5 Activities a Knee Brace Makes More Comfortable

The knee–it’s what allows us to run, skip, jump, sit down, stand up, and enjoy life to the fullest. Unfortunately, as the body’s most flexible joint, it’s also the most prone to injury and pain. As we age, the knee loses strength, and the incidence of accidents rises. Meniscus tears, dislocations, patellofemoral syndrome, and cartilage loss are just a few of the potential injuries that can occur. Age isn’t the only deciding factor; people of any age can inadvertently injure the knee while enjoying everyday activities. That’s why so many sports medicine specialists suggest wearing a knee brace proactively before enjoying certain sports and activities. Whether you struggle with arthritis or you just want to preserve your knee function as long as possible, these five activities will be more enjoyable and more comfortable when you opt for a support knee brace.

Before You Wear a Knee Brace

Before we jump into the most brace-compatible activities, it’s important to note that a brace should never be a replacement for a doctor’s assessment or management. If you are experiencing pain, weakness, numbness, redness, or swelling, see your doctor before pre-emptively wearing a brace. You could have an injury like a tear or subluxation that needs special treatment beyond simply wearing a brace. This article is meant to provide information only, and should never be a replacement for your physician or physiotherapist’s care.

1. Running

Running is fantastic for your cardiovascular health, but is often hell on the knees. That’s doubly true if you happen to suffer from any sort of degenerative condition like arthritis or patellofemoral syndrome. The constant bending and pressure can result in aching throughout the joint as well as a crispy-crackly popping noise that’s exceptionally cringe-inducing.

A prophylactic brace provides extra support not only to the floating kneecap, but also to the tendons and ligaments that nestle up at the back of the knee. That can prevent muscle tears and hyperextension–something that could result in dislocations and surgical intervention if the accident is bad enough.

For kneecap support alone, try kinetic tape to stabilize the patella. Or, use a strap brace to achieve the same result if you’re not practiced in applying tape. Attach it like a band just underneath the kneecap to prevent excess sliding within the joint. It should be neither too tight nor too loose–any sliding or pinching means it needs to be adjusted.

For more robust support, try a flexible, slide-on elastic knee brace with an open kneecap instead. These should feel snug but comfortable while on the leg. If the brace bites into your leg, itches, causes heat, or leaves deep red marks, it’s too tight–try the next size up.

2. Martial Arts   

Martial arts and other hand-to-hand fighting styles demand skill, patience, focus, and an incredible amount of physical dexterity. Fighters balance and kick with the knee, both of which can expose the joint to additional wear and tear over time. It takes just one hyperextended kick or misplaced hit to result in a sprain, strain, or even a dislocation, but certain braces can help to prevent injuries–at least outside of competition.

For most martial arts and fighting sports, a dual action strap brace is best. This style of brace places a secure stabilizing strap above and below the kneecap, but leaves the kneecap itself free to move around. This prevents hyperextension of the knee while kicking and jumping without impacting range-of-motion enough to reduce your performance.

Braces that cover the kneecap may be best for those who struggle with patellofemoral syndrome or a kneecap that subluxes easily. But be aware that many of these more robust braces aren’t permitted in competition. Be sure to check with your coach if you aren’t sure.

3. Basketball

Like martial arts, basketball requires a significant amount of running, jumping, and balancing–all of which increase pressure on the kneecap. That induces an increased risk for subluxations and dislocations. Hyperextensions are also fairly common as players reach, stretch, and jump for the net.

In professional basketball, hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries top the charts for most common injuries on the court. A knee brace could potentially ward off all three if worn correctly.

The increased pressure from jumping and landing requires more than a simple strap brace when playing basketball. Instead, pick a sleeve brace that covers the knee and an additional 2 inches to 3 inches of the upper thigh and lower calves. Your sleeve brace should slide on comfortably, and while snug, should never bite into the skin or leave red marks.

If you’re recovering from an injury, your doctor or physiotherapist may recommend a four-point harness brace instead. This prevents the knee from hyperextending back and forth and side-to-side. It’s the most effective way to keep the knee and leg aligned, preventing ligament and meniscus tears while reducing the chances of a dislocation.

4. Soccer

Although soccer is much like basketball in that players will run, jump, and balance on the leg at points, most of the danger to the knee comes from not the activity but the propensity to hyperextend the knee when kicking. Being hit with the ball itself is also a concern, as are falls on the court when players get tangled up inadvertently.

Preserving range of motion and freedom of movement is also incredibly important for soccer players as it directly translates into kick force and follow-through. Choosing just any old brace just isn’t the right move to make for this sport because most will inhibit your freedom of movement, reducing performance.

Start with a sport performance knee brace for both casual and professional players. Flexible knee sleeves work well for casual recreational games, but may inhibit performance too much for professional players. Any straps should sit above and below the knee without impeding the kneecap regardless of which brace you choose.

Straps over the kneecap will impede movement and could even spur on a dislocation, so choose your brace with care.

More expensive hinged braces are better for players in competition, but it’s vital that you check with your overseeing body to verify whether the brace is graded for competition. Not every device is regulation-approved.

5. Football

Football (not to be confused with the UK’s football–that’s our soccer) is a high-impact sport, and that means an increased risk of accidents to the entire body. Anyone who’s watched a game in person or on television knows that the game, as exciting as it is, comes with crashes, falls, accidents, intense, hard running, and an almost ballet-like ability to dance around the other team until you reach that goal post.

By far, the most common injury experienced on the field is a torn ACL. Unfortunately, this type of injury can be exceptionally frustrating and difficult to heal. Many patients require surgery and extreme tears can take a player off the field permanently. That makes prophylactic braces especially important for football players.

For casual games, stick with a knee sleeve that features dual straps above and below the knee. Like the others, this type of brace should sit snugly without biting into your leg; if it does, it’s too small.

If you’re already healing from an injury, you may need a 5-point harness brace instead. Its hinges prevent further ACL tears and work to reduce the risk of LCL tears, meniscal tears, and osteoarthritis.

For chronic pain, either due to age or past injuries, mesh structure braces offer all of the aforementioned benefits in addition to a reduction in anterior pain.

If you experience frontal patellar tendinitis, patellofemoral syndrome, and other kneecap-oriented problems, a sleeve brace with additional boning and a pad over the kneecap itself will provide further stability. Though you’ll sacrifice a bit of movement, it’s the best way to reduce further injury in the future.

You only get one set of knees (artificial implants aside). Take care of them! With the right knee brace, you’ll be able to maintain your healthy, fun, and active lifestyle long into later life without injuries and aggravation. Still not sure which brace is best? Have your doctor evaluate your extension and knee stretch to identify whether risk factors for specific conditions exist. Then your pharmacist can help point you in the right direction when picking out a knee brace.