Best Knee Brace Reviews 2018

Our featured knee braces start from around $25 and, depending on their design and manufacturer, can go up to about $100. At the top end of the price range are knee braces that have been designed with specialist orthopedist or joint expertise to offer a balance between support and flexibility for optimum rehabilitation. These designs use high-end, innovative material and make your life easier by adding extra perks like being machine-washable or adjustable.

If your money won’t stretch this far, for a quarter of the price you can still feel safe in the knowledge that the knee brace is good quality. The design still offers a firm position for the knee to realign correctly whilst mending and is made of carefully chosen material that provides therapeutic heat, which can reduce stiffness in the knee.

Even if you are on a tight budget, it is worth parting with the few extra bucks to get knee braces above $20 rather than succumbing to cheap knee braces that could potentially do more harm than good.

If you need a few more pointers before parting with your hard-earned cash, then take a look at the features you should consider before buying your knee brace.

These are the important details to pay attention to whilst shopping:

• Size - Ranging from XSmall to XXXLarge or one-size-fits-most
• Material - GenuTrain woven fabric, latex-free neoprene, breath-o-prene, neoprene, etc.
• Support and Treatment - Joint alignment or stabilization, reduce swelling, pressure or pain, improve sport performance, support and therapeutic heat.
• Product Care - Machine-washable or not
• Comfort - Suitable for exercise, snug fit, can be removed with ease after swelling
• Adjustments - Stretchy material, individual straps, bifurcated straps
Now let’s take a look at each of these features in more detail.

Material

Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that allows the brace to stay flexible even at very low or high temperatures. It can also be latex free, and so shouldn’t cause any irritation or rash for people with allergies. Breath-O-Prene is a patented material that is bought by many companies to create innovative and comfortable designs for the body, such as insoles and rehabilitation exercise mats and obviously joint braces and supports. It’s very popular, thanks to its ability to wick away moisture and its shock-absorbing quality. GenuTrain woven fabric was created by Bauerfeind specifically to offer support and flexibility to their customers when recovering form an injury. It is a soft woven knit material and is meant to feel like an extension of the body so that you aren’t restricted by it. It offers a carefully designed level of compression to help in stabilizing a joint and is breathable as well, so you can exercise and carry on with your normal day-to-day activities.

Support and Treatment

There are many different techniques and methods of dealing with different injuries or issues, so the best thing is to get professional medical advice to ensure you know exactly what you need for your specific problem. Having said that, here are some of the different treatments you can find in knee braces and how they help. Joint alignment is about keeping your knee in the correct position for it to heal, or even to strengthen the joint if it is particularly weak. Often in sports, joints can be twisted or pushed in unnatural ways, and a knee brace can be used as prevention or rehabilitation. This can come in the form of spinal stays, which are secure splints down the side of the leg, stopping it from moving to the side. Stabilization is similar but often concentrated around the patella (a.k.a. the knee cap) and can be on the sides or below and beneath to stop any unnecessary or harmful movement.

When you have sustained an injury to your knee, swelling is a common symptom and can create a lot of discomfort and decreased ability to move. Knee braces that reduce swelling or edema use the correct materials that won’t trap the buildup of fluid around the knee but instead will encourage it to subside. If you need to reduce pressure or you’re on the lookout for something that will improve your sport performance, then the brace needs to have the right shape and design to fit your body well, be able to stay up and remain snug during high-intensity activities.

For a knee brace that concentrates on reducing the pain in the joint, look for braces that can offer therapeutic heat, which will sooth your muscles and aches and pains and give you the freedom to carry on with your everyday life.

Adjustments

A lot of braces have straps that give you the control to adjust the brace to fit your own body. You can choose from straps on the side, below and on top, bifurcated or stretchy material that will mold to different shapes. Choose which positioned straps or material would be best based on your injury, for example, if you have a specific need that requires support on the side, then side straps may be most suitable, however, if it is just general support you need, the stretchy material could do the job best.

Size

Knee braces come in different sizes, usually between XSmall to XXXLarge, so check the size range of the knee brace you are thinking of buying, and carefully look at what the measurements of those sizes are compared to your knee measurements. This is the best way to find one that suits your individual knee. You can also purchase a one-size-fits-most, which is perfectly suitable for the majority of people, but once again, check your knee measurements against the product to ensure it really will fit well and be a help to you, not a hindrance.

Comfort

To be at your optimum comfort level for whatever you have planned in your day, it’s important to be forward thinking about what you will need. If you know that your knee is swelling up or is prone to swelling, ensure that you buy a knee brace that can be taken off around swelling without it being painful. Preferably, once with straps that will open up and come off without any added pressure to the joint. If you need one for exercising, ensure it gives you the range of movement and freedom that you require to play at your potential, as well as the support to reduce the risk of injury. For sport, a snug fit that won’t slip down or move is also important because it can be irritating to constantly have to be readjusting the brace during play.

Product Care

When we are using bandages or braces or support gear in contact with our skin, it’s certainly helpful to know how to wash it, as it will definitely need a clean! A lot of knee braces are machine washable these days, but take a look at the product care before your purchase so you know what to expect.