And there's nothing wrong with the braces with stays and hinges. They're just bulkier, so less likely to be comfortable, fit under clothes, and/or allow full range of motion. (Smack that thing with your other leg and you'll have two bad knees. Or maybe you're a little bowlegged and that will never be an issue.)

We give out a lot of hinged braces for meniscus issues. They help a lot if lateral stability is an issue, but running in a straight path? Or cycling? Not so much.

Take it from a 62-year-old who ran many miles in various knee braces and now has an artificial knee, if you need a knee brace to run, perhaps you should rest your knee or find a replacement activity. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, a fool insists on learning from his own. I was, and still am, a fool. I am now “running” with an artificial knee. Good luck.