or diabetes
- If you have any underlying illness or have questions or concerns, consult a physician before use.

Certain injuries damage tissue and cells in your body, which can cause inflammation.  Symptoms of inflammation include redness, swelling, a localized hot sensation, pain and impaired movement. Icing delivers a cold stimulus to the nerves, making the injured area less sensitive and thus suppressing the vicious cycle of pain. In addition, icing causes the local blood vessels to contract, which subdues bleeding and swelling.
Pain → Muscular spasm (muscular contraction) → Vicious cycle of pain
 

It is possible to wear your regular basketball shoes with the A2-DX on your ankle.  As for the “uncomfortable feeling at the ankle,” this might happen until you get used to it, but it poses no problems for use.  You should adjust your shoelace so that it allows enough leeway to accommodate your support.