Do Knee Braces Work for Runners?

I’ve had a bit of a nagging knee issue lately. I think it might be a patellar tendonitis caused by a muscle weakness and/or sleepy glutes. So, as I'm trying to self rehab some of those muscle issues, I decided I'd try a couple of different styles of knee braces to see if they helped at all.
0:00 intro
0:44 disclosures
1:20 my knee
2:52 patellar sleeve
4:04 patellar strap
5:30 knee brace
6:52 does it work?
OS1st Pateller Sleeve amzn.to/3lKIHBt
Patellar Strap amzn.to/2GKaQtz
Knee Brace amzn.to/3nLcQSP
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[@SethJamesDeMoor]

that shirt tho... knee brace did not work for me 9 months ago, but I had a pretty severe case of runner's knee and looks like you're still holding up well.... PT helped me so much. Went from knife pain 8/10 to 2/10 on pain scale in about 3 weeks with PT help cheers Mike, onward you go

[@onechanceonemistake8125]

Damn i need your physical therapist ive been going for a month now and my knees still hurt so much.

[@nyuu444]

@Jim Browski what do you mean by rolling your leg?

[@steo198328]

Do you have a list of the exercises/rehabyou did

[@eduardohernandez817]

I used the same knee brace with the lateral support after ACL reconstruction surgery. I found it helpful in reducing knee pain but more importantly feeling secure as I started running. Perhaps it was more of a placebo effect but it worked for me. Definitely runs hot and I found it slipping and annoying as I got faster. After about a year and a half from surgery I switched to compression tights again to feel secure until I felt I no longer needed them. Again, I’m not sure how well they work from a “physical” perspective but mentally I was happy with the purchase and would recommend people try it out if they have knee issues.

[@scottramey5007]

I had some knee pain early last year. I wore one of those straps and liked it. I ended up going to a PT who specializes in running and expecting to hear not to run. She had me keep running but doing exercises morning, evening and in the middle of the run. She also said the brace was more for my sense of comfort and really did t do anything except for giving my brain peace of mind. 🤷‍♂️ pain went away and brace is no more! I hope your issues subside and you can get back to fully enjoying your runs.

[@levandmarthapolyakin-aaron2183]

Mike, are you icing your knee? That’s the first thing I do if I have pain anywhere that’s not simple soreness from a workout. It’s pretty universally advised for inflammation but should’ve been done in the earliest stages, ideally. I still think you should rest for at least a couple of weeks and continue to concentrate on the strengthening during that time. Like someone else here said, we'll all be here for you, and it’s more important that your running career not get cut short by exacerbating a persistent injury.

[@el_arte]

No, they don't. The only thing they do is encourage you to continue running when you should address a muscle imbalance issue.

[@kofuzi]

I’m thinking that, for me, they might be an interim solution, to be used in conjunction with leg strengthening

[@dj3393]

Thank you so much for these product reviews. It helped me make decisions.

[@kofuzi]

Thanks for watching!

[@TalkativeMime1]

Totally agree. As a general rule I would stray away from braces unless a medical provider suggested it. The majority of pts don’t need them and braces are generally indicated with acute injuries to stabilize but wearing too long can cause problems. (2nd year SPT so just my clinical opinion)

[@scriptosaurusrex]

I had a knees injury years back, granted it wasn't around my patella, but both my physician and the physio I was referred to told me that knee braces don't really do much. The main purpose they serve is to remind you to not over do things and remain cautious.

[@jamesphillips6897]

It sounds like you just need to take a break for a few weeks for that nagging injury to heal. I know that’s not ideal for a lot of reasons but we’ll all be here when you get back to making running videos. You make great content

[@pibworth]

+1, take a few weeks off, do a little light cycling or walking, planks etc.

[@engus13]

I run in A CEP knee sleeve similar to the sleeve you covered in your video. I have run in it for over 5 years for 99% of my runs including a couple marathons. I used to get pain in my left knee once I reached a certain weekly volume. I have some structural issues with my knee including a very minor partial PCS tear. I have not had any issues with knee pain using the brace.

[@nosoup9146]

I had the same symptoms you're having and I tried everything. And when I went to another doctor he asked me to do a vitamin D test. And the results came back I had severe vitamin D deficiency. I took a full course of vitamin D and now I feel really good. I wish you well and good luck champ cheers.

[@cesardanielperezcazarez6725]

Hey, Man! I had some knee issues, including tendinitis. Tried all kind of braces and googled remedies. Nothing worked better than going to the phisio. Got some strength training prescribed as rehab, and the knee hasn’t bothered me since then. I would stop experimenting and go to a health professional if I were you. Good luck!

[@philortman8139]

Man, good luck. I've been dealing with patellar tendonitis for a full year now and of everything that I've tried, straps and braces have helped the least. Single-leg stability and hip strength exercises paired with foam rolling the quads have helped the most.

[@goncalolopes]

I am on that path... Phil, any change in your shoe choice in that period? Did you rotate shoes? Always in the same? What mileage during that period? Thanks!

[@philortman8139]

@@goncalolopes I was way down in mileage after a half marathon block, maybe just 8 miles per week in a fresh pair of Peg 35s when I realized there was a problem. I tried the 361 Meraki 2 at the recommendation of my local shop after that, but I really don't think shoes are the problem or the answer. There was just a real lack of any warmup before or maintenance after a workout that caught up with me. Fixing that and building my hips has made the most impact.

[@amattrey]

Second that Phil...i had major knee issues and took forever to realize it was tightness through the quad and hips. Foam Rolling and even getting in deeper with a lacrosse ball has made major improvements.

[@joshuatoe2323]

What type of leg exercises and hip strengthening exercises would you recommended...I’m in the process of purchasing a foam roller now.

[@prince5724]

Can you suggest some strengthening exercises that can help relieve these knee issues. Please.

[@AncoraImparoPiper]

I have sprained my ankles too many times to remember, and the only place for ankle braces ( or any other braces of a similar nature) are in the immediate aftermath of an injury when the joint needs to remain immobilised for a few days. After that, it should be replaced by treatment prescribed by a PT or what we call a physiotherapist. I can vouch for this type of treatment because it has always worked for me. If there is any pain anywhere, it should be appropriately assessed to determine its root cause and appropriate exercises implemented. No need to waste money on these types of crutches. Instead, use the money saved to see a PT.

[@kalemaguire7612]

A slant board is very helpful for dealing with patellar tendinitis. They are kind of expensive, but they are easy to build.

[@philortman8139]

Built one of my own for about 10 bucks. Another helpful tool.

[@mannyprays1164]

You may have a weak hip, weak hams or a tight quad. I been doing more squats and leg exercises, and it's been helping me with less knee pain. I needed more muscle 💪

[@kofuzi]

I need more too

[@calvinbutler5517]

Same here. It seems to be helping.

[@kimwarner6050]

I have the same problem as you except my knee hurts the first mile and then goes away.I have a McDavid strap and it works great, but it's not addressing the real problem. I took two weeks off and began wearing Merrell vapor gloves as my normal shoe. The beginning of the second week one day I ran in circles in my house with the merrells on. I have hard wood floors so I figured it would be a good test. I went to dinner and when I came home I realized my knee wasn't hurting and I could bend and squat without any discomfort. Two days later I went for a one mile run with the merrells. My knee felt fine but my feet were killing me b/c these shoes have zero cushion. The next day I ran for a mile and half. Once again no knee pain. I decided to to then buy some Nike frees I'm not ready to completely transition to barefoot running shoes. I ran 7 miles yesterday my knee felt great. My plan moving forward is to run barefoot as a second run twice a week to help strengthen my feet and my ankles. I'll also continue to wear barefoot shoes as my normal shoes most of the time. Running in the barefoot shoes makes you become a forefoot striker, which distributes the weight naturally and corrects your stride. When I run my right shoe traction on the outside gets destroyed, even on a first run. After the 7 mile run I looked at the bottom of my shoes and there wasn't a mark of them. I'm a believer in the power of barefoot shoes to realign your body

[@andrewT23]

Incrediwear knee sleeves have helped me. But like you said in this video and the knee strengthening routine video; improving strength, especially with single leg exercises probably does more to reduce pain.

[@DannyPimienta]

I'm the opposite....for the first mile my knee feels wonky. After a mile or so it feels fine. It mainly flares during ascents where I tend to brake.

[@sor609]

After lots of googling and youtubeing, my issue was resolved by 1) resting first 2) strengthening my quads. What I started doing is squats with a weight jacket.

[@naveedshabeer9554]

Hi kofuzi. There is a good chance that your quad and/or calf muscles are tight. Highly recommend foam rolling both for a few minutes each day.

[@JimLarranaga5k]

K-Tape seems to be one of the best solutions for my running injuries. AplplyK-Tape to sore hot spots, muscles tendons, post run. It relieves pain almost instantly. Not sure of the voodoo science but I think taping improves the lymph fluid flow under the skin and or sends a pain blocking signals from the brain. Try taping your knees before a fun and you'll feel support and pain relief. If it works for you, you won't need knee straps or devices, just a little bit of tape. You can leave tape on post run too, or reapply . Super easy and for me highly effective. If it's a placebo affect, I'm cool with that too.There must be a reason Olympians use so much tape.

[@jameswestmoreland9717]

Two years later. The big sleeve can help by keeping the joints and muscles flexible and pull less on the knee. Works for me except neoprene. Also I purposefully overpronate contrary to the running show company overpronation devil.Also do several exercises: toe raises, leg scissors, step upside, hip drops. As I fatigue later in runs, take very brief walk breaks 20-30 seconds to keep legs freah.

[@EnvyTraxus]

I think they more so help relieve the pain without actually addressing what's causing the pain.

[@tanty2475]

I use patella straps mainly for preventive purpose - just in case I hurt my knees for a long run, or if I trip and hit the ground. I prefer knee tape straps that they usually use for weight-lifting.

[@zenmetaldecor]

Very helpful

[@heoTheo]

Going to physio for the last year now. Getting out there again finally.

[@theIdlecrane]

you can get stretchy sticky tape to tape your knees, the marketing guys have a fancy name for them, but you know what I'm talking about. I've had slight knees issues before a race, and sticky tape worked a treat.

[@itsConstantine]

You can get kinesiotape and simulate what the patellar strap does, it will hold up your kneecap so the patellar tendon won't get that irritated, it helps with movement of the knee joint in general, but it is very minor stuff - nothing really helps significantly. A chiropractor can show you how to do it the first time, and then you can apply the tape on your own. I haven't found any knee braces of real help while running, maybe the patellar strap, or maybe some minor compression sleeve. Stretching, icing, and compressing when not running.

[@kofuzi]

Got a roll of KT tape en route. Should be here any day now

[@itsConstantine]

@@kofuzi I believe a good tutorial on how to put it on could suffice. It's supposed to stick for a couple of days but you'll see that it comes off when sweating... it might come off during a long run!! All the best!

[@peak5778]

I have a question and need help. I’m a high school cross country runner and I’m having this problem: after the first around 3 miles every step I land on it feels like my foot is burning at the front of my foot. Currently I’m using the Hoka Clifton 7, but have tried the ghost 13 and a pair of nikes before this. Do u know anything about this and how to possibly fix it. I also bought a pair of running socks.

[@ur4givn]

Heat to the knee improves circulation and reduces inflammation, so it sounds like the last sleeve really works

[@juancaperez2000]

Im not a Doctor but on my personal experience, my knee get me an issues when my quads are tight also my IT band, I usually treated with massage, foam roll and massage gun.

[@brokenfreddy1262]

I tried everything and came to the conclusion that some sort of brace that was tight/compression was a help or bandaid to keep working the knee strength muscles/tendons while they were building themselves up to the point where no" crutch " was needed..it took most of last summer of running and racing and started this season with a 3/4 compression tight that targeted hips and knees..after it got warm enough I just returned to running shorts and haven't had any problems..

[@kofuzi]

Glad to hear you’ve been able to transition away from the compression!

[@adamdodd2655]

It seems when you were doing the arabesque on the damaged leg that your knee was collapsing inwards so there looks to be quite a bit of strength work required on that side. A PT gave me a good visual queue that you should always be able to see your big toe as you look straight down past the knee, which queues you to preset your knee to the outside of the foot, which should give you a more stable chain to work with. Also when you did the lunge, you knee was quite far forward beyond your toes. I've found that the latter in particular is very aggravating to the patellar tendon for me...so be careful that your strength work isn't aggravating the issue. Good luck, I hope it improves (without you needing to do the obvious thing and take some relative rest alongside the strength work)

[@kofuzi]

i have a lot of imbalance. i'll try the visual technique

[@davejudson7883]

I have very similar knee pain to what you're experiencing. At first I put it down to the additional cycling I was doing during the summer. However I've since discovered the cause of the issue to be a certain pair of running shoes. The NB 1080 v10's are super comfy for longer runs, but cause my knee pain. Whereas my Nike Pegasus 36 and Brooks Glycerin 17's don't cause me any issues. I appreciate you review so many running shoes, so it's difficult to stick with a pair or two you know work for you, but it maybe worth recalling which shoes you do most running in and if any were acquired around the time your knee pain started?!

[@kofuzi]

I was running in a lot of Saucony at the time, but I was also running very high mileage. I think the shoes were perhaps the straw that broke the camels back

[@haruo10]

I have r. Knee issue also. I am trying incrediwear knee brace. Just wearing most of day and feels good. I try running another day.

[@michaelsesler1158]

I "hurt" my ankle 7 weeks ago. Diagnosed as over-use. Problem turns out to be lack of flexibility in my ankle. Not enough flexion so my running stride was putting a lot of strain on my ankles. I know it's not my knee, but just saying I was not going to figure that out without a podiatrist and PT. I could deal with it in other ways but all my solutions would be inadequate and short term just saying be cautious.

[@thenextgreat8652]

Knee brace has been helpful while recovering from Patellar tendonitis. However, the best help has been PT to strengthen the muscles that support the knee along with rest. I certainly don’t think using a brace so that one can run is optimal as it’s not really addressing the issue. My goal is to recover fully with no pain, which is happening slowly but surely, and then ditch the brace as I don’t think it helps prevent anything. Just nice to have it during recovery for the compression and the one I own has pads around the knee to protect it which has come in quite handy with a hard headed puppy full of energy who tends to find the exact spot on the knee consistently to bump her head on, LOL

[@rohankhemraj]

My knee has bothered me from time to time... Usually during longer runs. I found the larger braces helped with pain so I now wear them proactively. You're totally right about the heat though. I tend to prefer the sleeve type without the kneecap donut. The smaller braces did nothing and tended to roll up mid run.

[@MrKingamaziah]

I’ve been wearing knee sleeves for months and trying to ditch them, but nervous about not using them

[@rcbraith]

I have a recurring knee problem, so I purchased an Adidas knee sleeve, which I now will not run without, I usually do two runs a week, a 10k+ and a 21k +, so I do put a bit of strain on my knee, but if I ever forget it when I go out running, I instantly know I’m not going to enjoy my run due to the discomfort , and I will pay for it over the next few days and really gave to massage and roll to recover, so I guess it definitely works for me!

[@kofuzi]

How long have you been running with the sleeve now?

[@MilanSmore]

Are you doing specific strength training for the injury?

[@0015nathan]

You need to incorporate Quad eccentric exercises to your rehab program. Just a friendly advice from a physiotherapist licensed in the Philippines.

[@kofuzi]

The exercise that most clearly highlights the strength imbalance for me is a single leg pistol squat. I can kind of do them with the left, it without assistance on the right, I typically just crumple to the floor. I’m working on it.

[@troncek]

Yeah, knee strength exercises (well, mostly muscles around the knee and legs) and rest.

[@gokiwi2642]

I had knee pain last year, stopped running did a lot of bike rides, foam rolling really helped a lot plus keep up with the super healthy raw veg juices 🥤 carrot, beetroot, celery, apple, ginger chia seed spirulina BOOM!

[@paddywiggle]

Kofuzi. How are you liking the superiors?

[@northwestlife2794]

Have you tried the knees over toes guy?

[@yourboydanger4847]

i have had issues with my legs for a while when running, i always used to get shin splints so i switched my running form to mid foot but now i constantly get knee issues for the day after and right after the run is completed

[@itsdeltime]

I went from an 8 to a 2 on my post run day pain simply by switching to cushioned sneakers and patellar strap. I NEVER get that shooting pain anymore.

[@WadeHumeniuk]

I don’t know if it’s been suggested but could your knee pain be related to the road camber? You seemed to be running on pathways in Chicago as opposed to roads.

[@kofuzi]

i've considered that. for years, i've run on the right side of the road (with traffic). since coming to Iowa, i've switched to the left hand side of the road (facing traffic). i noticed that i prefer running on the right, so i've reverted to that the past couple weeks

[@FarisSalman]

Rest, strength or stability workout should work better in the long run. Braces are probably made like a band-aid to knee pain. Haven’t really run in any of the knee braces but i got this IT band tightness around a month ago on my left leg and its causing knee pain, for sure. Around a month works of stretching, mobility, muscle activation, and strength improved the condition by A LOT. I can safely run 10k again now, compared to 1.5k and pain around a month ago. The tightness and discomfort still persist off-run but its way better.

[@kofuzi]

Glad to hear it’s better!

[@FarisSalman]

@@kofuzi Hope your leg get better with time, man.. Cheers!

[@gloifti]

Another overlooked issue could be bike fit, especially saddle adjustment issues if you're using cleated pedals and/or have a leg length discrepancy.

[@kofuzi]

That’s an interesting point. I just regular pedals, but I’ve been wondering if my position isn’t bad for a runner whose trying to work on glute strengthening.

[@gloifti]

@@kofuzi If you don't have a past history with the knee giving you problems and if the issue coincided with a bike fit change or increased cycling mileage, it might be helpful to look at your saddle adjustment, fore/aft position especially. If you have a loose patella and/or a clicking knee it would be a worthwhile experiment to shift your saddle forward. This happened to me after getting a mountain bike almost twenty years ago... all of a sudden I developed a weak left knee with no prior history. It resolved itself after I discovered that there was too much saddle setback on the bike.

[@1974dutchess]

I have a hit or miss knee pain. I think it’s the shoes but like I said it hit or miss. I have tried knee sleeves or the Velcro strap kind and the results are kind of the same. More often than not I end up with more knee pain. So I just stop using them all together.

[@71moonrise]

Funny, I'm going through the exact same issue with my left knee. #StrengthWork & #Stretching to the rescue!!! For me, excessive running in a high stack shoe (NB Beacon2) causes the pain, so I've spaced out the use.

[@kofuzi]

I hope the strength and stretching helps quickly for you!

[@ifonly1532]

4 patellar tendonitises here. I've tried everything one can think of. Braces are ok but not while running. Strengthening gluteus medius is absolute key. For the tendon inflammation there's nothing better than green clay plasters. The kind ladies put on their faces. Green clay will soothe the inflammation and feed your tendon lots of minerals. Just apply a thick layer of clay on your knee at bedtime and wrap it over with some cling film/plastic wrap and keep it all night. Repeat every night till pain is gone. This is near magical in terms of repair.

[@kofuzi]

For real? Like a mud treatment?

[@baneleshangase3398]

I had a acl tear injury and I’ve recovered and started running again do I need a leg brace just for more stability?

[@kofuzi]

that's a great question for your PT or ortho. I am not qualified to answer that

[@toddboucher3302]

never did anything for my running, now my son uses the thin band type for basketball he says it helps.

[@mphys5370]

Mike, I have come to this a bit late what did you do to solve this issue?

[@kofuzi]

saw that you found the video

[@jegar182]

I have contact dermatitis I can't wear knee supports made from neoprene!

[@giornogiovanna8568]

where can i find these

[@germanchokolat1]

First of all new runner here.. but... starting at 5:04 in your video I slowed it down further and your landing heavy on your outside foot creating 2 shocks, one when you hit the outside of your sole and second when your foot finally flattens out.. from the first point of contact until your foot finally gets flat you can see the second shock literally move your leg and travel to your knee... that's gotta put some serious strain on the knees... just a thought frim a random guy but looks stressful... I'd even increase the cadence like a little over 10% increase 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@germanchokolat1]

Also anything that restricts your body's natural biomechanics especially through a joint while exercising could maybe make things worse in the long run. It's a "Brace" braces are meant to support by restricting movement... your issue I'd assume is either arthritis or and breakdown in running form or its an instability issue.. or a combination of those... do you do any strength training? Abductors, adductors, glute or quad, hamstring exercises? Any squatting? Deep squat, split squat, lunge, lateral lunge. Also body weight exercises that get your knees over your toes?

[@PhilippBorn]

5:32 was prescribed the same thing, but from a German company called Bauerfeind and stupidly expensive. In total ran twice with it. The 2nd run was in the early stages of summer. That thing was basically glued to my leg from all the sweat. Never touched it again since then and just wrapped my leg in kt tape for a while 🤣 #wastedmoney

[@PeterMi]

Can you please make a video of how you're doing the mobility? I have the exact same Knee issue! Thanks!!!

[@kofuzi]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqeXaJR9h6t3a9U

[@kofuzi]

I’m also doing a couple of glute specific exercises, like clamshells, a monster walk, and a weird kind of lateral leg raise that targets the glute medius.

[@PeterMi]

@@kofuzi Thank you very much! I will take a look! :)

[@tmcowley]

Could be hoffa's fat pad impingement, there's a lump of fat behind the patella that can get inflamed and slightly pinched by internal structures, furthering inflammation. It has a large nerve and blood supply so is a common point of pain, and can only really be healed by rest allowing the tissue to heal and inflammation to go. I ran through mine for 3 months, eventually got an mri and the report stated 'striking fat pad oedema (swelling)', although mine was a result of my kneecap sitting too low down and using low drop shoes (i think). Looks like I'll be out for a few months now :( (not a medical professional, please don't sue me)

[@richmoji]

Very simple: your nutrition doesn’t correlate to your workout intensity. You’re welcome 😊

[@Kevin-vn5ip]

Try ATG

[@rajdeepbhowmik5335]

As an athletics lover I would prefer to run on grass surface with this kind of problem.

[@whatevervlogs9663]

Ily

[@kofuzi]

I know

[@shawnrobinson5610]

7:08 In watching the alignment of your single leg exercise I can confidently say it could use some improvement.

[@kofuzi]

Yup. It’s a central premise of the video

[@shawnrobinson5610]

kofuzi I guess I could have been more specific but was trying to be nice about it. Stop practicing bad mechanics!

[@hoggypotter1]

More likely to be a placebo effect.

[@2vzsoy869]

It helps to much, without them I'll did stop my last 20km run and got back home taking the bus...

[@kofuzi]

I'm glad that they work for you!

[@devc285]

Use thinner soles 🏁💯

[@steevie76]

You need a Mr. Miyagi: “What Miyagi essentially did with his hands-rubbing and touch was the same as Reiki: he was able to temporarily heal Daniel's injured leg muscle with his Chi, enabling him to walk and fight in the tournament finals.” 🇯🇵

[@samofmaya]

Third

[@kofuzi]

Yo yo yo

[@gudboyngdisyerto]

i was running 90-110kms a week without any issue until i got sucked by high cushioning shoes. i'm not a minimalist but won't buy any high cushion shoe again no matter how good the review is.

[@sludgeon]

Can you explain?

[@xiaolittle69]

second

[@kofuzi]

Yo yo

[@Race-stripes]

Take a epsom salt bath sounds like you over run

[@kofuzi]

No thanks and yes I was

[@tishamonroe7418]

first

[@kofuzi]

Yo

[@user-lj3zk4vy5k]

This video is a waste of people’s time. Why make a video about knee braces when you yourself don’t even know if they are working for you. Easy unsub!

[@Colombella]

Knee sleeves with medium pressure actually Warms up knees and thats excellent for artritis .braces are different they’re more to aline a dislocated knee