Effectiveness of prophylactic hyperextension elbow braces on limiting active and passive elbow extension prephysiological and postphysiological loading.

Study Design: Experimental 3-factor design with repeated measures on all factors.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of 3 prophylactic hyperextension elbow braces on limiting active and passive elbow extension before and after exercise.

Background: Prophylactic hyperextension elbow braces are used to protect the joint against excessive extension, but their effectiveness for this purpose has not been determined.

Methods And Materials: Twenty Division I intercollegiate football players (mean +/- SD age, 20.2 +/- 1.3 years; mean +/- SD height, 184.4 +/- 9.9 cm, mean +/- SD mass, 102.9 +/- 22.0 kg) completed all phases of the study. The Breg Functional Elbow Brace, PRO 470 Kendall Elbow Brace, and DonJoy Elbow Guard were tested both actively and passively before and after an isokinetic exercise session on a Biodex Multi-Joint Testing and Exercise Dynamometer. For all tests, the braces were set at a 30 degrees flexion limit angle. The exercise session consisted of 1 set of reciprocal elbow extension and flexion at an angular velocity of 360 degrees/s, totaling 1627 J of work.

Results: None of the braces limited elbow extension to the 30 degrees flexion limit. However, all of the braces were successful in preventing the elbow from reaching the vulnerable position of hyperextension. The Breg Functional Elbow Brace was the most effective for limiting elbow extension near its set angle, followed by the DonJoy Elbow Guard, and the PRO 470 Kendall Elbow Brace across all test conditions.

Conclusion: The braces' effectiveness to limit motion is enhanced when limits are set higher than the desired angle of the protected motion.