The Best Knee Braces for Running in 2023
Being healthy requires an investment from us. To keep a healthy mind we need a healthy body, and one of the best ways to stay lean, improve your stamina, and get the blood pumping, is running. Athletes always seek the best. Tennis players will often shop for the best tennis elbow brace, while runners are constantly on the lookout for what long distance running shoes are. While running is very widespread (perhaps the most) as a form of cardio, it does have a few drawbacks. You can injure a knee, you can start experiencing bone pain, so it’s important to practice running safely with the best gear available to you. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some contenders for the best knee brace for running title.
Supportive gear is all about reliability, and these are some of the most reliable products you can currently find. We’ve compiled a list of different price points where we feel the manufacturer didn’t cut back on any essentials to bring the price down. Of course, you’ll also be presented with a few premium products, so don’t worry, we’ve covered all the bases. Let’s get to it.
Contents
Best Knee Braces for Running
SS SLEEVE STARS Knee Support Brace
The Best Knee Support Brace on a Budget
- Nylon and rubber construction
- Two velcro straps for a good fit and extra support
- Neoprene pads for comfort
The SS Sleeve Stars knee support brace is a blend of quality and affordability, bringing out the best features for a knee brace at a very attractive price point. The item is made out of a blend of rubber (65%) and nylon (35%), making it both flexible for comfort and durable for good support.
The rubberized texture makes it adhere to your pants or leg very well. You also have two velcro straps for superior support and safety. The level of knee compression you’re getting is honestly on par with other, more expensive products. The velcro straps are reliable, the quality of craftsmanship is great, and the product is very easy to use.
To find the right fit, you have to have a knee that falls under 12-21’’ in diameter. The sizes vary from S-3XL, but you only have two products. One that’s for S-L, and one from XL-3XL. The material is pretty flexible and the velcro straps give you good support, so it’s pretty easy to find a good, firm fit.
Other than that, the brace comes with a money-back guarantee. You don’t even have to return the product to benefit from the refund. Overall, the SS Sleeve Stars knee support brace is an amazing product. Make sure to get yours.
- The sleeve is high-quality
- Very affordable
- Good return and refund policy
- Velcro straps can wear away in time, especially if you have a bigger knee
- The two-strap system might not provide an ideal amount of pressure
Bracoo Knee Open-Patella Brace
The Best Knee Brace for Pain
- Neoprene construction
- Air bubbles for breathability
- Open-patella design for faster healing
The Bracoo Open-Patella knee brace is one of the most widely used pieces of running gear out there. The design is solid, the materials are sturdy and flexible, and the price point reflects a good product without you having to dig deep in your pockets.
Having that extra strap might just seem like a simple design choice, but it makes all the difference. You have a better fit, take the pressure of the remaining straps, ensuring more longevity for your product.
The stabilizing ring is reinforced, so your knee cap will be locked in place, keeping pressure on your joints and preventing the sleeve to run amuck on your leg. In terms of fit, the sleeve is universal and shouldn’t have trouble fitting knees between 12.5’’ and 18’’ snugly. Overall, the quality is on point, the level of support is great, and the price is nothing if not affordable.
- Reinforced stabilizing ring is comfortable and provides good flexibility
- Three-strap design provides good support and a great fit without sacrificing mobility
- Highly-breathable neoprene is very comfortable
- Bottom straps will wear out pretty fast
TechWare Pro Knee Brace Support
The Best Bang for Your Buck
- Neoprene design with gel padding
- Anti-slip design
- Triple velcro buckles
The TechWare Pro knee brace support provides its users with amazing knee relief for running while bringing a superior level of comfort and reliability. The ring fits snugly on your knee caps giving you good stability and support without having to worry about the sleeve slipping off as you run. The triple velcro buckle design is great because it distributes the pressure evenly across your joints.
The TechWare Pro knee support brace is great for running, but the level of support it provides makes it a good choice for powerlifting, Crossfit, and other physical-intensive tasks. The neoprene, combined with good padding, provides moisture absorbing properties that will keep your knee dry, further preventing slipping or discomfort.
In terms of reliability, the velcro straps on this product do seem a notch above what we’re used to seeing, making it more durable in the long run. Usually, you’d have to keep adjusting the tightness during your workouts, but the TechWare brace will save you a lot of trouble, coming fit with very dependable straps.
- Good moisture absorption technology
- Very stable
- Straps are more reliable than competition at this price point
- A bit stiffer than other products
EXOUS Knee Brace Support Protector
The Best Knee Brace for Running
- Neoprene with lycra padding
- 4-strap design
- Moisture-absorbing features
The EXOUS knee support brace brings an additional fourth strap to make the velcro last longer while providing an unparalleled level of support for knee injuries and prevention. The neoprene is lined with lycra, making it very comfortable to wear without making it less flexible or durable. It’s easy to clean, stable, and provides very good levels of support.
The double strap system makes it lock in place and the fact that the velcro straps are locking in from opposite sides makes it much less likely that they will loosen during your jogging or running session. Apart from that, the EXOUS knee braces are also great to use across different types of physical activities, both for support and pain management.
Washing the product might be tricky. You shouldn’t machine wash. Just wipe it down with a damp towel and let it air dry. The lateral support is by far the best of all the products on the list, and the design also makes them the most durable. Overall, great pick.
- Very comfortable
- Good balance of pressure and comfort
- Very durable
- Will become damaged if not cleaned with care
McDavid 429X Knee Brace
Premium Knee Braces
- Side hinge cross strap buckle system
- Elastic straps
- XS-3XL sizing options
- Padded knee ring
The McDavid 429X knee brace is a premium product and comes with all of the trappings of high-performance athlete gear. With an elastic crossing strap system, you’re getting more pressure for better pain management and improved stability. The elastic straps also are more durable than your classic velcro neoprene alternatives.
The fact that it’s a cross strap system means that you also get a more accurate fit, so this product will fit legs from XS to triple XL. The latex-free neoprene is also amazing for compression and suitable for people who have latex allergies.
The knee ring has padded edges so that it won’t cause any sort of irritation when worn directly on the skin, which is a good addition. The side hinges also make this sleeve considerably more flexible, giving you more freedom of movement without making the brace less supportive.
- High-quality craftsmanship
- More flexible than run-of-the-mill braces
- Superior pressure with the hinge buckles
- Considerably more expensive than other items
IPOW Knee Straps 2 Pack
Amazing Value
- Slim sleeves
- Velcro straps
- Hinges
While the braces we’ve featured so far provided good amounts of support, they all retract a good chunk of comfort from the user. They’re thick, somewhat rigid, and can definitely slow down your routine until you get used to them. That being said, the IPOW knee strap comes in a very slim design, very comfortable, and appealing to people who don’t want an extreme level of support.
The IPOW knee straps come in a two-pack, so right off the bat, you’re getting amazing value. They’re affordable, easy to use, and most importantly, very comfortable. The package contains two very slim sleeves that provide support to the lower part of your joint. Sure, you’re not getting as much support as you would with something bigger, but they’re much more comfortable and still provide good pain management.
In terms of sizing, these fit a slimmer knee (between 10-18 inches in diameter). They’re very affordable, come in a value pack, and they’re made using quality materials.
- Very comfortable
- No-slip design
- Very affordable
- Not as much support as other items
- Not as durable as other items
Mcdavid Knee Support Strap
The Best Knee Brace for Running with Arthritis
- 3.2mm neoprene knee support strap
- Universal size
- Latex-free
For our last featured product, we kept the idea of a slim design that performs similarly to full-sized products. The McDavid Knee support strap brings a good level of support in an inconspicuous package, made with materials of the highest quality.
The fact that it’s slim makes it better for pain management. You’ll still get a good amount of support without having to suffer from the pain brought by too much pressure. The no-slip design allows you to pinpoint the problematic areas of your knee and apply as much pressure as you want. Because it’s slimmer than your average knee brace, you can also put more pressure on a more defined area, making it a great asset to people who suffer from arthritis and runner’s knee.
- Great for pain relief
- Durable
- Non-slip design
- Less support because of size
How to Pick the Best Knee Brace for Running
Picking the best knee brace boils down to your preference. If you’re just a casual jogger, maybe that’s not important, but if you’re training for marathons or are constantly pushing your boundaries, then it’s crucial that you have a knee brace that provides adequate support or pain relief, depending on your condition.
Sizing
If you often have trouble finding the right knee brace, then try to go for a company that manufactures custom-size sleeves. A lot of manufacturers rely on their straps for sizing, so they just provide customers with one-size items. That might not provide adequate support for you, so make sure to opt for a product that comes as close to your usual size.
Padding
When you’re wearing something tight and right on the skin, it’s important to have padding. Neoprene is not a skin-friendly fabric, so having something like lycra padding will definitely improve your whole experience. Padding is also important to help distribute the pressure more evenly, and it helps keep the brace in place. It’s also important to have the padding placed strategically, to minimize the pressure from the straps.
Pain Relief
In terms of pain relief, the slimmer the sleeve, the more you can control the level of pain relief you’re going to experience. Bigger straps distribute pressure more evenly, but if you want to put a lot of pressure on a very specific area, then go with a slimmer design. This will help you control your condition better.