Knee Brace Recommendation Needed Please...

TripleB

TripleB

Hall of Fame
I'm looking for a medium+ support knee brace to wear while playing.

I'd like something that offers great support, doesn't completely restrict movement, and is affordably priced.

I'll be using it to support my knee that has no cartilage, arthritis, and a meniscus that's torn in two places.

Just looking for something to allow me to play with limited pain until I find a good time to have knee replacement surgery.

Thanks for any and all help!

TripleB
 
Bauerfeinds are good

Another one I like is the Push sports brace https://pushsports.eu/braces/knee-brace

Really depends how bad the knee is and if you just need a simple compression brace or something more substantial with metal supports

If your knee is in really bad shape then a brand like DonJoy is probably something you can take a look at
 
TripleB said:
I'm looking for a medium+ support knee brace to wear while playing.

I'd like something that offers great support, doesn't completely restrict movement, and is affordably priced.

I'll be using it to support my knee that has no cartilage, arthritis, and a meniscus that's torn in two places.

Just looking for something to allow me to play with limited pain until I find a good time to have knee replacement surgery.

Thanks for any and all help!

TripleB
Click to expand...
Because you state you’re not looking for a fix of those underlying issues I can recommend something that helped me deal with knee pain I had related to getting older and overweight. My pain (severe hamstring tendinitis) restricted my ability to run or jump, which contributed to the snowball of even more weight gain.

So, if you’re not pregnant or have an installed pacemaker you can try the Dr. Bakst magnetic knee brace.

The theory behind these braces is to restrict the pain signal reaching your brain by reversing your blood’s polarity. The magnetic diodes (both ceramic and the more effective but expensive neodymium type) are imbedded in a high quality neoprene brace that is fully adjustable with Velcro straps.

Dr. Bakst’s first brace was his own brainchild to overcome back pain that caused him to temporarily retire from his long career as a surgeon. His patients certainly appreciated the brainy doctor figuring out a way to become a pain-free and non-medicated practitioner wielding a scalpel in the OR.

I started wearing his knee brace and began to enjoy daily walking/jogging routines within the first week and was back on the courts a couple weeks later and actually getting some air when hitting overheads and serves. Two months later I had dropped about 20 pounds from my increased physical activity and the tendinitis had totally disappeared. That’s when I retired the brace to the closet but I made sure I could easily access it if I got a recurrence of any type of knee pain. I did break it out for a couple of cooler weather night sessions because of the warmth from the neoprene material. It’s not super bulky either (9.6 ounces) so movement isn’t compromised.

I just checked the Internet and the braces are still available at well under $100 net, a very reasonable price on the Big River site (delivery is a bit slow though).
 
TripleB said:
I'm looking for a medium+ support knee brace to wear while playing.

I'd like something that offers great support, doesn't completely restrict movement, and is affordably priced.

I'll be using it to support my knee that has no cartilage, arthritis, and a meniscus that's torn in two places.

Just looking for something to allow me to play with limited pain until I find a good time to have knee replacement surgery.

Thanks for any and all help!

TripleB
Click to expand...

This is a great video to help you choose the type of knee braces in the market.


I have been recently diagnosed with torn meniscus and patellofemoral syndrome. Eventually decided on a hinged brace with metal support to continue playing tennis. It's bulky and a little restrictive but I feel good that it is protecting my knee from further injury and the fact that I continue playing tennis.
 
Bauerfeind are really excellent and have great customer support . I saw Tommy Haas wearing a bauerfeind knee support once he gave it a thumbs up .
 
socallefty said:
I used the Athledict hinged brace after knee surgery for several months. It is pretty lightweight and not bulky. I moved to fabric braces after I got confident mentally about the state of my knee.
Click to expand...
That’s what I used after knee surgery a few years ago.
 
Update - now I'm in search of a Medium to Maximum support knee brace to wear while playing.

Meniscus torn in two places and osteoarthritis in my right knee. Was considering knee replacement in March but due to the high demand for the surgeon and other commitments, I'm probably going to have to put the surgery off for at least 9 months.

I'll definitely look at the ones mentioned above, but any other maximum support knee braces you'd recommend?

Thank you!

TripleB
 
EggSalad said:
This company makes great support products. I have their patella strap and use it when my knees are bothering me. They have several knee brace options.

www.bauerfeind.com

Bauerfeind Braces, Supports, Socks & Sleeves

Bauerfeind offers premium medical braces, sports supports and sleeves as well as compression socks and insoles for active recovery. Made in Germany.
www.bauerfeind.com www.bauerfeind.com
Click to expand...
@TripleB I have similar issues. This brace is the best one out there. At least I stopped looking once I got some
 
TripleB said:
Thank you!

I'm not sure what the difference (other than $10) is, but I just had ordered this one: Knee Brace

I appreciate your help!

TripleB
Click to expand...
no idea except that the less expensive one is targeted for SPORTS and the more expensive one says its for ARTHRITIS
They kind of look the same though. Good luck.
 
I wore knee braces from about 2000 to 2010 and then did core work for a couple of years and only needed them from time to time. I haven't used a knee brace for several years now. I play tennis and run and it is really nice in not having to need those things. I suspect that using better shoes helps too.

I think that the OP realizes that it's a crutch and that things won't get better with this approach and could get worse. Maybe a knee replacement is a permanent fix.

I just recall hating to use those things.
 
movdqa said:
I wore knee braces from about 2000 to 2010 and then did core work for a couple of years and only needed them from time to time. I haven't used a knee brace for several years now. I play tennis and run and it is really nice in not having to need those things. I suspect that using better shoes helps too.

I think that the OP realizes that it's a crutch and that things won't get better with this approach and could get worse. Maybe a knee replacement is a permanent fix.

I just recall hating to use those things.
Click to expand...
Me too. They suck. But these suck less than the other ones i tried. Also the knee imho is helped by having this added compression and it keeps things warm. Fwiw I was wearing them regularly when playing, but the last time I played I didnt wear them. Wish I had.
I managed to land wrong at 5-4. Never had that happen. Aiming to land on the balls of the toe but landed on the heel. Walked it off, closed out the set to win 6-4. Felt ok. Played a 2nd set and won 6-2. Was ok. Couldnt walk the next day. Havent played since and that was 10/21. Think it might have been different if I had the braces on.
 
movdqa said:
I think that the OP realizes that it's a crutch and that things won't get better with this approach and could get worse. Maybe a knee replacement is a permanent fix.

I just recall hating to use those things.
Click to expand...

You're exactly correct! Knee replacement is definitely going to happen...was hoping for March of this year but the surgeon is in such high demand he doesn't have an opening until May. Unfortunately I have several things already planning in June July and August that I can't miss therefore I'm having to put off the surgery for at least 9 months. The knee brace (and trying acupuncture for the first time next week) are just to try and allow me to make it to surgery with minimal pain.

I do as well!

TripleB
 
Shroud said:
Me too. They suck. But these suck less than the other ones i tried. Also the knee imho is helped by having this added compression and it keeps things warm. Fwiw I was wearing them regularly when playing, but the last time I played I didnt wear them. Wish I had.
I managed to land wrong at 5-4. Never had that happen. Aiming to land on the balls of the toe but landed on the heel. Walked it off, closed out the set to win 6-4. Felt ok. Played a 2nd set and won 6-2. Was ok. Couldnt walk the next day. Havent played since and that was 10/21. Think it might have been different if I had the braces on.
Click to expand...

The running world has changed drastically with regard to shoes. Heel stack heights often run from 35 mm to 42 mm from 30 mm a few years ago. Running shoes are far more comfortable with the new technologies. And if you want to know what it's like to be 1.5 inches taller, this is an easy way to see.

Higher stack heights haven't made it to tennis yet. But imagine what an extra inch or inch and a half would do for your serve.

The idea, though, is that landing on your heels will result in much less shock. The other thing that's common now is a huge platform. This spread impact over a larger area and helps to prevent rolling your ankle.
 
movdqa said:
The running world has changed drastically with regard to shoes. Heel stack heights often run from 35 mm to 42 mm from 30 mm a few years ago. Running shoes are far more comfortable with the new technologies. And if you want to know what it's like to be 1.5 inches taller, this is an easy way to see.

Higher stack heights haven't made it to tennis yet. But imagine what an extra inch or inch and a half would do for your serve.

The idea, though, is that landing on your heels will result in much less shock. The other thing that's common now is a huge platform. This spread impact over a larger area and helps to prevent rolling your ankle.
Click to expand...
weird man. I saw a thing from xero shoes where it pushes no cushion and saying that is how the foot works and the cushioning shoes are unnatural. They talk about building up calf muscles and parts of the foot that are affected from the cushioning.

This is their blurb:

xeroshoes.com

Are Barefoot Shoes Good for Flat Feet or High Arch? Yes! - Xero Shoes

For different foot arch types including high arch and flat feet, barefoot shoes are a great choice. Here’s why.
xeroshoes.com xeroshoes.com
 
Shroud said:
weird man. I saw a thing from xero shoes where it pushes no cushion and saying that is how the foot works and the cushioning shoes are unnatural. They talk about building up calf muscles and parts of the foot that are affected from the cushioning.

This is their blurb:

xeroshoes.com

Are Barefoot Shoes Good for Flat Feet or High Arch? Yes! - Xero Shoes

For different foot arch types including high arch and flat feet, barefoot shoes are a great choice. Here’s why.
xeroshoes.com xeroshoes.com
Click to expand...

Ehud Kipchoge is the only human in recorded history to have run a sub-2 hour marathon. He runs in the Nike Alphafly Next, a carbon-plated running shoe with 39 mm of stack height in the heel.

I follow several runners on their YouTube channels and these are folks that run 8-30 miles per day. I would take their recommendations over a company that I've never heard of before and one that isn't in my running shoe Reddit. Hoka led the way in the 1990s and went up against the barefoot shoe fad and it's pretty clear that max cushion won. My personal experience is that there is far less injury risk with cushioning up to a certain level. High stack shoes aren't necessarily all cushion as well. Some are high-stack energy return shoes or bouncy while others are like wearing big marshmellows.

There is a purely physical advantage to high stack-height for running in that it makes your legs effective longer so your stride is longer. I think that shoes over 40 or 41 mm aren't legal for races because they provide too much of a height advantage.
 
movdqa said:
Ehud Kipchoge is the only human in recorded history to have run a sub-2 hour marathon. He runs in the Nike Alphafly Next, a carbon-plated running shoe with 39 mm of stack height in the heel.

I follow several runners on their YouTube channels and these are folks that run 8-30 miles per day. I would take their recommendations over a company that I've never heard of before and one that isn't in my running shoe Reddit. Hoka led the way in the 1990s and went up against the barefoot shoe fad and it's pretty clear that max cushion won. My personal experience is that there is far less injury risk with cushioning up to a certain level. High stack shoes aren't necessarily all cushion as well. Some are high-stack energy return shoes or bouncy while others are like wearing big marshmellows.

There is a purely physical advantage to high stack-height for running in that it makes your legs effective longer so your stride is longer. I think that shoes over 40 or 41 mm aren't legal for races because they provide too much of a height advantage.
Click to expand...
well I was talking more about injury than speed. The idea is that your leg has its own shock absorbers and that the normal shoes mess that up. Lemme get my time machine and get the Greek guy who ran the 1st marathon (guessing it was in sandals) and we can see how he does.
 
Shroud said:
well I was talking more about injury than speed. The idea is that your leg has its own shock absorbers and that the normal shoes mess that up. Lemme get my time machine and get the Greek guy who ran the 1st marathon (guessing it was in sandals) and we can see how he does.
Click to expand...

This debate was about 15 years ago and minimalist shoes lost.

But here's more current research:

This article provides updated information comparing minimalist running shoes (MRS) to conventional running shoes (CRS). Our previous review found that, compared with running in CRS, transitioning to MRS resulted in lower energy cost and less ground contact occurring at the forefoot, resulting in lower impact forces. There was some increased risk of injury with MRS, although data were conflicting. A more recent 26-week study involved 30 trained runners using CRS and 31 using MRS. The proportion of training time in the assigned shoes increased by 5% each week. After the first 6 weeks of transition (35% of training time in the assigned shoe), energy cost was lower and 5-km running time faster in MRS compared with CRS. No further improvement occurred from weeks 6 to 26. There were no significant differences in injury incidence in the two groups (CRS = 37%, MRS = 52%; p = .24). Running-related pain was higher in the MRS group in the knee, shin, calf, and ankle and increased at these locations as running mileage increased. Risk of injury in MRS increased as participant body weight increased. These more recent data suggest that MRS can improve performance, but most runners should limit running in MRS to 35% of training time and in situations where optimal performance is desired (e.g., races, fitness tests).

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Update on Minimalist Running Shoes - PubMed

This article provides updated information comparing minimalist running shoes (MRS) to conventional running shoes (CRS). Our previous review found that, compared with running in CRS, transitioning to MRS resulted in lower energy cost and less ground contact occurring at the forefoot, resulting in...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
movdqa said:
This debate was about 15 years ago and minimalist shoes lost.

But here's more current research:

This article provides updated information comparing minimalist running shoes (MRS) to conventional running shoes (CRS). Our previous review found that, compared with running in CRS, transitioning to MRS resulted in lower energy cost and less ground contact occurring at the forefoot, resulting in lower impact forces. There was some increased risk of injury with MRS, although data were conflicting. A more recent 26-week study involved 30 trained runners using CRS and 31 using MRS. The proportion of training time in the assigned shoes increased by 5% each week. After the first 6 weeks of transition (35% of training time in the assigned shoe), energy cost was lower and 5-km running time faster in MRS compared with CRS. No further improvement occurred from weeks 6 to 26. There were no significant differences in injury incidence in the two groups (CRS = 37%, MRS = 52%; p = .24). Running-related pain was higher in the MRS group in the knee, shin, calf, and ankle and increased at these locations as running mileage increased. Risk of injury in MRS increased as participant body weight increased. These more recent data suggest that MRS can improve performance, but most runners should limit running in MRS to 35% of training time and in situations where optimal performance is desired (e.g., races, fitness tests).

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Update on Minimalist Running Shoes - PubMed

This article provides updated information comparing minimalist running shoes (MRS) to conventional running shoes (CRS). Our previous review found that, compared with running in CRS, transitioning to MRS resulted in lower energy cost and less ground contact occurring at the forefoot, resulting in...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Click to expand...
cool man. Nice study. would be nice if there were runners who had always run in MRS shoes. Seems like they start off at a disadvantage. Its like when someone is given a cauliflower crust. If they grew up with cauliflower crusts the "normal" crust would be weird. Guessing running is kind of the same....
 
Shroud said:
cool man. Nice study. would be nice if there were runners who had always run in MRS shoes. Seems like they start off at a disadvantage. Its like when someone is given a cauliflower crust. If they grew up with cauliflower crusts the "normal" crust would be weird. Guessing running is kind of the same....
Click to expand...

I'd rather run in what works than debate something that experimentally has been rejected. If it works for you, great. Use what works for you.

As for the strike debate. I can run forefoot, midfoot or heel strike. I can even run mixed strike. If you want to distribute the load, then mix up the strikes. I just find that you don't need to with cushioned shoes these days. We take modern technology for granted; take the win and use the technology.
 
Dick's Sporting Goods sells the Shock Doctor line of braces. I use the knee support with dual hinges (#872). I don't notice it while playing, it doesn't slow me down and is very comfortable. There are usually several sizes on the shelf so you can test for size before you buy. Level 3 is a little more than I need but I know I won't irritate the knee any further while playing. I believe more is better IF it does not detract from the quality of play.
 
movdqa said:
I'd rather run in what works than debate something that experimentally has been rejected. If it works for you, great. Use what works for you.

As for the strike debate. I can run forefoot, midfoot or heel strike. I can even run mixed strike. If you want to distribute the load, then mix up the strikes. I just find that you don't need to with cushioned shoes these days. We take modern technology for granted; take the win and use the technology.
Click to expand...
Fwiw I am not debating striking. I just tried to explain how my injury happened.
 
Wait!
Are you expecting a ONE SHOT deal to achieve perfection?
Ain't gonna happen!
Even I have THREE ankle braces. I use none.
Every human is different, every I jury is different.
No such thing as a ONE FITS ALL.
 
TripleB said:
Update - now I'm in search of a Medium to Maximum support knee brace to wear while playing.

Meniscus torn in two places and osteoarthritis in my right knee. Was considering knee replacement in March but due to the high demand for the surgeon and other commitments, I'm probably going to have to put the surgery off for at least 9 months.

I'll definitely look at the ones mentioned above, but any other maximum support knee braces you'd recommend?

Thank you!

TripleB
Click to expand...


donjoy-performance-bionic-fullstop-knee-brace-mens


Donjoy Bionic Fullstop ACL Brace - Approx $250 - get the one with the 2 straps up and 2 straps down if you are going to get this one.

I've been using this after a slew of first sub $50, then sub $100 braces.

Even used a doctor prescribed unit for some time. Then went straight to this and found it really supportive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
TripleB said:
I'm looking for a medium+ support knee brace to wear while playing.

I'd like something that offers great support, doesn't completely restrict movement, and is affordably priced.

I'll be using it to support my knee that has no cartilage, arthritis, and a meniscus that's torn in two places.

Just looking for something to allow me to play with limited pain until I find a good time to have knee replacement surgery.

Thanks for any and all help!

TripleB
Click to expand...
If you have no cartilage and thus are a candidate for a knee replacement, you need an "offloading" brace which are prescription (by my understanding) and are typically custom fit.
 
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