Picking up a knee injury when you are working out is one of the most frustrating things that can happen. It throws off your entire workout routine for a significant amount of time.
Thankfully, you can help to speed up your recovery by investing in a high-quality knee brace for a meniscus tear.
What Is A Meniscus Tear?
A meniscus tear is one of the most painful and significant knee injuries you can sustain. The tear occurs in the semi-circular meniscal cartilage inside the knee joint.
This type of injury is most commonly caused by a direct impact blow occurring during contact sports.
It can also be caused by twisting the knee and due to degenerative tissue that comes with aging.
There are various degrees of meniscus tears that can occur. Minor or partial tears may only require wearing a knee brace, while an acute tear may require surgery and a long recovery time.
Medical attention should be sought if you suspect you have obtained a meniscus tear.
Try to keep your knee as stable as possible and movement is limited until a medical doctor has made a diagnosis.
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Starting with the McDavid 429X maximum support knee brace with hinges. This knee brace is perfect for meniscus tears thanks to its balance between support and comfort.
It features a classic open patella design created to direct the compression of the knee brace around the knee cap.
This design is highly popular for knee braces as it helps prevent the kneecap from feeling trapped and overheated while providing plenty of support to the meniscus cartilage.
This knee brace features adjustable cross straps that provide an extra layer of support to your meniscus tear above and below the kneecap.
This provides a considerable amount of stability and support to help protect your knee during recovery.
The McDavid knee brace is made from a neoprene fabric that provides compression and keeps your knee warm which can help promote warmth which can help the healing process and reduce swelling.
A breathable back panel helps to keep your injured leg cool and dry while providing support and stability.
The knee brace comes with flexible side stabilizers that offer support and stability while remaining comfortable to wear.
The stabilizers also help keep the knee brace firmly in place while wearing it.
The Shock Doctor is another knee brace that features straps located above and below the knee. This helps keep your knee joint stable and comfortable while healing.
The heavy-duty bilateral hinges on either side of these knee braces help support movement and prevent further injury while maintaining mobility.
The design of this knee brace is naturally curved to help ensure your knee joint maintains a relaxed position during your recovery.
It is also made from an incredibly breathable material that helps to keep your knee comfortable and cool.
This knee brace from Vive is the best option for anyone who wants to practice hot and cold therapy on their meniscus tear.
This can be a great option for use straight after undertaking physical therapy movements. It can help relieve the pain and swelling resulting from working on your range of motion.
A physical therapist often recommends alternating between hot and cold therapy during recovery from meniscus tears.
This knee brace also boasts compression abilities which help support the knee joint and allow you to maintain your knee function.
This knee brace is made up of four adjustable straps that help you get the ideal amount of compression and knee support while applying heat or ice to your torn meniscus.
The removable gel packs supplied with these knee braces can be placed into pockets at the back or on the front of the knee, depending on where you need relief.
Meniscus tears can have a lot of swelling around the ligament and ACL. The best way to protect your mobility is ice and heat that can be worn.
Because most knee braces are made from neoprene to provide breathability, options can be limited for those with allergies, and it often forces people to recover with limited support.
This knee brace is made from Drytex instead of neoprene to help broaden the options for injured athletes.
This knee brace is still of medical-grade quality and provides high support to an injured knee.
While rest is good for a meniscus injury, it is also important to maintain mobility and a range of motion.
This knee brace is great for everyday activities such as running errands or attending work or school.
This knee brace is a great investment if you are prone to different types of knee injuries, as it also provides high levels of support for ACL injuries, sprains, ligament strain, swelling, sport-related injuries, and degenerative injuries.
This brace is available as a wraparound knee brace and as a knee compression sleeve. The wraparound version features a patella opening for increased comfort throughout recovery.
If you are facing recovery on a budget, this Bodyprox knee brace is a great option for a reasonable price.
While most budget options come in the form of a knee sleeve, this is an actual knee brace.
Like many knee braces, this offering from Bodyprox features adjustable straps for personalized support, an open patella design, and stabilizers for the side of the knee.
This knee brace for meniscus injury is made from neoprene, providing support, breathability, and comfort.
It allows you to protect your knee from further injury while keeping it cool and dry.
The knee brace wraps around your knee and is secured by adjustable straps.
Not only does this provide the support you need throughout your recovery, but it can also allow you to adjust the compression depending on the amount of swelling you are experiencing.
If your meniscus tear injury is minor or you are coming to the end of your recovery period, this PowerLix knee compression sleeve could be the right choice for you.
The knee sleeve is designed to apply an even amount of pressure around the whole knee to provide support for the joint and injury through compression.
Because this knee support is a sleeve, it does not have stabilizers on the side of the knee, nor does it have a hinged knee brace.
This allows for a more extensive range of movements while the sleeve is worn.
The material of the compression sleeve is breathable and wicks moisture away from your skin. It also features silicone strips at the top and bottom to help keep the sleeve in place on your leg.
Thanks to its shock absorber capabilities, it has been designed to be used during even the most high-impact sports.
This is another great option for knee braces that cover a range of leg and knee injuries.
This brace can be used for ACL tears, joint instability, ligament strain, hyperextension, patella support, and meniscus tears.
This heavy-duty knee brace is the perfect choice for athletes and people who play a sport recreationally, as it can offer protection during movement and provide stability while maintaining function.
The bionic knee brace is a slip-on brace that has four adjustable straps to provide lateral stability to your joint while reducing pain and discomfort.
It also features a hinge system that helps to prevent hyperextension and further pain and injury.
The sleeve aspect of these knee braces provides compression and heat regulation to keep your meniscus tear as comfortable as possible.
Pros
Full range of motion, without hyperextension
Hinged knee brace supports the torn meniscus
Thick knee compression sleeve.
Cons
Hinge can snag on clothing
Knee Brace Buyer’s Guide
There are some important things you should consider when looking for knee braces for meniscus tears.
Below are some things you should look for when researching the best knee brace for a torn meniscus.
Type
As you now know, different knee braces are available to support a torn meniscus.
The type of brace that you need will depend mainly on the severity of the injury you have and the amount of movement that you need to be able to make.
The first step in finding out what types of knee braces will work best for your torn meniscus is to get a physical exam from a doctor.
This will help you understand your injury and ensure that you receive the appropriate care, which can include surgery.
If your meniscus tear is minor, you could get away with a compression sleeve knee brace. This will provide stability and physical support that your knee needs to heal properly.
This is also a good option to help prevent degenerative injuries.
If you have a more acute meniscus tear or have had surgery on your meniscus, more substantial knee braces for meniscus tears should be considered.
Ideally, you will want a knee brace that is hinged. This will help to provide adequate support while maintaining mobility for your leg.
A doctor will likely recommend a hinged knee brace for your post-surgery period. Many of these knee braces will feature an open patella design.
This can help to focus the compression and keep your healing knee cool.
Comfort
A torn meniscus is naturally uncomfortable; the best knee brace for this injury should aid your comfort level, not hinder it.
Many knee braces for meniscus tears are made from stretchy, comfortable material designed for extended wear.
Most knee braces are made from neoprene which is highly breathable and successfully wicks moisture away from your skin to help avoid rashes or discomfort while you wear the brace.
Knee sleeves are often considered more comfortable as they are softer and allow for better motion than hinged and structured braces.
However, if a knee sleeve will not provide enough support and stability to your meniscus injury, it should not be considered on comfort alone.
Support
Knee braces offer two main types of support for meniscus tears. There is compression and a strap.
Compression is a more all-around type of support rather than focusing on the meniscal area. The entire site covered by the compression sleeve will be supported the same amount.
With straps, the straps are located just above and below the meniscal area. This reinforces the main injured area.
Best of all, the straps can be adjusted to provide varying levels of compression and aid.
This is a great feature to utilize as your injury heals. It also means that you can adjust the brace to accommodate the amount of swelling that you are experiencing.
Material
As mentioned above, most knee braces are made from neoprene fabric. This is because it is breathable and can wick moisture away from your skin while you wear it.
However, some people can have allergic reactions to this material which makes it unviable for meniscus tears in such people.
A great alternative that provides the same amount of care and aid is Drytex. This is a hypoallergenic material that can be more comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Benefits Of A Knee Brace?
When you obtain a meniscus tear during sports or as a result of degenerative tissue, a knee brace has many benefits.
Whether or not you have to have surgery for your injury, choosing to wear a knee brace will aid your healing process.
Knee braces for a meniscus tear provide essential reinforcement that will help to protect your knee from further injury and help to alleviate pain.
Often, a doctor will recommend using a knee brace to aid in the healing of the tear.
Where To Get A Knee Brace For Meniscus Tear?
You can purchase a knee brace for a meniscus tear in many places. Amazon is a great resource that provides quick delivery to help protect your knee as soon as possible.
You can also purchase knee braces from your local pharmacy or sports store.
This can be a quicker option than Amazon if you have someone who can go out and purchase you one so you don't put too much weight on your knee.
It is not recommended to head to a store to purchase a brace for your knee, as you can stress your meniscus tear unnecessarily. This can cause further pain in your leg.
It is best to avoid putting weight on your leg without a brace until you have been checked by a doctor.
How To Know What Type Of Knee Brace To Buy?
When you sustain an injury to a weight-bearing joint such as your knee, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
There are many different injuries that can occur in joints such as knees which can require different treatments.
Once you have received a professional diagnosis, the doctor can advise you on which type of knee brace is best for meniscus tears.
Generally, a compression sleeve or a hinged brace will be recommended for meniscus tears based on the severity of the injury.
In some cases, particularly if your injury requires surgery, the hospital will provide you with a high-support knee brace. You will also undergo physical therapy.
Your physical therapist can advise you on future knee braces as you recover. They can also advise about knee braces that can help prevent further injuries.
Final Thoughts
There are many different types of knee braces that are great for torn meniscus injuries. These are a few of the best knee braces you can purchase, depending on the severity of the damage.
Remember that it is important always to seek medical attention for injuries to receive the correct treatment.
Failure to do so can result in worse injuries down the road and an inability to train properly.
Hi, my name is TJ Daniels. I am a certified personal trainer dedicated to health and fitness for the past 20+ years. We have found that consistency is the key to wellness and our company is founded on this philosophy. If you would like to learn more, please see our About Us page or Contact Us with questions, feedback, suggestions for future content, or collaboration opportunities. Let’s enjoy this journey together!
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