The Best Jumper's Knee Straps

Jumper's knee also goes by the name "patellar tendinitis." Persistent pain just below the knee cap let's you know that you may have this condition. A knee strap can ease jumper's knee and also prevent the problem from reccurring. Knee straps vary widely in design and price, depending on the degree of support required and the activity undertaken.

  1. Anatomy

    • The quadriceps tendon connects the quadriceps muscle to the patella -- another word for knee cap. This tendon then continues over the patella to form the patella tendon which is in turn attached to the tibia. When the quadriceps muscle contracts to straighten the leg, all the force travels through this tendon. The greatest amount of stress is during jumping and landing. With strain or overuse jumper's knee can occur. The symptoms include pain behind the knee, tenderness and a feeling of weakness around the joint that is sometimes accompanied by swelling.

    Knee Straps

    • Knee bands or straps relieve the amount of force that travels through the patellar tendon by putting pressure on the tendon at the lower edge of the knee cap. One size fits most people and either knee, and they can be used for mild to moderate knee pain. Velcro links most strap ends together. Integral to the strap is an insert that applies pressure to the patella. This can be tubular, gel or an air pad. The strap, when fitted, should not impede movement or restrict circulation. Some straps apply pressure to the top as well as the bottom of the pattellar tendon.

    Choice

    • Cho-Pat, Aircast, Mueller, Imak and McDavid all market washable lightweight knee straps. Cho-Pat makes the original patented knee strap, while Aircast claims its knee strap relieves pain in 80 percent of patients. Bob McDavid, president of McDavid Sports Medical Products, says the McDavid knee strap "maximises the supported value and the protected value ... so the athlete can participate." Rick Olsen, Mueller's National Sporting Goods sales manager, claims that the Mueller HG80 series of products is made from material that will wick away moisture, thus preventing skin irritations.

    Warning

    • Knee straps stretch after time and lose their elasticity causing them to slip during activity. Regularly check them for effectiveness. Only use them for minor cases of jumper's knee. They should not be worn in bed or if there are circulation problems, or if varicose veins are present in the knee area. Medical advice should be sought if a knee injury persists.