Best Knee Brace for Skiing
Finding the Best Knee Brace for Skiing for You.
The Best Knee Brace for Skiing is one that offers stability and protection to keep your knee joint safe.
At the Best Knee Braces, we believe it is an essential part of your equipment when skiing.
It helps to prevent injuries, and provide much-needed support to the knee under the constant twisting and turns that comes with skiing.
There are many styles and types of knee braces, and it can be difficult to know which one is best for you. To help you make the best decision, I’ve included reviews of the best knee braces for skiing. I have also included a buyers manual to help run through questions to guide you to the best decision for you.
How Do You Strengthen Your Knees for Skiing
There is no doubt about it, skiing places a lot of strain and stress on your knees. In fact, it is no surprise that knee injuries make up a significant portion of all skiing injuries. According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, a whopping 60 percent of all injuries sustained by skiers involve the knee. So how can you strengthen your knees for skiing?
While knee injuries are a serious risk for skiers and snowboarders, there are ways to reduce your risk of injury.
Here are our TOP TIPS for strengthening your knees for skiing:
- Begin by warming up by walking around in a circle, or doing a series of squats. Warming up your muscles can help prevent injuries by keeping them flexible and strong.
- Use support aids as a preventative method (a strategy we always encourage at The Best Knee Braces team), even if you have not experienced any knee pain.
Given you are already searching for the best knee brace for skiing, you probably already know this is an important element of maintaining your knee health. So let’s get into our favorite top 3 knee braces for skiing.
Our Top 3 Best Knee Braces for Skiing
TechWare Pro Knee Brace
PROS
- ergonomic and slim design to comfortably fit under ski gear
- breathable and anti-odour properties
- fully customizable with adjustable straps
CONS
- may sometimes require additional person to help put on correctly
- choose sizing carefully
The TechWare Pro is a truly unique knee brace that has many versatile applications. This is primarily due to the unique bi-directional three strap system, that creates a consistent and even compression around the knee.
As a skier, you can take advantage of the adjustable straps and choose to wear the brace directly on the skin (underneath your clothes) OR on top of thermals and other ski gear.
Finally, the wrap around design allows you to easily put on or take off the brace without having to struggle pulling it up and down like a knee sleeve.
Physix Gear Knee Support Brace
PROS
- slimmest design out of our top 3 braces for skiing
- durable and flexible 4 way stretch lycra for extreme comfort
- silicone grips for non-slip features
CONS
- taking on and off can be difficult due to knee sleeve design
- contains latex – so be aware of any personal allergies
This one is for those that are taking a proactive approach to their knee health and are seeking a preventative solution while skiing. While technically not classified as a ‘brace’ and more aptly classed as a knee sleeve, we wanted to include this knee support aid in the top 3 to provide options for our avid skiers.
With a unique blend of light weight materials, the Physix Knee Compression Sleeve is the perfect knee support for skiing. It’s slim design helps to co-ordinate the sleeve with your skiing gear, providing support without the bulk.
The benefits of the Physix Sleeve is that it helps to maintain warmth around the knee joint while skiing, helping to keep it flexible and supple to avoid injuries. The increased blood flow also aids in muscle recovery and cell regeneration so you can hit the slopes the next day without the usual soreness and stiffness.
Physix even offer a money back guarantee for those that can’t seem to find a good fit.
We highly recommend checking out the Physix Knee Compression Sleeve for support on your next skiing adventure.
Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace
PROS
- maximum support and protection for the knee while skiing
- moisture and odor preventation design
- premium materials used by a reputable company in the knee brace space
CONS
- is more bulky than other options
- is more rigid than other knee braces (due to additional support provided)
The Shock Doctor Knee Brace is one of the most supportive knee braces you will find for skiing. This is because of its hinged design that provides the maximum support and confidence in taking those twists and turns on the ski slopes.
We recommend any skier that has previous knee injuries or are worried about their weak knees to seriously consider the Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace. We love the premium materials Shock Doctor have used to construct this impressive brace, with latex free materials and premium stitching.
In addition to the premium features, it also has a breathable design with mesh webbing and airflow vented technology so you don’t feel discomfort while skiing.
Of course, with the additional support and integrity, the brace is a bit larger than other options (such as a knee sleeve), however there is no other brace that will instil as much confidence in your knee’s abilities on the slopes.
How to Find The Best Knee Brace for Skiing for You – Buyers Guide
Finding the right knee brace is not as straight forward as you may think. Some people assume it is as easy as hobbling down to your local Walmart and picking up the first brace on the rack. However, more often that not, they are confronted with a variety of knee braces, all with different names and varying designs.
This guide is intended to help you choose the best knee brace for skiing that is specific for you.
It is a step-by-step process to run you though the necessary questions you should ask yourself (or a medical professional) before you commit to purchasing your next knee brace.
So let’s get into it.
What is the Fit of Right Knee Braces?
When it comes to skiing, finding the right fit for a knee brace is a challenge. You need to ask yourself are you going to wear the knee brace on top of or beneath your clothes? This may seem like a trivial matter, however you will soon discover it has implications on the fit of each knee brace.
If you are looking for a good supportive knee brace that will fit under your snow gear, then you will want a slimline brace that isn’t too bulky. The reason being, if you try to fit a thicker brace under your clothes, you will find the brace will compress your joint more than it is originally intended to. This may become too intense and you may find it actually restricts your movement while skiing. In addition, you may find it difficult to pull your ski pants up over the brace.
Knee Braces with Adjustable Designs
Another feature you will want to look for in knee braces for skiing is an adjustable strap. Adjustable straps affords you the luxury of making any small adjustments you may need. For example, you can choose to wear the brace directly against your skin. Alternatively, if it is a freezing day, having adjustable straps means instead of wearing the brace first, you can wear thermals underneath the brace to provide for additional warmth.
When given the option, we always encourage our readers to opt for adjustable straps.
What is the Best Material?
Let’s face it, once you are on the slopes, you may not head back to the lodge or chalet until the end of the day. This potentially means you will be spending the entire day with a knee brace. A full day of exercising, sweating and bending in the brace. For this reason, the material you choose for your next knee brace is of high importance.
There are factors you need to consider ensuring that you get the right materials. Factors such as breathability, wicking properties, comfort, flexibility and durability.
Breathability
One thing you want to get right when it comes to choosing a knee brace is breathability. Without proper design and choice of materials, a knee brace can become very smelly very quickly. This is especially so when you are wearing the knee brace under your ski clothes. Knee braces are made from many materials (often blends of a few types), so it is important to look at the properties of the materials before committing to your next purchase.
Wicking Properties
Wicking properties is the ability of the material to absorb the sweat and moisture from your skin. This feature is important to maintain a warm knee joint and avoid skin irritations. You may think this will speed up the process of your knee brace smelling from all the sweat it absorbs, however wicking materials are also generally anti-bacterial, which helps to eliminate the odor.
Comfort and Flexibility
If you are going to be wearing your knee brace all day while skiing, comfort is going to be a very important factor. You want the material to support, however not be so rigid or inflexible that it begins to restrict your movements or your blood flow. Generally speaking, a material that has an eleastic component to it will help prevent an overly stiff knee brace.
Durability
The last feature to consider for materials is how long is it going to last. Ideally your brace should last for at least a couple of seasons of skiing. Look for materials that are fray or pill resistant. Since your brace is going to be underneath clothing, it will be constantly rubbing against other materials that will inevitably cause it to lose its integrity.
Final Thoughts on the Best Knee Brace for Skiing
Skiing is such a versatile sport. It is great for a bit of recreational time with the family and friends, or it can be an intense exhilarating sport for those that want a bit of an adrenalin hit.
However, with the intense pressure it places on your knees, it is no wonder over 60% of ski injuries involves the knee joint.
To help support and maintain your knee health, we recommend using a support aid, such as a knee brace. It helps you to protect your knee from injury, as well as providing you with the confidence to attack those slopes with full confidence in your knees.
We have provided our top 3 best knee braces for skiing above – any of which will help you achieve a safe and injury free skiing experience.
Happy skiing!