As per recent National Health Interview survey, 30% of U.S population (mostly adults) suffers from some kind of knee pain. Handling pain and weakness caused by meniscus tear is not easy.
[amazon bestseller=”Knee Braces For Meniscus Injuries” items=”5″ template=”table” tracking_id=”meniscinjur-20″]
It even interrupts in performing simple everyday chores. Generally with rest, ice packs and drugs, you can ease the symptoms to a large extent. However they don’t provide any support to the healing process. That is why doctors recommend wearing knees braces.
The braces for meniscus injuries stabilize the knee (by providing right amount of compression), limit the range of motions, speed up the healing process and prevent further damage.
But it is not easy to find out the right knee brace with the varied range of knee braces and sizes available in the market. To help you out choose the right one, our experts have gathered information like how to select the right size and other factors in our buying guide.
Moving a step ahead, our experts have researched, tested and picked up best knee braces for meniscus tears so that you can spend less time in searching and more time in recovering.
| Knee Braces | Type | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
| Bauerfeind GenuTrain | Sleeve | Check the Price |
| Winzone Knee | Brace | Check the Price |
| EXOUS Knee Brace | Brace | Check the Price |
| Ultra-Flex Athletics | Sleeve | Check the Price |
| 5. Bracoo | Brace | Check the Price |
| Shock Doctor Ultra | Brace | Check the Price |
| TechWare Pro | Brace | Check the Price |
This device is designed and developed by one of the leading medical device manufacturer’s – Bauerfeind. They are known for their durable and comfortable elastic braces.
This product is a contoured knit support which is stretched spiral sides and completely breathable. The special knitting technique provides ultimate support to the knees and comfort to wear. For its high-grade elastic knit, it is best suited for chondromalcia, arthritis and tendonitis.
A circular viscoelastic (while looks similar to donut) surrounds the knee cap when you wear it. This helps to correct the patella position which prevents tracking and instability. It also redistributes the pressure from the knee to surrounding soft tissue, reduces swelling as well as inflammation.
People who play Golf and Tennis prefer this product as it doesn’t interfere with flexibility and mobility. It is available in different colors: titanium, black and nature colors. It comes in 7 different sizes so you can use the right fit among them. It can be used on either left or right leg.
Positives:
Negatives:
This product is known for its knee support suitable for people who play sports on a daily basis. It is well known for its flexibility, durability, comfort and protection.
Being made from highest quality and genuine materials, you will yield right amount of thickness and support. It easily wraps around the knee and provides an opening for patella which allows some movement making it a lot easy to walk around.
Compared to other knee braces available in the market, it doesn’t contain any unnecessary extra paddings and side hinges. It increases the blood flow, thus providing oxygen to the damaged knee. This speeds up the recovery and repair.
The straps available with the brace hold strongly which ensures that there will no slippage. This will help you perform the activities without any interruption. Additionally, it will improve the productivity and balance in the work and play.
Neoprene materials are used for making this product which will retain the heat on the sore knee. While other brands accept over 20 inches of knee circumference, this brace will fit 12.4 – 21.7 inches of knee circumference.
Positives:
Negatives:
EXOUS is known to provide unique stability support and complete compression for the knees and surrounding muscles. It has customizable super secure attachments which are best in class attachments.
This brace is very easy to use, comfortable to wear and effective in relieving the pain. It fits perfectly to the shape of the knee to provide patella protection and stabilization. As it has a non-slip design, it perfectly fits around the kneed without slipping off.
Its patented knee cap is specially designed to reduce the inflammation which will re-align the patella tendon. This is the reason why most of the people love buying this product.
Positives:
Negatives:
This product is renowned as one of the best in the market mainly because of its key features that include ultra-lightweight, 4 way stretch capability and double silicon anti-slip wave.
It is helpful in providing moderate support, reducing inflammation, relieve pain, stimulating blood flow, support active recovery and prevents injury. This sleeve is suitable for children, women and men alike. You can purchase them in a various sizes: small, medium and large.
The optimal compression of it will improve muscular endurance and fastens recovery process. The 4 way stretch material and double silicone anti-slip wave features are the reason why this product stands out. Only high quality and premium materials are used for making the sleeve so that it doesn’t slip down in the midst workout or any activity.
Positives:
Negatives:
This product is an all-in-one purpose brace which helps in relieving joint pain, tendinitis, arthritis, knee cap instability and others. Neoprene-blend materials are used for making this product and it also features perforated vents which will keep you cool during the extended periods of wearing it.
The knee cap support is great for providing relief from patellar instability. The three-strap attachment system places the brace in proper place and provides excellent support. The open patella design secures the knee cap and keep it in place.
Its superior quality makes sure the knee cap doesn’t deviate to any unnatural position and slips off. As it has functional construction, it is capable of protecting the ACL, PCL, NCL against injuries caused due to heavy usage and intense exercises.
Positives:
Negatives:
If you want your knees to stay supported throughout any activity then purchase Shock Doctor Ultra support. Its bilateral hinges will provide protection and stability as you move and take every step. It helps out be ahead of the game.
Its anatomical pre-curved design will provide stability, comfortability and proper fitting. The four-way stretch Lycra mesh at the back of knee will keep it comfortable, dry and cool. The X-fit strap will provide additional stability by wrapping around the leg using a strap. It overlaps the hinge in order to maximize the stability during the flex.
The air flow vented neoprene will keep the moisture out and promotes therapeutic warmth as well as healing. The tempered aluminum provides extra knee stability. The finger tabs will provide easy grip while pulling or fitting the brace.
Positives:
Negatives:
This is one of the highly rated open-patella braces available in the market. It is surprisingly light in weight, comfortable and portable. It is highly regarded for its superior knee support.
Unlike many other braces, this product has alternating Velcro straps and 4 spring stabilizers which ensure proper knee support uniformly. This support levels makes your knee feel stable and pin free while walking, standing, driving or playing any sport.
It helps the ligaments and meniscus damage to recover faster. The inclusion provides good knee cap stability. Neoprene material is used for breathability which ensure there is no moisture build up. So, you can wear it for an extended period of time comfortably.
Though it may not have a fancy appearance, its performance is highly regarded. Its directional support is the main feature that makes it stand out from the crowd. The tightness can be adjusted as per convenience for perfect support. You can use it either on left or right knee.
Positives:
Negatives:
If you are confused which one to choose then this buying guide will be of a great help. After reading it, you will make an informed decision when it’s time to make the purchase.
Basic rule: knee braces is recommended for knee injury recovery while knee sleeves offer best knee support. Sleeves are flexible while braces are rigid or restrictive. Sleeves are best suited for athletes as it compresses the knee which keeps it limber and warm. A good compression is helpful in reducing swelling after an intense exercise. Knee sleeves are also helpful for people suffering from arthritis.
There are 5 types of knee braces: hinged, compression, wrap arounds, bands and custom knee braces. Below, is a detailed description of each…
Usually, neoprene or Velcro are used for making knee braces. Neoprene is also known as synthetic rubber. It doesn’t easily stretch out or keep its shape. However, some people don’t like the smell. Neoprene is best suited for people who are recovering from serious injury or had a major knee surgery.
Velcro is very easy to adjust and stays in place when you move. However, they tend to wear out very quickly. Strapless ones tend to last longer but you have to try them before purchasing it. If knee brace or sleeve doesn’t fit then it will not be any good.
Some of the knee braces have copper lined which help you prevent injury, enhance blood circulation and reduce recovery time after injury. However, there are not clinical studies that support the statement. Copper lined knee braces are much expensive than others.
While checking the fabric of the product, make sure it doesn’t smell odd. Some fabrics stretch out quickly with regular wear and tear, so make sure the quality is high.
If the knee brace is too small then it is worsen the injury. And if it is too loose then it doesn’t help you out. Wondering how to choose the right size for a knee brace? Read below for clear guidance…
Measure the circumference around your leg in two areas: 6” inches above middle of knee cap and 6” inches below the knee cap.
Things to note for correct measurements:
| Above Measurement | Below Measurement | Size |
|---|---|---|
| 16” – 18” | 11” – 12” | S |
| 18” – 19” | 13” – 14” | M |
| 19” – 22” | 15” – 16” | L |
| 22” – 24” | 17” – 18” | XL |
| 24” – 26” | 19” – 20” | 2XL |
| 26” – 28” | 21” – 22” | 3XL |
| 28” – 30” | 23” – 24” | 4XL |
Knee strap or knee braces are best suited for minor injury, arthritis and daily support for sports. If the injury is serious then you will have to go with something that is heavy duty.
In order to know this, you have to estimate how much moving you will do while wearing it. The thumb rule for it is: “The sturdier the brace is, the less flexible it will be.” If you move a lot then go with flexibility. If you don’t move a lot then go with sturdier one.
With knee brace for meniscus injuries, you can get back on your feet almost instantly. It helps in providing the rest and full recovery to your injured knee. All the products mentioned above in the list are perfect for your knee but as per our editor, the first priority goes to “1. Bauerfeind GenuTrain Knee Support”. We are sure that it will provide the support you deserve.
We hope the information in this article has guided you enough. However, if you still have queries, write to us in the comments section below. We are happy to clarify them as soon as possible.