Knee braces have three functions, one is braking, two is keeping warm, and three are health care. Many knee diseases are related to cold knee joints, especially in mountainous areas where the wind is cold and hard, and often the leg muscles feel hot because they are in motion all the time, while the knee joints are not hot because there is no muscle movement. If you wear knee braces, the insulation effect of the knee braces will be reflected.
The main point is the braking effect of the knee braces. The knee is where the bones of the upper and lower extremities meet, with the meniscus in the middle and the patella in the front. The patella is stretched by both muscles and is suspended before the leg bones meet, so it slides very easily. Due to the excessive pressure on the knee joint from hiking and the strenuous movement during hiking, the patella can easily deviate from its original position, thus causing knee pathology. Wearing a knee brace can keep the patella in a relatively stable position and ensure that the patella is not easily injured. After a knee injury, using a heavy-duty knee brace can reduce the straight line bending of the knee joint from the thigh to the calf, reducing the bending of the knee joint and protecting the knee joint from aggravation.
Let’s talk about the health benefits of knee braces. This is easier to understand. Under the premise of having the traditional knee braces for heat preservation and braking, the far-infrared negative ion energy layer is added to the production materials of the new far-infrared negative ion knee braces, which can cause the resonant biomolecules under the knee to make the deep tissue heat in turn, which can promote blood circulation. Circulation, improve microcirculation and relax meridians. Long-term wear can effectively prevent arthritis, rheumatism, and other knee diseases.
Depending on the function, there are two types of knee braces recommended for mountaineering. One is the thicker kind commonly found in outdoor stores, with a large hole in the front to expose the knee, usually a bundled knee pad, which is then fixed with Velcro. These knee braces can be strapped so that the knee cannot be easily bent and the thigh and calf are always in a straight line with the knee, so they are suitable for heavy “braking” after a knee injury and are not easily used for everyday knee protection because they are not breathable. The other type is a thin knee brace that fits over the knee and has some elasticity, so when worn, the knee is still free to move, but you can clearly feel the patella being gently tightened. Lightweight brake knee braces are recommended for every climbing activity.