Knee Brace Undersleeves - Do you need one?
Knee Brace Undersleeves are something to consider when wearing a rigid or hinged knee brace. Many of the knee braces made today fit extremely well and tend not to migrate during activity as they may have done years ago.
With that said, anytime you wear a brace all day or during a your favorite sport it might be good idea to wear an undersleeve to protect your skin. And with winter on the way knee brace undersleeve are an effective way to keep the knee warm and with the compression they provide they can help ease a bit of the pain and help your knee feel more secure.
DonJoy makes undersleeves out of two different materials:
Neoprene - which is thicker to provide a bit more padding, better compression and support, but tends to get more warm so you'll sweat more with it on especially during sports like basketball, football and soccer. The small perforations do help a bit to keep you cool. If you knee like compression around your entire knee and like the warmth this one is a good choice for your knee.
Supplex/Lycra - really effective to at creating a layer of soft material between you and your knee brace. These undersleeves are breathable and will wick moisture away from your leg. Does a great job of preventing chaffing and keeping a bit of compression around the entire leg. If you have sensitive skin and you want to stay cool this is the one for you.
Since both these styles tend to get a sweaty it's a good idea to pick up a few so you can rotate them in the wash if you are using them more than a few times a week.