Knee Support Guide

Here at KneeSupport.org.uk we have brought together a number of different types of knee supports that are suitable for sports, recovery as well as injury prevention.

Please note that before purchasing any of the supports, straps or braces listed here, we recommend that you consult with a doctor. While many of these supports are designed for sporting purposes, depending on the stage or type of injury, partaking in certain sports may not be recommended.

Additionally if you are recovering from a recent knee injury a doctor can accurately advise on which type of support is ideal for your situation.

When To Use Knee Supports

Two of the main purposes of a knee support are the prevention of physical injury and to aid recuperation after an injury has already been sustained. Some example scenarios of when a knee support may be used include:

• To restart playing a particular sport once the injury has recovered significantly enough to participate - the extra support can serve as a precautionary measure while the knee joint area regains strength while simultaneously reinforcing the body's natural mechanics
• After surgery it may take some time for full strength to return so a hinged knee brace can assist the wearer in becoming mobile again before their body is completely healed
• If a certain job puts unusual strain on the joint and the person wants to ensure that no injury is sustained
• Used in conjunction with hot or cold treatments to alleviate pain or tissue damage to the knee region

To some people, the idea of resuming a sporting activity with the use of any type of knee brace could seem ill-advised and asking for trouble - if the body requires assistance then perhaps it is not ready.

In reality though virtually every type of injury requires a period of rehabilitation to gradually build up the strength to pre-injury levels. This process will typically be controlled by a medical professional and performed gradually with a controlled inclination of intensity so as not to overload the affected area.

Even after the knee and its surrounding area feels back to normal again, containing with a knee brace is a sensible method of preventing any setbacks caused by the knee not reaching a suitable level of recovery.

As previously stated, if you have suffered from a knee related injury and are looking at restarting a particular sport or physical activity, we recommend that you consult with either a doctor or physio who will be able to professionally assess your situation as well as outlining a suitable program for recovery.

The following sections explain the main types of supports and briefly explains the common usages and functions of each.

Knee Braces, Straps And Other Support Types

There are quite a number of different knee support types available and each category is designed for a specialised situation. In addition to the form of the support there are a number of features than can be found across each category type. Some of the typical features and styles found include:

• Open knee supports
• Closed knee supports
• Hinged support
• Steel reinforced
• Knee straps
• Knee brace type
• Neoprene supports
• Sized from small to large
• Adjustable at either the upper or lower sections

With these devices there is a close correlation between the level of support provided and the range of available movement achievable.

For the more active sports like football for example, which require constant and rapid changes of direction achieved via the knees and legs, a strongly supportive hinged knee support is not a feasible option. The support design ensures that movement within the knee joint is heavily restricted to a backwards and forwards motion with little to no give to the sides.

Where a greater range of movement is required the level of support provided will naturally be reduced, so use of such a model requires the knee joint area to be at a certain level of good health.

Neoprene knee supports are the most frequently found material as they can offer a level of breathable cushioning as well as additional comfort when worn for an extended period of time. Some supports are more suited to machine washing, so if to be worn during a potentially messy sport such as football or rugby it can be freshened up for the next game.