HEALTH EXPERT BUYING GUIDE
Summary: This premium hinged knee brace is a sleeve style support. Provides compression, support and stabilisation for knee sprains, meniscus injuries, arthritic pain and mild ligament damage.
Use: Best for arthritis, post-operative rehab and spots injuries.
Design: The Donjoy brace has two aluminum hinges either side, which act as an ‘unloader’ feature to help with weight balance.
Sizing: 7 sizes. XS – XXXL
Price: £71.95
Summary: The Nike Pro open knee sleeve is easy to put on, flexible and soft. It holds well when you’re running, making it a great option for sports use.
Use: Best for running and sports activities.
Design: Made from Polyester & Elastane. Machine washable.
Sizing: Comes in 4 sizes. S, M, L, XL
Price: £20
Summary: The Bulk™ Premium Knee Sleeves are best for powerlifting. A strong and durable pair, they support your knees with all movements.
Use: Use for squats, lunges, leg press, powerlifting.
Design: Made from soft neoprene material.
Sizing: 4 sizes available. 30cm in length.
Price: £18.19 Pair
This Open Knee Support from Neo-G provides a high level of support and adjustable fit without restricting too much movement. The open design helps with patellar tracking when walking or bending whilst providing overall stability by reducing glide and twisting motion. This knee support is designed to help with symptoms following a meniscus injury or arthritic discomfort.
Summary: A comfortable knee support for sprains, instability from injury and supporting patellar tracking
Use: Can be used for sport or occupational use
Design: Open design provides added support to the patella whilst the soft neoprene material warms the area, promoting circulation. Compatible with hot & cold treatment discs.
Sizing: Universal & adjustable sizing, (one size fits alls). Comes with Velcro straps to adjust the fit. Fits up to 56cm (22 inches)
Price: £20
Summary: A comfortable knee support for sprains, instability from injury and supporting patellar tracking
Use: Best for walking, cycling or sports support for those with conditions such as; meniscopathy, instability, arthritis or post-operative use.
Design: Knee support sleeve with an integrated knee ring pad. Made from Neoprene, Polyamide, Elastane, Polyester
Sizing: 7 different sizes, 5 different comfort sizes
Price: £61.50
Whether you have a new sports injury or a long-term condition, here’s your ultimate buying guide to find the perfect support.
A knee support is a band of flexible material that fits around your knee. It is typically made from a combination of foam, plastic, straps, and elastic materials depending on the design and manufacturer. This support provides compression on your knee and the surrounding joints.
Knee supports are used to help prevent injuries, provide pain relief, and help during rehabilitation from knee-related injuries.
The support sleeve or knee compression sleeve is the most common type of support. This is typically a tight band of flexible material that covers your knee and a good portion of your thigh and lower leg – above and below the knee joint.
A compression sleeve has no connection and simply slides over your knee by pulling it over your foot and up your leg.
Strap-style braces are excellent if you need extra compression on your knee. These are still essentially sleeves and you pull them over your knee by sliding them over and up your leg.
However, they typically have two or more straps – one above your knee, and one below. These are usually secured via a velcro mechanism and can be loosened/tightened as needed to provide extra or less compression.
Wraparound braces can provide even more support and compression than standard strap or sleeve supports.
This type of knee brace uses the standard sleeve design but has the addition of a long material chord. This chord is wrapped around your knee and secured using velcro or a buckle. The cord can be tightened or loosened to give more compression.
An unloader brace uses a completely different design to conventional sleeve supports. It typically uses a series of straps and pads that can be adjusted in a number of ways to support your knee as required.
All of the above types of supports can have an open patellar variant. An open patellar knee support has a small circular hole on the patellar area of the knee. This allows for some pressure relief, but also helps provide extra support for your kneecap.
This depends on several factors. Firstly, it depends on the severity and type of injury if you need a support for rehabilitation. Secondly, it depends on the sport you are playing if you are using a support to help reduce the chance of injuries.
Yes, it can help relieve pain in several ways. This includes reducing pressure on the joints, supporting the mobility of the joints, and helping to reduce irritation and swelling – both of which can contribute to knee pain.
A knee brace offers many benefits. Firstly, it provides stability and support which help greatly during rehab and to build your confidence. Secondly, wearing a knee brace can also work as a preventative measure by providing extra padding and support to avoid sports-related injuries.
There are many instances where you should wear a knee support. A support is often worn after knee surgery to support the healing process. It should also be worn if you are experiencing knee pains. In addition, a support can be worn while playing sports to help reduce the chance of injury.
There is no difference really. A knee support is the general term used for this item. There are several different types of knee support such as a knee brace, knee sleeve, wraparound brace, and unloader brace.
If you have a sports injury, check out our other buying guides to ankle support, wrist support, elbow support and shoulder support.