After rehab, which brace is used to prevent recurrent injury while maintaining ROM?

• A. Functional
• B. Prophylactic
• C. Patellofemoral
• D. Postoperative

Answer: (A)

A functional brace is chosen after rehab because its purpose is to provide stability during activity while still allowing movement. It supports the joint to help prevent reinjury as you return to sport or tasks, but it doesn’t overly restrict range of motion, which is important for continuing conditioning and functional movements. Prophylactic braces are intended to reduce the risk of injury in uninjured athletes and aren’t typically used to protect a recovering joint; patellofemoral braces target patellar tracking or knee pain rather than general reinjury prevention; postoperative braces are designed to protect a surgical repair and usually limit motion, not preserve full ROM during rehab. So, to guard against recurrent injury while keeping movement allowed, a functional brace is the best choice.