Q&A

Click here for inquiries regarding CB braces and
Sakima Prosthetics & Orthotics.

We summarize general questions. If you have any questions not published on this page or any opinions,
please feel free to contact us by telephone/Fax using the inquiry form. Brochures can be arranged.

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Approximately how much does it cost?

CBブレースの写真

The CB brace is manufactured after selection of the type according to the condition of each customer. Therefore, the order is a semi-order or a full order, thus the price cannot be specified before the order. When ordering, we submit a quote after consultation with your distributor.
Reference price: For osteoarthritis of the knee–about 60000 yen ~ (By adaptation of medical insurance, you can receive a refund of 70 to 90 percent.)

Can it be repaired if broken during use?

Products broken during normal use within the warranty period of one year will be repaired for free. Please feel free to contact us.

My left leg is a knee osteoarthritis. I want to try the CB brace. Approximately how much does it cost?

In Okinawa, the price is about 60000 to 90000 yen for a leg. After submission of medical insurance, you can receive a refund of 70 to 90 percent.

I have knee pain and hyperextension of the knee when walking due to hemiplegia. Are CB braces effective?

Yes, they are. By walking training after a fitting, rehabilitation effects can be expected.

I suffer from a knee pain from hypertension of the knee due to polio. Are CB braces effective?

Yes, they are. With CB braces, pain relief can be expected.

I have not used an orthotic for a long time; however, since the orthotic was heavy, and sometimes the orthotic was dropped, I couldn’t go out. About the point, what is the situation of CB braces ?

We have lightened the weight of CB braces significantly and incorporated mechanisms to prevent them from falling off.
Once correctly fitted, all day use is not a problem.

I struggle to learn the difficult fitting procedure of an orthotic, what is the situation of CB braces ?

Of course , for CB braces, practice fitting is required, if practiced two to three times according to the fitting procedure, you can easily remember the fitting method.

If the orthotic is made in Okinawa, do I need to go Okinawa for adjustment and repair?

That may be true; however, for this reason, we recommend that you purchase the CB brace through distributors across the country.

Is it cured with this joint orthotic (CB brace)?

Unfortunately, such a dream about an orthotic for the knees in all conditions to be a cure from the fitting does not exist in this world.
If there is an orthotic with such advertising, you should take care.

About our CB braces, we keep in mind that we must explain to our customers the high-precision mechanical research data and enormous volume of clinical data received from the users who actually wear the CB braces. Each orthotic is individualized, and the adaptation is determined through a medical examination by an orthopedic surgeon.

If the CB brace is employed for your knee, the possibility of pain relief is about 70%, and you can do muscle training under the condition where the load is hardly applied to the knee. Such a combination of orthotic therapy and exercise therapy leads to further improvement. That is true that many people feel the difference from the moment they put on the CB brace, including people who were told that there was no method of pain relief other than surgery.

We think you should try CB brace if the opportunity arises.

Would the pain really be reduced? Would the pain be reduced immediately after fitting?

CB braces do not forcibly hold the foot. The structure smoothly follows the movement of the joint, and the CB braces suppress force dispersion in useless directions other than the walking direction. Therefore, you can relieve the pain in the forcible directions when trying to walk.

Of course, all pain cannot be completely reduced, however, there are people whose pain has been drastically reduced immediately after fitting the CB brace to a joint where the degree of wear of the cartilage was relatively mild. However, in general, the pain is gradually mitigated after the fitting.
Relief of pain from orthotics is considered due to the improvement of axial load and joint stabilization.
Therefore for improvement of pain (1) proper fitting and (2) implementation of muscle training are important.

Conversely, if the pain is not improved as one wishes from the fitting, the following causes can be considered.
The following cases can be considered: (1) the pain is strong due to patellofemoral joint symptoms; (2) the pain is induced by meniscus injury or loose bodies in the joints; (3) other arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout are merged; (4) sciatic nerve pain is confused with osteoarthritis of a knee.
All cases require a medical examination by an orthopedic surgeon, and if necessary they should be subjected to precise examinations.

Will CB braces affect on any osteoarthritis of a knee?

A knee joint has three articular surfaces.
Namely, two articular surfaces of the inner and outer exist between thigh bone and crus bone (tibia) , and further one articular surface (patellofemoral joint) exists between the patella (dish) and thigh bone.

X-ray photo1

The appearance where cartilage inside the right knee joint was worn due to osteoarthritis of the knee.
Most osteoarthritis of the knees of Japanese are the inside type in which cartilage on the inner articular surface is worn, by this, the knee experiences intorsion, if in the case of both knees, O leg deformation appears.
(The picture shows a right leg)

X-ray photo2

The appearance where cartilage outside the right knee joint was worn due to osteoarthritis of the knee.
The number of the outside types (Picture 2) in which cartilage in the outer articular surface is worn is not so large compared with the intorsion type, the knee experiences evagination, if in the case of both knees, X leg deformation appears.
(The picture shows a right leg)

X-ray photo3

The appearance where cartilage in the right knee joint was worn due to osteoarthritis of the knee. Both the inside and outside types, though to differing degrees, accompany worn cartilage (patellofemoral joint symptom) under the dish (patellofemoral joint).
(The picture shows a right leg)

The best adaptation of the CB brace is the mild inside type or outside type of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Unfortunately, the CB brace is not adapted to a knee where the inside and outside cartilage is worn.

By fitting the CB brace, does the worn cartilage regenerate?

It is a very good question.
No matter how worn the cartilage, the regeneration mechanism is working in the local areas.

However, not only the reproduced cartilage but the remaining cartilage is injured due to an excessive load on the local or improper joint movement.
It is believed that fitting the CB brace and adjusting the load for the local area and movement makes the reproduction mechanism work.

I have pain in both a knees, can I fit two CB braces at the same time?

If both a knees are the inside type, you can fit CB braces on both a knees at the same time.

However, if one a knee is the inside type, the opposite a knee is the outside type of both a knees are the outside type, the braces can easily interfere with each other, thus two is not recommended.
It could be better to fit the CB brace on the knee that has more severe pain.

How long should I wear CB brace?

In mild cases, some people have removed after fitting for three months, the fitting period varies depending on severity (such as a degree of worn cartilage, a degree of deformation), activity, complications, or bilateral.
If a person whose condition is not so good removes too early, there is a possibility of recurrence of arthritis, thus not recommended.

Should I wear it all days?

Wear when walking or long standing.
If you are relaxed, no need for fitting exists.
Remove when bathing and bedtime.

Can I play sports after fitting?

Several persons enjoy playing tennis, golf, and bowling after the fitting of CB braces. By fitting the CB brace, there exists a somewhat restricted range of motion, but joint stability is improved and can lead to better performance.

* In some cases, since CB brace has metal poles on both sides, refrain from using for contact sports.

Artificial joint replacement surgery has been recommended, but now I don’t want to have the surgery. I would like to try the CB brace, does the fitting have any adverse effects on surgery?

The fitting does not have any effects on surgery (joint replacement and osteotomy, etc.). Please try fitting, if you cannot have surgery at this time but want to suppress the progress of arthritis.

Is it possible to use in conjunction with physical therapy (microwave, low frequency, laser, hot packs, etc.) or hyaluronic acid injections?

Of course, physical therapy and the combination of hyaluronic acid injections are welcome.

The most important thing is strength and weight control through exercise.
We, therefore, recommend nutritional guidance to obesity.

Conversely steroidal injections should be kept to a minimum. Steroids are very effective in reducing inflammation but are not favorable for cartilage reproduction.