In recent years, knee brace, as a common sports aid, has been widely used in running, fitness and other sports activities. Many athletes wear knee braces to protect their knee joints and reduce sports injuries.
The basic function of a knee brace
As an exercise aid, knee pads are designed to support and protect the knee joint. Especially during short, intense activities such as weight training, dancing and sprinting, the knees are under a lot of stress. Knee pads can effectively disperse these pressures and reduce the direct impact of exercise on the knee joint.
By stabilizing the trajectory of the knee, the knee brace helps to maintain proper alignment of the joints and avoid improper loading or excessive twisting, thereby preventing sports injuries. Knee braces also help maintain the temperature of the knees during exercise, reducing muscle stiffness and fatigue, especially in colder climates.
The correct selection and use of knee pads can greatly improve the safety and comfort of athletic performance.
Drawbacks of long-term use
While short-term use of knee braces can provide necessary knee support and protection, long-term reliance on knee braces can do have some adverse effects.
Prolonged wearing of knee braces may lead to dependent muscle atrophy, especially the muscles around the knee such as the quadriceps and hamstrings. These muscles are key to maintaining the stability and mobility of the knee joint, and when weakened, can increase the risk of injury and affect walking and running performance.
Knee braces can hinder normal blood circulation while clinging to the skin, which not only affects the blood supply to the lower extremities of the knee joint, but can also cause discomfort in the lower extremities, such as numbness or a feeling of cold.
Long-term use of knee braces can also limit the knee's natural range of motion, which can affect healthy movement patterns and flexibility of the knee joint.
Therefore, it is recommended that sports enthusiasts should be supplemented with other non-dependent protective measures, such as regular specialized strength training, especially for the quadriceps and other muscles around the knee, such as squats, folding squats, and leg presses, all of which can help to enhance the stability and weight-bearing capacity of the knee joint, thereby reducing the dependence on knee braces.
Knee brace with type of exercise
In different types of exercise, the suitability and necessity of knee braces vary depending on the characteristics and intensity of the exercise.
Knee pads can significantly provide additional support and protection during high-impact sports such as basketball, jumping cardio or speed training. These exercises tend to put a lot of stress on the knee joint due to their fast and powerful movements, and using a knee brace can help stabilize the knee and reduce the risk of injury.
And during prolonged aerobic exercise, such as low-impact exercise such as running or cycling, long-term reliance on knee braces may not be the best option. These types of exercise usually don't have a severe impact on the knee joint, so relying too much on the knee brace can lead to reduced movement of the muscle groups around the knee, which can reduce muscle strength and increase the risk of injury.
When it comes to wearing knee braces, the first thing to consider is the type of exercise, the condition of your knee, the intensity and frequency of your exercise.
Specifically, it is not recommended to wear knee braces for daily running for long periods of time, and long-term dependence may lead to a gradual decline in muscle strength, especially the muscles around the knees.
If you're resuming running after an injury, wearing a knee brace at the beginning of your return can help reduce the load and protect your joints, but eventually you'll have to slowly transition to running without the brace instead of running all the time.
If you have already experienced early wear and tear of the knee joint or minor injuries, it is not recommended to wear knee braces to run, as knee braces will not heal your injuries, but will only hurt you more and more. At this time, you should stop running to heal your injury, and then go running when your injury is healed.
Practical examples
There are several specific cases of athletes using knee braces, and we can more intuitively see the role of knee braces in actual sports and user feedback.
Mr. Zhang is an amateur runner who has been involved in marathons for a long time. With the help of the knee brace, he noticed that his knee discomfort was significantly reduced when running, especially when running long distances. However, he also noticed that if he used the knee brace for several days in a row, he would feel some stiffness and weakness in the muscles around the knee.
Therefore, when using a knee brace, be careful not to rely on it too much, only in combination with muscle strength training, strong muscles and ligaments around the knee joint can solve the underlying problem.
Another example is Ms. Li, a professional dance instructor who often uses knee pads when training and performing Latin dance. The knee pads provide her with the necessary knee support to help her perform high-intensity dance moves better.
Ms. Lee believes that proper knee braces can effectively prevent sports injuries. She also reminded everyone that knee braces are not a substitute for warm-up and proper exercise recovery, and that the correct use of knee braces should be combined with professional physical training.
We can see that knee braces are indeed capable of providing support and protection in specific situations, but it also has its limitations. Experts recommend that knee braces should be used in moderation, in combination with the actual needs of the individual and professional exercise guidance, to achieve the best exercise performance and health benefits.
Knee braces do have their scientific basis and practical benefits in protecting knee joints, especially when performing short-term, high-intensity exercises.
At the same time, for long-term knee health, athletes should rely more on correct exercise habits and comprehensive knee protection strategies, rather than relying solely on knee braces.
Do you have a habit of running with knee pads? Welcome to leave a message to share!