In June 2018 researchers from The Netherlands published the results of their study to assess the effect of a soft knee brace on knee instability in 38 individuals with knee osteoarthritis. The individuals walked on a level surface without a brace, and then with both a non-tight and tight soft knee brace and a comparison made of the deviations in knee alignment. Results showed that wearing a soft knee brace significantly improved the knee instability. No difference was seen between a non-tight and a tight knee brace.
Cudejko T et al. The immediate effect of a soft knee brace on dynamic knee instability in persons with knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2018 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]