The chaffing will be HORRIBLE no matter what you choose (unless it's a brace with a sleeve underneath it). I use KT tape for my knee issues (knee cap likes to randomly dislocate), but tried a brace and the chaffing/fit (as your leg swells from use) it is a constant painful battle and not worth it.

I have knee pain from and ACL and Medial tear and after after surgery its never been the same. Instead of putting up with the pain (and wanting to avoid arthroscopy) i recently got this Bauerfeind Sports Knee Support and after about 40km's its felt better. I'm doing Canada 70.3 this weekend so i'll give it a better try out....but so far so good.

same here... might have to try that one..

I have Ossur unloader one lite (little bit hot to run in.. semi-bulky too) I also have a Donjoy reaction web knee brace which is the one I use most of the time.. lighter and sleeved.

This is a very individual thing, the good news is that many knee braces or sleeves are relatively inexpensive. Search Amazon for compression knee sleeves to get an idea of the variety. I had good luck with the Ace brace, and the compression sleeves with the patella support. For a little support I will just use a compression sleeve. No issues with chaffing or discomfort. If they don’t work out for you then you didn’t have to spend a lot to find out.

I use ktape; it really surprised me at how effectively it relieves my knee issues, which are very similar to yours, and I am 58. recently, I discovered 2xu capri tights, which are long enough to supply knee support. I can run pain-free in those, without ktape. try 'em; I paid 39$ for them on amazon.

The McDavid sleeve (100% neoprene) worked well for me.

I bought THIS ONE last year when I jacked up my knee mountain biking. It worked well but would eventually slip down during longer activities unless I wore it under tights. Years ago I had a neoprene one with velcro straps that I used following ACL/meniscus surgery. It stayed in place better but wasn't as supportive as the compression sleeve one.

I will get one of them knee sleeves and see how it goes.

I tried the KT Tape this morning (on my commute to work on the bike). The knee felt definitely different (and better I think). Will see how the rest of the day goes.

I've worn braces made by ProTec (most running stores carry this), and they've generally worked well enough for both running and cycling. When the issue was really bad, I used KT Tape in conjunction with the brace

I have a Don Joy Daifiance III that was custom made for me. It is an unloader brace so it puts more pressure on the inside of the knee as my my Osteoarthritis is on the Lateral side. Which then opens that side of the joint so you don’t get bone on bone.

It’s a good brace but takes time to put it on. I can’t ride with it because it’s wider on the inside than the outside. Hits the top tube of the bike. If your Osteoarthritis is on the medial side it would work fine and you could swim, ride and run with it. Have a buddy that does.

It’s an option but not cheap.

I have both of those things and not a whole lot of cartilage left after two surgeries (ACL reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft and partial medial meniscectomy 2002 and a little meniscus "cleanup" in 2017). What has absolutely helped me the most has been powerlifting- deadlifts, all forms of squats- and also general weight work- farmer's carries, split squats, any form of weighted lunges. My knee does get sore on occasion but it's recovered after a day. Occasionally I get a little swelling. I've not considered a brace- but not for any real hard reason, more that I am suspicious for my own stride of changing it and incurring a wrath from some other joint, LOL... Kinesiotape can definitely be helpful- best to find someone trained in it or find good instructions for putting it on, because it certainly does affect how you are using the muscles around the joint, or rather, the connective tissue. It's probably good to avoid surgery, if your doc is ok with it ( I am not dispensing medical anything), just to avoid irritation of the joint. The fewer surgeries the better. Often the outcome with conservative treatment is the same as with surgery, or better. I had swelling that wouldn't subside and my knee was locking up, hence that second surgery. Had I only had a day or two of swelling and not felt the locking up sensation happening, I would have opted for conservative measures. If it is available to you to check in with a PT, maybe get a simple strength program and a little hands on work and a look at the rest of your patterns (how're ya walking? Turned out? Most of us are and shouldn't be...but it's super-variable and individual)....

i use a neoprene sleeve for skiing... but it's mostly for warm and reduce fatigue (an a little bite of a placebo)

May work for short distance running.

But anything that is design to structurally stop you knee from bending in the wrong direction will be very uncomfortable to run with.

Could anyone could help me figure out which support I should get for a Triathlon?

I have been training for the past few months and this unfortunately lead to me picking up an injury. The pain isn't bad but my knee has been feeling quite weak, especially when bed it so it seems like its's just a strain or overuse.

I was going to get just a plain sleeve but there's so many options out there since I last had to buy one. I see some of the knee sleeves even resemble knee braces now and have a pad and what looks like a plastic hinge; like this.

My question is, would these restrict my mobility too much when cycling or should I go for something a bit more sturdy than a plain old slip-on knee sleeve?

Any brace that inhibits motion will probably be uncomfortable to run in and unnecessary on level ground. Soft knee braces are for comfort only, and are at least slightly less uncomfortable. If your knee feels unstable (laterally) when you're walking or standing maybe a hinged brace would help, but I don't think it'll help to run in. (Try it anyway, of course...)

People with full-on functional knee braces for ACL injuries we tell "use it when you're cutting back and forth, but it's not necessary when running/cycling in a straight line."

The soft braces have subtle functions by design. The donut around your knee cap is to lessen chondromalacia, but isn't going to do much if patella tracking isn't a problem for you. I see people run in patella straps (the thin band just under the knee cap) all the time, but it is very specifically to treat patella tendonitis, not much else.

The basic knee sleeve makes a lot of people more comfortable. The compression feels good, despite not inhibiting motion the way hinges and stays can. Some have a cut out knee cap or a cut out section behind the knee (so it doesn't bunch up as much), but that doesn't do much. Knee sleeves can be woven, especially if you run hot anyway, but the classic is neoprene because it keeps the knee very warm. That warmth seems to make everyone feel better, even folks with arthritis.

One thing with knee sleeves is that some of the cheaper models are not very long. That can be an issue, because a longer knee sleeve will let you dial in the fit: since our legs and the knee sleeves are both cone shaped, the higher you pull a given size, the tighter it feels. That's essential to keeping the knee sleeve in place and kind of nice for trying more or less compression.

We fit a lot of these Breg "Knee Supports," and people seem to love them.

Try some rehab work.

A lot of Wallsits, some very light - high rep partial leg extensions (dont lock out and dont come all the way down) and work this little muscle called the Glute Medius with some band walks and abductions

Thank you!

I use a Ace soft knee support when speedskating. a Ace adj. hinged knee brace when downhill skiing. But none when running.

---

Kevin

dalava wrote:

I recently tweaked my knee during a trail run. MRI shows medial meniscus tear. In addition, I also got some knee osteoarthritis. Even though surgery is an option, I am very much inclined to live with it, given my age (57). I would like to continue to run (without the same mileage, and staying away from the trails), and was told by some that a knee brace would help a lot. Does anyone have any experience with any particular brand that you would recommend?

I use the Donjoy OA Nano offloader knee brace.

https://www.djoglobal.com/products/donjoy/oa-nano


I'm a 59 yr old male, and my MRI last spring showed some significant degeneration of cartilage in the medial compartment of my left knee, along with "moderately complex" tearing in the meniscus. Running gait analysis that I had done last year showed knee varus in both legs (but more pronounced on left side). That gait anomaly tends to place extra load on the medial compartments of my knee.


I'm working with a sports med PT on a program to correct my gait and to strengthen the muscles that support my knee joint (surprise, surprise, I had weak glutes...). In addition to that, I use the Offloader brace in my run training to provide additional support for my knee. Video analysis of my gait with the brace on showed that it significantly reduced my level of varus while running. In addition, there is a mental aspect for me to wearing the brace. I find that I "guard" less in my run gait on that side with the brace on, because I feel more confident in the supporting structure the brace provides around the knee.


Lest there be any doubt, it's definitely a big bulky structure around the knee. All in all, I'd rather not be wearing it. It's taken me a bit to get the fit dialed in -- in the tightness of the straps, the precise location of the brace on my leg, and the level of force that the brace exerts from the lateral side of my knee. Had some chafing at first, but no issues since I started wearing a simple sleeve underneath it. So far, haven't had any slipping issues with the brace over the sleeve.


Did a 10K training run earlier today with the brace on, and my knee feels much better right now that it did after such a distance before I started using the brace. I wear the brace on almost all my training runs, but I do my races without it (as that's a small portion of the total mileage I'm putting in on it). YMMV.


Michael

Just wanted to say be careful if you decide to get an Unloader brace, I had one specifically fitted for my knee by Kerlan and Jobe after I had knee microfracture surgery they are an excellent sports medical facility in LA.

The brace has to be very tight fitting for when you try to run or walk using it. Trouble was the brace damaged a vein at the back of my knee which then caused a massive blood clot in my leg which then went to a very bad bilateral pulmonary embolism which then caused the doc to install an IVC filter which then ruptured in the IVC and it was all downhill from there, so just be aware of something so simple like a brace on ones knee can change one’s life forever as it did for me, I am sure there are plenty of people who wear them never have any issues but I just wanted to mention how something like that brace changed my life forever. Cheers LA Rob

Also, it's possible to buy an unloader online, but not advisable until you've had x-rays/MRI -- it's a crapshoot without proper imagery.

ACL, meniscus, and knee osteoarthritis here. A brace or sleeve can help alleviate symptoms, but not fix the problem. I’ll second the advice of strength training. Strengthening the knee will help rehab and prevent other injuries. Initially I did lower reps in the 5-6 range because higher reps would irritate the arthritis in my knee. It took me years, but I would say I’m back to normal and not inhibited in any way during my exercise.

KTape works very well, especially as you learn to tweak the tension when applying the strips. also, as previously mentioned, 2xu capri tights are game-changers. look at the 2xu outlet site for sales, and buy a couple. those babies work, and they look good, I get lots of compliments. - I assume they are not in jest.

What actually does a brace do?

Likely increases position sense signals to brain, and maybe discourages or prevents certain movements of the knee?

I wonder whether a program of physical training could achieve the same (and future proof your knee)

Thanks for your reply, very informative and just the answer I was looking for. Just to clarify - A knee brace or anything with extra support/padding is a no-go because it's too restrictive so I should look for a plain compression knee sleeve like these? or do they need to be a specific compression level?

Also are there any benefits of going for specific brands, I've heard of Donjoy before which is what someone else mentioned on here but does that specific brand that you mentioned (I think it was Breg but correct me if I'm wrong) offer any benefits or is it just a good quality support?

Donjoy, Breg, and other big names are more consistent in quality, but you pay more too.
The simplest brace is often the cheapest and easiest to tolerate, but patients swear by whatever they're used to and just happens to fit.
The knee sleeve you linked to seems to have a buttress around the patella. That may not bother you, but it's specifically for patella-femoral tracking issues, so it's not necessary and may limit the versatility of the brace's fit.
If you could, it would be nice to go somewhere and try on several braces. The Scheels website lists 15 different braces. My local Scheels carries 8 in stock. That's probably the best way to dial in the size, and a lot of people can hobble around a room for 5 minutes and decide whether they think a brace will help. Or you could go all in and talk to a PT or Ortho practice...