What Do Knee Sleeves Do & When To Wear Them
Medically Reviewed By | Dr. Kate Panawash, PT, NCS, DPT
Your knees are involved in most of the movements you make daily. Needless to say, they can take a lot of daily wear and tear, and for those who lead an active lifestyle or play a sport, the knee can be a particularly vulnerable joint.
The abundance of pressure, strain, and impact the knees take can lead to various conditions, a range of injuries, and general pain. Because of this, many people today are searching for tools they can use to combat knee problems and protect their knees from future injury.
Dr. Katelyn Panawash, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS), notes that it’s normal for your body to feel the effects of movement over time: “Everyday use and the activities you love doing can demand a lot from your body and your knees. As a physical therapist, knee pain is a very common primary or secondary report for patients of all ages. But good health habits like eating well, doing strength training and mobility, managing stress, and prioritizing sleep can go a long way in optimizing your body's performance.”
However, the current market for knee support is oversaturated with many different types of sleeves and braces. This makes it difficult to discern the best option for any given person. On top of this, it’s important to note that not all knee sleeves are created equal.
The doctor-approved Q&A below will explain why the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve is the best option for overall knee health.
How Does the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve Work?
Once you slide on the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve, it’s activated by the heat that your body naturally gives off. The special semiconductors infused within the fabric release infrared waves causing cellular vibrations that penetrate the skin and vibrate your cells.
This process signals your body to concentrate blood flow and increase blood speed in and around the knee. When your knee is supplied with more blood, it is supplied with more oxygen and nutrients, which are crucial to the healing mechanisms.
This, along with the promotion of lymphatic drainage, decreases pain and inflammation in the area and aids the knee in maintaining performance.
What Are the Main Benefits of Using a Knee Sleeve?
Here are the three main ways customers are utilizing the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve:
1. Performance
The innovative technology used within the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve will help your knees fire on all cylinders; that’s why many athletes (and those who live an active lifestyle) choose to wear it during workouts, practices, and games. Those whose jobs require them to put a lot of stress on their knees also greatly benefit from wearing the knee sleeve while moving.
2. Recovery
When you stop moving, the knee sleeve keeps working. Whether recovering from a workout, an injury, or surgery, Incrediwear always reinforces your body’s natural healing powers.
3. Prevention
If you aren’t currently dealing with pain, inflammation, or injuries, the knee sleeve can still be very beneficial to wear during activity. When your knee is adequately supplied with the proper elements, it is more resilient and less prone to problems.
How Is the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve Different from a Compression Sleeve?
Traditional compression knee sleeves work to fight off discomfort by squeezing the area around the knee. While this may temporarily reduce symptoms, it does so by reducing blood flow to the knee.
For the knee to fully thrive, it needs the highest possible supply of oxygen and nutrients the blood carries. The Incrediwear Knee Sleeve is ultimately the better option — it works with your body to heal rather than against the body to heal.
What Conditions Do Knee Sleeves Treat?
Here is a list of common conditions that the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve can help with:
Runner’s Knee
Also called patellofemoral pain syndrome, Runner’s Knee is a term used by the medical community to describe when someone develops persistent pain in front of or around their kneecap. This common condition is not exclusive to runners and can be caused by one or a combination of several different factors.
These include:
- Excess use
- Direct blows to the knee
- Malalignment of certain bones
- Structural problems with the feet
- Weakened or unbalanced thigh muscles
- Chondromalacia patella (a condition that causes the breakdown of cartilage under the kneecap)
Ligament Tears
Ligaments are small bands of stretchy tissue that link bones to other bones and give joints throughout the body stability and strength. There are four main ligaments within the knee — the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), and the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL).
These ligaments, especially the ACL, are commonly injured with partial or complete tears.
Sprains
Sprains occur when the fibers that make up the ligaments in the knee overstretch beyond their natural position. Knee sprains are not as serious as ligament tears, but they can still be painful and require recovery.
Knee sprains are a very common injury among athletes, particularly those who play contact sports like football, lacrosse, and soccer.
Bursitis
Small, fluid-filled sacs throughout the body sit between bones and other tissues that exist to prevent unwanted friction. These sacs, called bursae (plural of bursa), can become aggravated by pressure, trauma, and infections, which lead to swelling, inflammation, pain, and other symptoms.
Bursitis in the knee is very common among those whose jobs require a lot of kneeling and those who play contact sports.
Surgery Recovery
The Incrediwear Knee Sleeve can be beneficial to those who are recovering from knee surgery.
Some of the most common surgeries include:
- Meniscus repair surgery
- Lateral release
- Microfractures
- ACL reconstructions
- Tendon repairs
Should I Wear a Knee Sleeve Without an Injury?
If you have a history of knee problems, have recently recovered from a knee injury, or are just participating in a high-risk sport, the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve is still beneficial to the knee in the absence of a current injury/condition.
How the knee sleeve supports your joint on a cellular level not only aids in the healing process but also makes your knees more resilient. Flooding the area with oxygen and promoting lymphatic drainage is a great preventative measure many athletes take advantage of.
Can I Wear a Knee Sleeve While Exercising?
Yes. The highly breathable, ultra-flexible fabric that constructs our knee sleeve allows you to retain your full range of motion while supporting your joint — it will not get in the way during activity, whether it be a workout, game, or competition. It’s very lightweight and low-profile, making it easy to wear underneath most types of pants and leggings.
Can I Wear a Knee Sleeve While Resting?
While compression knee sleeves are only designed for short periods, the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve can be worn before and after activity — it promotes healing around the clock and is comfortable enough to be worn while you rest on the couch.
Many athletes even go to bed with the knee sleeve on the night of a hard workout — it will aid in recovery while you sleep through the night.
Who Should Use a Knee Sleeve?
Below are the groups of people we believe can benefit the most from having a knee sleeve:
Athletes
Athletes who participate in contact sports should always have the knee sleeve in their gym bag.
More specifically, knee issues are common for:
- Football players
- Soccer players
- Lacrosse players
- Hockey players
- Rugby players
Those who participate in sports or activities that demand a lot of flexibility from the knee often find the knee sleeve to be very useful and helpful.
Things like:
- Tennis
- Gymnastics
- Dance
- Rock Climbing
- Biking
Those Who Live an Active Lifestyle
Even if you just live an active lifestyle, the knee sleeve can be great for any weightlifting training or running sessions. You’ll be thankful to have one handy, especially if you’ve had knee issues or injuries in the past.
Those Who Have Certain Chronic Conditions
If you are dealing with a more long-term condition, like rheumatoid arthritis, the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve can be a great tool to soothe day-to-day symptoms when needed.
Those With Certain Occupations
The knee sleeve can also be incredibly beneficial to those whose jobs put a lot of strain on their knees. If your job requires a lot of kneeling, like plumbing, carpet installation, and air conditioning/heating, you can protect yourself from developing bursitis in the knee or other overuse conditions.
What’s the Difference Between Knee Sleeves and Knee Braces?
Rather than the overt structural support that a knee brace strives to provide, the Incrediwear knee sleeve provides biological support on a cellular level, which in turn supports the structural integrity of the knee.
How Should a Knee Sleeve Fit?
Our knee sleeve is designed to be form-fitting without restricting your mobility. Navigate to the sizing tab on the knee sleeve’s product page to see a detailed chart for sizing — it will help you with your selection based on your measurements.
Do Knee Sleeves Stop Working Over Time?
No. Unlike a compression sleeve that may lose its snugness over six months to a year, our knee sleeve retains its efficacy due to the way it works. It is safe to put in the washing machine and should be cleaned regularly to prevent skin irritation.
Are Knee Sleeves for Men and Women?
Yes. Our knee sleeve has a universal design that will fit men and women both equally comfortably.
Incrediwear Knee Sleeve Specs
The knee sleeve slides over your foot and provides 360-degree coverage from the mid-thigh to the mid-shin. We offer a wide range of sizes to ensure the fit is as custom and comfortable as possible — choose from medium, all the way up to XXXL.
You’ll also have a choice between six colors, one of which will match your style.
Conclusion
The Incrediwear Knee Sleeve, along with any other Incrediwear product, is a great option for many situations. If you are looking to optimize your performance, it will boost your knee’s inner anatomy.
If you are trying to recover from an injury or a hard workout, it will promote the body’s healing process. If you are trying to prevent injury or pain, it will maximize the joints' resilience and integrity.
Many people, including athletes, people with certain professions, and those dealing with specific health conditions, could greatly benefit from incorporating the Incrediwear Knee Sleeve into their routine.
Sources:
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner's Knee) | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Knee bursitis - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment FAQs | Cleveland Clinic
