Let’s face it Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Bjj) is not for everyone it takes dedication, determination, and a little bit of insanity to head to the gym everyday following a hard day of work. But for those who’ve had that eye opening experience of stepping onto the mats and training Bjj it’s a love that you never want to be separated from no matter what!
Unfortunately this not always the case, as injuries are a common occurrence in jiu jitsu especially knee injuries. If you’ve been training bjj for an extended amount of time your sure to have a couple injuries to show for it, and one of the most common injuries in jiu jitsu are knee injuries such as
- Sprained MCL
- Meniscus tear
- ACL sprain or tear
- Or knee pain that just comes and goes
The other day I was training at my local bjj gym in Jupiter and my knee got caught underneath my training partner luckily it was nothing serious but it was sore for about 2 weeks. My doctor recommended I wear a knee brace to give my knee added support but finding a knee brace that would work for me was difficult. Luckily I work for company that sells knee braces so after sampling a few different braces I went with the Bauerfeind GenuTrain S and I’ve been wearing it every since.
I figured I’d share my experience so I made up this list of the best knee braces to wear while you train bjj.
Why It’s So Difficult To Find a Knee Brace That Works For Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Finding a knee brace that will not slip, slide and move around while you train can be difficult. Unlike other sports where your knee is rarely grabbed in bjj you are constantly moving, fighting grips, and defending the occasional knee bar. In addition you can’t wear a large hinged knee brace under your gi or on top for comfort and safety reasons. This makes finding a knee brace that will be both comfortable and functional difficult.
What Kind of Knee Brace Should I Wear Then?
When deciding on what knee brace to wear when you finally get back on the mats you should take into consideration the following
- Does the knee brace have a hinge
- Is the knee brace a wrap around or pull up
- How much does the knee brace weight
- Is the knee brace made of breathable material
- Does the knee brace have straps
Hinged Knee Brace
If you have suffered a ligament injury to your acl, mcl or pcl you will want to wear a knee brace that has flexion hinge. A hinged knee brace will give your knee extra support and stabilization.
Wrap Around or Pull Up Knee Brace
For bjj I would go with a wrap around knee brace with straps instead of a pull up knee brace. The reason being that the straps will keep your knee brace from sliding a moving around while you train.
Weight Of The Knee Brace
Weight is extremely important when choosing your knee brace. You don’t want to wear a heavy knee brace while you train. A large bulky knee brace will slow you down while you train, and will also make it extremely uncomfortable to wear. In addition a large knee brace will not fit underneath your gi. So when choosing a knee brace go with a lightweight one with a low profile design.
What Material To Choose
When it comes to choosing your knee brace you want a knee brace made with a breathable material like a knit or airmesh fabric. Knee braces made with neoprene tend to hold moisture and this will cause the knee brace to move around after you’be been training for a while.
To save you time I listed some of the best knee braces to wear while you train bjj below.
Best Knee Braces For BJJ
Bauerfeind GenuTrain S Knee Support
When it comes to choosing a knee brace to wear while you train the Bauerfeind GenuTrain S is my favorite. Made of lightweight breathable knit fabric the GenuTrain S features two hidden hinges, a knee pad, and two wrap around straps.
Benefits:
- Two adjustable straps that will keep it from moving while you train.
- Knee pad insert that reduces impact to your knee cap.
- Low profile design makes it easier to wear underneath your gi.
- Knit fabric keeps moisture from building up while you train.
Bledsoe Hinged LPS Knee Brace
The Bledsoe hinged LPS is the perfect brace if you suffered a mcl or lcl injury. The lateral straps add extra patella support, along with a tighter fit keeping the brace in place while you roll.
Benefits:
- Removable hidden hinge
- Unique strapping system ensure knee brace will stay in place
- Available in tritech (Breathable material) and Neoprene
- Lightweight
Bauerfeind GenuTrain Knee Support
The Bauerfeind GenuTrain is a low profile brace that is perfect for bjj. It features an aluminum alloy hinge for added support. While the GenuTrain is the perfect brace if you are suffering from knee instabilities or pain it does not offer the same amount of support as the GenuTrain S.
Benefits:
- Features Padded Knee Insert to reduce impact to your knee cap
- Made of breathable knit fabric
- Lightest brace on the market.
- Pull up design makes it easy to put on and take off.
Donjoy Reaction Web Knee Brace
The Donjoy reaction web knee brace was designed to help stabilize and relieve anterior knee pain. It works by using a silicone web design( similar to a spider web) that absorbs the shock your knee cap would. The Reaction Web is lightweight and features two strapping points making it the perfect knee brace to wear underneath your gi.
Benefits:
- Straps above and below for a customizing the fit.
- Reaction knee brace fits right and left sides
- Hinge bars attach to the rubberized web network to provide enhanced support with walking and running.
- Hinge bars contour to the shape of your thigh and lower leg for a better fit.
Donjoy Lateral J Hinged Knee Brace
The lateral J hinged knee brace by Donjoy is a lightweight pull up knee brace that features a unique J strap, padded knee buttress, and two aluminum hinges. The hinges help stabilize the knee giving you added support while you train.
Benefits:
- Enhanced Knee Stability
- Dependable Patella Support
- Drytex allows for improved airflow
- Universal design allows the DonJoy Lateral J Patella Knee Brace to be used by both men and women
Conclusion
In closing I hope this guide points you in the right direction and helps you find a knee brace that will work for you. If you have any questions please comment below or shoot me an email at aaron@csamedicalsupply.com0
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