Shock Doctor Knee Brace for Men Hinged Knee Brace for Women, Knee Support

I totally blew my knee out during Krav Maga class by landing off-balance on my left leg. I never had a knee injury before so it was a new experience. I couldn't even put any weight on it without it feeling like my leg was going to separate at the knee. We went to the local Walgreens and got a basic pair of crutches and the best knee brace they had on the shelf, which is the Mueller Hinged Wraparound Knee Brace, Black, Lg . I wore that one for about 5 days before it started to feel like it wasn't giving me much support, no matter how much I tightened it. I was getting into my car and moved my leg just right (or just wrong) and tweaked my knee again, even with the brace on. Knowing that my knee is worth the expense to keep from re-injuring it, I ordered this Shock Doctor knee brace and was thankful that Amazon has Sale Day delivery in my area. ++++ HOW TO ORDER THE RIGHT SIZE ++++ Be sure to order the right size! ** Ignore the note about it running small! You want to err on the side of it being small because it does stretch and break in! ** In case you need it, here are the sizes: S = 12.25" - 13.25" M = 13" - 14" L = 13.75" - 14.75" XL = 14.5" - 15.5" XXL = 15.25" - 16.25" My upper calf is 15" in diameter 2" below the kneecap as instructed to measure, so I ordered a Large. Yes, it was a tad small, but it worked out for me. ++++ HOW TO PUT IT ON ++++ To install it, slide it over your leg like you would anything else. It will feel VERY tight in the calf area. Grab the sides of the top opening where the little grippers are and pull it on until it is in place, then wrap the straps around accordingly. YOU WANT IT TO BE TIGHT IN THE CALF THE FIRST TIME YOU WEAR IT! It will seem like it is way too small the first day. Also, the straps that wrap around the back of your knee feel like they are digging in the back of your leg. Adjust them once in a while or put a think piece of cloth on the back of your knee for a while. After a while, they break in as well. Day 1 - will feel very tight. Day 2 - will still feel very snug, but more comfortable. Day 3 - you can wear this all day and not even think about it. It definitely needs time to break in and stretch to fit your leg, but once it does, it is awesome. ++++ THE SUPPORT IS GREAT! ++++ So let's talk about the most important part...THE SUPPORT... The first time I put it on and tightened the straps down, I felt like I could do jumping jacks on a sprained knee. Of course, I knew better...but it feels VERY solid and VERY secure. It drastically helped me get back to walking around and building strength in my knee again. I suppose the only downside, other than the break-in period, is the confidence it gives you that if you are not careful, you can start acting "normal", overdo it and hurt your leg again. Remember, it is just a support and not something built by Tony Stark. Also, you cannot bend your leg fully as the straps in the back get in the way, but if you are wearing this, you probably shouldn't be bending your leg that far anyway. Of course, everyone's injuries and body structure is different so your results may vary, but this was without a doubt the best I could buy for my injury and to avoid injuring it again.

My third Shock Dr. knee brace. No, I have just 2 legs, but my first brace, the 872 model, is over 10 years old. The newer 875 model has aluminium hinged support for lightweight stability, flexible but is still EZ to put on, comfortable to wear all day and fits OK under long pants. I had knee surgery for a torn meniscus 18 years ago and have severe osteoarthritis. I play tennis and pickleball with the brace on. Hint - put it on without socks with the patella support hole facing the back of your knee then flip it over into place. I've tried other brands and returned them. Hand wash. It lasts years.

I sprained my left MCL after falling down in a funny way, requiring crutches, a few trips to the doctors office, and weeks of heat and cold packs to control the swelling. Initially I used a fairly good neoprene type velcro wrap knee support (for twice the price of the Shock Doctor), which worked very well to keep my knee compressed, but the neoprene got very hot very fast, and my knee wound up being wet from sweat all day. The wrap was also too tight to allow any normal walking, and wearing it to the office became more of a hassle than it was worth. I ordered the Shock Doctor Ultra Knee Support with Bilateral Hinges to see if it would be any better for wearing all day. It was better in almost every possible way. Comfort: Not only is this knee support much more comfortable than the neoprene wrap type support, but it feels so good when you first start wearing it the other knee gets jealous. I will probably continue to wear this every so often now that my MCL is mostly healed, because it just feels great to have such great knee support. Heat Retention: There is really almost no sweating issue at all with the Shock Doctor, due to the meshed cushion design. Airflow is very good. Except for the hottest of days, my knee stayed relatively dry while wearing this support. Compression: While not as firm as the neoprene type, the padding is thick and soft, giving quite a lot of support. My knee always feels great with this on. The neoprene is just too tight to wear every day if you plan on walking around. Odor: While the neoprene supports obviously come with the somewhat gross neoprene/wetsuit smell, they also get stinky from the constant sweat they are in contact with, which just makes the neoprene stink even grosser. The Shock Doctor support has very little detectable odor at all, and it mostly stays that way even after extended use. Effectiveness: The first two weeks after my MCL sprain required a very tight support, which the neoprene does better. If you just hurt your knee and need a very tight fit, maybe go with the neoprene first, but keep in mind it is more difficult to walk in. Of course, if you just hurt your knee, you probably aren't in the mood for a lot of walking so it may not be a problem. Once you start going back into the real world and need to be mobile, the Shock Doctor is the way to go for sure. I do not think I would have recovered from my injury had I not worn this product for a few months after getting hurt. Sometimes my knee starts to hurt again after a few days or weeks of not wearing the Shock Doctor, but that goes away the minute I put it back on. Size: While very bulky looking, I can still wear this under a pair of Levi 501 jeans without any noticeable bulges. Not as low profile as the neoprene supports, but not too big to fit under a pant leg. I actually prefer the extra bulk on this item, as my knee is safer from external impact, something you really don't want while your knee is healing. Sizing: As you read the reviews for the Shock Doctor knee supports, you will see a lot of people confused about what size they should get. I ordered the X-Large, even though I would not consider my legs larger in diameter than 'average'. I am 5'10' with a heavy build, but again my knee does not seem to me to be "large" and certainly not "extra large", but the X-Large fits perfect. If in doubt, and you really need knee support right away, I would recommend ordering two sizes, and returning one you don't want to keep back to Amazon. When your knee is injured you want to support it as soon as possible, so messing around with measuring your leg and calf and using a sizing calculator may not be at the top of your worry list. Construction: Construction and design of the Shock Doctor is amazing when compared to its competition. It looks and feels like something a professional athlete or soldier would wear when they needed knee support to keep moving. However, there is one design flaw, and to me it's sort of a big one, which is why I could not give this product the five stars I really wanted to give it. The buckles that the velcro straps go through, which take a lot of pressure while you are tightening the straps, are made of plastic. This was not a problem at the beginning, but after a few weeks of every day use, the top buckle cracked and broke while I was adjusting a strap, rendering the entire knee support useless. Amazon cross shipped me a replacement right away (thanks again, Amazon) and I was back in business in two days, but now I am very careful about not pulling the straps too hard. Of course, a tight fit is what you want from this product, so this is a pretty big design flaw. However, it is not bad enough to avoid this product, as it excels in so many other areas. If Shock Doctor started using metal buckles instead of plastic, this item would easily be five stars. All things considered, this is one of the best products I have ordered on Amazon.

My wife tore her ACL completely playing soccer and sprained her MCL as well. The clinic that diagnosed this tried to sell her a $375 DonJoy knee brace that sold for $180 or something on Amazon. I told her not to buy it and that we'd find something that was cheaper but didn't sacrifice on quality or comfort. Before you know it I'm 20 tabs deep in knee braces, ACL tear stories, etc. and I have 30 choices with 30 different people telling me different things. I narrowed it down between this one (Shock Doctor), the Mueller Hg80, and some McDavid braces. The expensive one at the clinic had been long and gone up the thigh a good ways and down the calf a good ways - the stability this lent was key to my wife. In the end I chose the Shock Doctor because I looked like it was really stability-focused and myself and more importantly my wife have been very pleased with the purchase. The brace has some size but I wouldn't call it especially bulky, I'll try and get some pictures up. It goes a good way up the thigh and a good way down the calf and has metal hinges running the full length on each side of the knee. My wife has athletic (read: large) calves and thighs from playing sports all her life - so sizing and good, strong straps were a big concern. We measured her knee 2 inches below mid-knee like the pic shows and I think it was 14.6 inches, right in-between Large and X-Large. Follow the advice in the chart, if you're near the top range and within the bottom range of the larger size, just go with the larger size. The X-Large ended up being a solid choice and has worked well for 3 weeks now even as her swelling has gone down and her knee has gone closer to the large size. For your sake, ignore the names "X-Large", "Large", etc. and just stick to the measurements. My wife is not a big person, but the X-Large sizing was right, so we went with it. It might feel weird ordering an XL for a tiny girl, but just listen to the measurements, not the labels. Materials are very sturdy and durable. The straps haven't loosened or come undone a single time. The rest of it has a solid feel. The metal doesn't squeak. Overall the materials work well to really stabilize the knee and help give the feeling of some extra stability to a potentially wobbly knee. Comfort is great. Like most braces you want to take it off occasionally but if you have to wear it all day, it's very doable. No sore spots from rubbing, etc. Overall a very good brace that is very good quality for a solid price. If you're like me and reviewing a million reviews on a million different products, I can say this one has performed well and if you get the size right, I don't think it'll let you down.

I read reviews on other braces and have tried and returned them all because they did not support the knee along with having good compression. Some braces actually increased the pain. Not every brace fits and supports everyone the same way, but for me this brace does it all... support with the hinges and the compression around the knee is great. When walking I have zero pain. Going up stairs and ladders the pain is still there but is only slight. Fit: Some reviews indicate to size up because it is difficult to get over the knee. For me I stuck with the measured size. It is definitely tight going over the knee but once it is in place it is the perfect size. I think this tightness is why the compression is so good. I wear this brace all day long. My job requires me to walk construction sites, climb ladders up and down structures. I occasionally have to readjust the brace but rarely. It does get hot sometimes during the day but it is under my pants and it is 90 degrees out so this is expected. The brace itself does breath very well. The brace is a bit bulky but does not hinder movement. I actually forget I am wearing it. This brace is not as cheap as some competitors but it is most definitely worth spending the extra money to at lest try it. For me, I finally found a brace that has good support and compression. I will be buying another one for my other knee.

I’ve had two of these over the years. I suffer from a bone on bone issue with my knee. I wear them mostly when I do strenuous work and when I know I’ll be walking a lot. They have worked very well for me, but the hinges don’t work vey long. I wore mine off and on for three years before having to replace them. Stitching is a bit of a problem and are very hard to get off after sweating when you wear it directly on your knee.

After wearing this knee brace for only 1 week, the pain in my knee from a minor torn meniscus has subsided immensely! It has allowed me to exercise moderately, mostly walking and body weight only leg exercises, without pain. The worst pain and stiffness I previously had from the tear was right after sitting at my work desk for extended periods of an hour or more and then standing. Now, with the brace on, that has almost completely gone away too. I can hardly believe it after dealing with the pain for months. The only one minor design flaw is at the top on the inside part of the thigh where the hinge is, there's about an extra inch of fabric that extends above the hinge and it rubbed a small raw spot on my skin from walking. That extra "flap" of fabric really doesn't need to be there, so I just folded it down over the hinge to keep it from rubbing. Pics attached to show what I mean (just don't judge my Sasquatch nature). Again, minor and with a simple fix, so not worth taking away a star. It may not really be a design flaw, I'm only 5' 6", so it could be rubbing due to my short legs with thick and hairy Hobbit-like thighs, taller people with skinny hairless legs may not have the same issue. The fitting based on the size chart indicated a medium was the right size and it was spot on for me. Some reviews said to order a size up, I don't think that's accurate. Sure, it's a tight fit, but it's supposed to be. It does wear in and relax a little after a day or two wearing the brace. 100% worth the money.

I would rank them in this order for hyperextention support (most important), overall knee stabilization (next consideration) and comfort wearing (least important, and the cost is also not as important): 1) ~ 2) > 3) > 4). Brace 1) and 2) felt pretty similar with a slight to moderate hyperextention support, but McDavid XL was a better fit than Shock Doctor 2) option (XXL), which seemed a bit loose. So maybe brace 2) of lesser than recommended size would have worked better. Brace 3) was the only suitable of this size I found in Big Five local sports store. It was not as good as 1) and 2). Brace didn’t provide any overextension support, contrary to the claim, but it was the most comfortable to wear under pants (as it is thinner), but this is not enough. Other comments. Brace 4) was available for the next day delivery (while 1 and 2 would take 2 days to deliver) with Amazon Prime. Brace 4) was designed by a local company that for some reason has very poor reviews. I also rated this product as the least favorable. Shock Doctor braces (especially 2) feel heavy duty and so has promising potential if correctly fit. McDavid 1) was an overall winner based on functionality comparable to 2) but a better fit (it is also more compact and twice cheaper!) I liked the side pockets on McDavid 1) to pull the brace up the leg. These are also found on Shock Doctor 2) and 3) but smaller and not as convenient. A comment on my experience fitting braces. The results vary a lot depending on specific pants and trousers vs. bare skin. If put on bare skin, skin needs to be dry as the inner surface will otherwise adhere to skin. In conclusion, McDavid Hinged Knee Brace (Level III) and Shock Doctor Knee Brace with Rigid Side Stabilizers (Level III) were comparable and very good to stabilize the impacted knee that is painful to overstretch. Level II Shock Doctor brace was not as good, and DonJoy Performance Bionic Drytex Hinged Knee Sleeve was not suitable for knee overextension control, but a nice choice when you value the brace with minimum support functionality that is can be hidden under pants. Selecting the right size is a huge factor for the level of support and comfort. I eventually picked McDavid Hinged Knee Brace (Level III) as it matched the Shock Doctor functionality but at the same time was more compact and twice cheaper.

サポート感は抜群で、膝を曲げずとも歩行できるのですが 残念な事に、履くタイプで装脱着に苦労します。 Mueller(ミューラー) アジャスタブルヒンジニーブレイス 54557の方がお勧め。

装着感は良いのですが、汗をかいた後に外す・・・かなりきついです。幅があるので、長ズボンの下では無理、ハーフパンツでの着用がイイですね

Working through a sprained MCL and torn meniscus and use 3 different models from shock doctor. All of them are great, this one provides the most support and yet I'm still able to wear it on the ice and skate. Definitely gives me the support I need and would recommend this to anyone wanting to get active but dealing with knee issues.

Waiting for knee replacement I was given two different braces from hospital that were of little use, bought this one and it’s made such a difference, it’s well made made, strong with a hinge on the knee, I can wear it from getting up to going to bed without discomfort and it keeps my knee stable, wish I had bought it sooner.

Very useful, comfortable and adjustable brace for my Osteoarthritis Knee joint. Checks limited hyperextension. Helps to stay away from surgery.