We have reviewed the best knee braces for a meniscus tear. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot. You can also scroll down to see detailed product reviews.
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What is a Meniscus Tear?
The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage between the shinbone and the thigh bone that cushions, protects, and stabilizes the knee joint. Meniscus tears are quite common as it is easy to tear the cartilage with something as simple as a bent knee. People who play sports that require running or jumping are prone to meniscal tears.
Below you’ll find a video that shows the signs and symptoms of a meniscus tear
How Do You Help Meniscus Tears?
Not all meniscal tears require surgery, especially if the knee is stable. Below are a few home remedies to speed up the recovery of the knee:
- Rest your knee: Make sure to provide adequate rest and avoid any kind of strenuous exercise or activity which can flare up the meniscal tear and make it worse. If possible limit all activities including walking and instead use either a walker or a wheelchair.
- Apply ice: Ice helps to reduce swelling and inflammation and temporarily relieves the pain from the torn knee. Apply ice packs for 20 minutes every few hours until the pain has been reduced to a tolerable level.
- Compress your knee: Wearing a knee brace can help to hold the knee in place and at the same mend the tear while keeping the pain in check.
- Elevate: Put a pillow below your feet when sitting or resting in your bed.
- Use anti-inflammatory medicine: While these drugs may provide temporary relief, they can have side effects and therefore should be avoided to the extent possible.
- Do stretching exercises: A good therapist can recommend the right stretching exercises to reduce stress on your knee.
Lastly, if the tear is unstable and too big, or it is causing the knee to lock up, surgery might be the only option left. But don’t worry, as the procedure is quite simple and usually does not require you to be in the hospital for more than a day.
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How Do Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears Help?
Knee braces can help a torn meniscus in the following ways:
- Stability: Providing stability to the knee joint which may become unstable due to the meniscus tears.
- Preventing pain: Braces take the pressure off the knee joint by giving it all-round support. This helps in reducing the pain that is experienced when doing daily activities.
- Improved blood flow: By contracting the area around the tear, a knee brace promotes blood flow and therefore improves the rate of treatment.
- Limiting the range of motion: Stretching your knee beyond the normal range of motion is the primary cause of a meniscus tear. Well-designed knee braces wrap the joint firmly and do not allow it to stretch beyond the range of motion it is designed for.
What Features Should You Look For in Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears?
Compression
Compression is the most important aspect of a knee brace that supports a meniscus tear. Make sure that the braces that you are considering can provide good support to the knee while not becoming too uncomfortable or tight but holding it in place even while walking or during any other strenuous activity.
Knee support
While all knee braces provide good support to the knee, some are equipped with additional metal hinges for support on either side in case your knee is too weak and needs to be held in place at all times. Typically these are removable extensions that are useful for arthritic patients.
A Gap Behind the Knee
A few knee braces provide for a special gap behind the knee instead of a flat surface which makes it easier to bend down and more comfortable for all-day-long wear.
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Holding “Straps” to Prevent the Knee Brace From Rolling Down
The knee brace should have holding straps at both the top and bottom so that it does not roll down the knee or become loose during long-term wear.
Heat Therapy
Some knee braces are made from neoprene material which provides for additional thermal compression which is useful in repairing a meniscus tear quickly. Others may even have silica gel-filled sacks that can be strapped around your ankle to wear the knee brace as a hot or cold pack.
The Patella Hole
Some knee braces have a hole in front of the patella which helps to hold it in place and is also useful to provide comfort to the kneecap. It is also useful if you want to wear the knee brace easily under trousers.
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The Best Knee Brace for Meniscus Tears
#1 POWERLIX Knee Compression Sleeve
The POWERLIX knee compression sleeve comes with a specially designed 4-way stretchable fabric, which provides excellent support on the knee joint. The fabric is very breathable and does not allow atomization of sweat around the knee keeping it dry throughout the day and therefore preventing infections and bad odor.
No products found.This knee brace has a special design that matches the different parts of the joint and the leg and thigh muscles below and above it. It offers the best support for both the muscles during heavy exercise and strain and also when you are resting.
There is a double silicone anti-slip dress at the top and bottom of the knee pad which prevents it from rolling down or slipping during the day.
The knee brace is available in four different colors and five sizes so that you can buy the best fitting brace as per your aesthetic sense.
Those knee braces are one of the highest-rated and best-sold products on Amazon and we highly recommend it for supporting your knee in case of a meniscus tear. It is also a premium quality product, meaning it will last you a long time.
Pros
- Four-way fitting fabric
- Anti-slip braces at top and bottom
- Soft, breathable, and moisture absorbing fabric
- Available in multiple colors and sizes
Cons
- There are a few complaints of the size chart not being correct
- The special brace designed to hold the knee pad in place tends to become loose after a while
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#2 MODVEL 2 Pack Knee Compression Sleeve
The module to pack knee compression sleeve is one of the best value-for-money products in our lineup. This is a pack of two knee compression sleeves that are made of very soft and comfortable fabric that absorbs moisture and keeps the knee dry and fresh throughout the day.
There is a special slip at the top of the compression sleeve to ensure that it does not fall below the knee due to overuse.
This knee brace provides the perfect support to your needs in case of wear and tear from Arthritis, meniscus tear, tendonitis, and many other age-related problems.
It is available in two bright and attractive colors and in different sizes to fit the needs of different people perfectly.
Most importantly, you can use these braces when doing various activities, including hiking, playing football, or exercising in the gym.
Pros
- Soft breathable and moisture-free fabric
- Perfect design for supporting the knee in Arthritis and meniscus tear
- Special slip on the top to prevent it from rolling below the knee
- Available in multiple colors and sizes
- Value for money product
Cons
- The compression sleeve is good for the knee, but it is not ergonomically designed to support the muscles above and below it
- There are few complaints of the size chart not being appropriate
#3 EzyFit Knee Brace Support
The EzyFit Knee brace support is another highly rated product that is perfect for your meniscus tear and other knee-related problems.
This knee brace has bidirectional dual stabilizers at the top and bottom to hold the brace firmly in place at all times.
It has 3 fully adjustable closures so that you can get the right compression on your knee without it becoming hot or uncomfortable. There are non-slip silicone gel lines in the brace which help to keep it in place, and double-stitched edges which protect your skin from getting rashes or scratches.
The knee brace has an open patella design which is useful for patients with patella tendonitis which provides heat therapy as well.
Pros
- Bi-directional straps to hold the knee brace in place
- Neoprene material provides heat therapy
- Fully adjustable closures to make sure that the brace fits tightly in place
- Double-stitched edges to protect your skin
Cons
- A few users complained that the bi-directional Velcro straps stop working after a few days
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#4 Vive Hinged Knee Brace
This knee brace while being an expensive option in this list provides for extra hinges on either side of the knee which are removable but provide for additional support to those who need it.
This knee brace is made from neoprene which is a soft and breathable material but also provides for thermal compression and heat therapy.
There are velcro straps at the top and bottom which hold the brace in place. It has an open Patella design which is good for patients with patella tendonitis.
Pros
- Neoprene material provides for thermal compression
- Extra support in terms of hinges on either side of the knee
- Velcro straps to hold it in place
- Open Patella design
- 60-day warranty
Cons
- Quite a few users complain that the velcro straps wear off after a point in time.
#5 EXOUS Knee Brace Support Protector
The EXOUS knee brace gives the unique 4-point support to the knee. It has double lateral and medial stabilizers, which give great compression and stabilize even the weakest of knees.
There are velcro straps that hold the knee brace tightly in place and do not allow it to roll below the knee even after strenuous exercise regularly.
There is a 0.5-inch comfort gap behind the knee, which makes it very comfortable for the user to wear throughout the day.
Pros
- Four-point support system for the knee
- Double lateral and medial stabilizers
- Half inch lateral gap behind the knee for comfort
Cons
- A few users said that this knee brace is too small and therefore uncomfortable and fits very tightly.
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#6 WINOMO Knee Brace
The WINOMO brace is another high quality and value for money knee brace in this lineup. It is made from comfortable neoprene material which provides for thermal compression to the knee and limits moisture. It has an open patella design and hook-and-loop straps at the top and bottom to hold the knee brace in place. There is a gap at the back of the knee for extra comfort and all-day wear
Pros
- Breathable neoprene fabric for thermal compression
- Open patella design
- Hook-and-loop straps at the top and bottom to hold the knee in place
- A gap behind the knee for all-day comfort
Cons
- The design is a bit uncomfortable as per a few of the users
- The straps to hold the knee cap in place tend to wear out quickly
Conclusion
Meniscus tears are one of the most painful things that you can experience in the knee. Depending on where the tear has happened, it might be treatable by home remedies such as wearing knee braces for compression and hot and cold packs.
In this article, we have discussed the best knee compression braces which can support the knee in the case of a meniscus tear. We have rated the products based on the various parameters that we had pointed out as part of our buyer’s guide in the first section of this article.
Each of these knee braces provides great support and comfort, while gently healing the wound, and providing confidence to the user in their daily tasks which would be difficult to perform without the help of the brace.
As always, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner before using any products from this list. Each individual is unique and may have unique stress or injury in the meniscus, and therefore, it is important to know what are the best features that would suit your needs.