There are different types of knee braces, which can help with your knee pain and reduce the risks of injuries. However, not all of them are created equal. If you have a severe injury and complex knee problem, then traditional knee sleeves and compression knee braces won’t be much useful. You’ve to go for hinged knee braces instead that provide extra support and stability to your knees.
A hinged knee brace has two metal hinges on both sides of the knee, with proper cushioning that avoids discomfort. The primary purpose of the hinges is to support and stabilize your knees. As you move your body, these hinges allow enough motion for you to perform the activity. The best thing about hinged knee brace is that it prevents your knee from over-extension. The hinges stop hyperextended knees, which may cause meniscus tear, tissue damage, pain, and inflammation.
In this article, you’ll learn more about hinged knee braces, its benefits, and uses. We’ll also list 8 hinged knee braces and pick the best hinged knee brace for you.
8 Best Hinged Knee Braces
We’ll review and analyze each hinged knee brace and help you pick the one that is the best.
Quick Winner
Don’t want to read until the end? Here’s the winner
Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace
After reviewing and analyzing different hinged knee braces on the market, we have concluded that Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace is the best.
Quality: 4.7/5
Pricing: 4.6/5
Rating: 4.7/5
Jump to read the reviews, instead? HERE
What’s a Hinged Knee Brace?
A hinged knee brace is the one that has metal support or hinges on both sides of the knee to reduce injuries and provide stability. Some hinged knee braces for severe knee conditions limit your activities significantly. On the other hand, knee braces that allow a range of motion, have adjustable and movable hinges for lateral and medial instability. They allow you to play sports and perform your daily fitness activities.
Do You Need a Hinged Knee Brace?
If you’re worried about hyperextension and overstraining of your muscles due to work and intense activities, you may need a hinged knee brace. Also, if you’ve severe knee condition, which can’t be helped by a traditional compression knee sleeve, then a hinged knee brace is a better option. Unfortunately, muscle strain, meniscus tear, and ligament damage are common knee problems that require you to use hinged knee braces.
Unlike standard knee braces, hinged ones offer very little mobility because they are designed to limit over-straining. Choosing the right type of knee brace depends on individual needs, knee conditions, and personal requirements.
Benefits of Using a Hinged Knee Brace
Picking the best hinged knee brace can be difficult, as you may need to evaluate different options available on the market. But once you choose the right one, you’ll get a clear picture of what that knee brace can do for you. A hinged knee brace helps with the following:
- Joint instability
- Muscle injury
- Meniscus tears
- Patellar tracking
- Ligament pain
- ACL damage
- Arthritis
- Post surgery recovery
The bilateral support of such knee brace limits your knee movement, thus allowing it to recover fast. Many new hinged knee supports are also designed for people who need to do their daily fitness activities. You can choose based on that too.
Things to Consider before Buying Hinged Knee Brace
Once you know the basics of how a hinged knee brace works and what to expect from it, the next step is to give it a try. If you’re not ready, that’s okay. You should still consider a few things before you decide to buy the knee brace.
Here are a few things to help you pick the best hinged knee brace:
Patella design – Most hinged knee braces have open patella design. That’s because you don’t want to over-compress your knee cap as you perform your daily activity. If you’re bed-ridden or won’t need to walk most often, a close patella design will work. However, the open one provides your knee with stability and necessary movement.
Slip on and wrap-around – Wrap around design is easy to put on and can be removed without discomfort. It also provides space for adjustability and custom fit. On the other hand, slip on design is mostly made as knee sleeve, and not as a knee brace. Such knee sleeves have closed patella and are used to exert compression on the knees.
Sizing – Choosing the wrong sized knee brace can create discomfort for the knee. Not only will you have a problem fitting the brace on your knee, but the whole concept of stability and support will fail. Also, many knee braces come with a universal size. It means you don’t have the choice to pick a knee brace for your knee. In our experience, it’s better to order a hinged knee brace with more than one sizing options.
Knee support – Almost all hinged knee braces provide some kind of knee support and help alleviate pain and discomfort. However, not all users are always helped. If you’re going to buy a hinged knee brace to see how it works, then I recommend you take a moment and think. If you have some specific knee condition and the features and benefits of a hinged knee brace will help you, give it a try. If not, see how a knee brace can help you. And whether the kind of support you’re looking for will be available with that knee brace.
Comfort and ease of use – When evaluating comfort and ease of use, look for the quality, design, and features of the knee brace. A high quality neoprene material may be quite comfortable. But if the design is too bulky for your knee to handle, the knee brace may not be worth it. Use a hinged knee brace that prevents odor and moisture, has a comfy design, and is easy to put on.
Price – Unlike compression knee sleeves and other ordinary knee support, hinged knee braces are relatively expensive. It’s because of the kind of support these knee braces provide. While knee braces have many different pricing options, the cost difference is not significant. It means you don’t have to base your judgment solely on pricing.
How to Wear a Hinged Knee Brace?
Once you’ve bought a hinged knee brace, the next step is to start using it. If you have never used one before and don’t know how to put on a knee brace, we’ll help you.
As knee braces have different types, you’ll need to read the instruction for a specific one. In the case of hinged knee brace, almost all have open patella and wrap-around design. They are easy to put one on without the use of external help.
Below is a quick run-down on how to put on a hinged knee brace.
- Open the straps and align the knee brace such that the knee cap is visible through the open hole (for open patella design).
- Adjust the upper and lower part of the knee brace accordingly and secure it before you fasten the straps.
- Once done, tighten the straps and adjust the compression as you deem fit.
- If the knee brace is too tight, loosen it.
- If not, keep adjusting the straps until your knee feels comfortable.
Top 8 Best Hinged Knee Braces in 2023
1. Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.7/5
Pricing: 4.6/5
Rating: 4.7/5
This knee brace helps with lateral and medial instability, ligament sprains, and meniscus tear, among many other knee injuries. Shock Doctor knee brace has an anti bacterial feature that prevents odor and reduces moisture. The bilateral hinges support your knees without limiting your movement completely
With an open patella design, Shock Doctor knee brace alleviates pressure on your knee cap and helps stabilize the joints. Customers who used this knee brace said it had a perfect fit and helped with knee instability.
Customization – It has six different sizes to choose from. You’ll be able to get a knee brace just made for you.
Knee support – Helps with almost all kinds of minor knee problems. For example, minor patella instability, arthritis, meniscus tear, and knee injuries.
Comfort – It’s made of latex free material and has a breathable design. You’ll be comfortable throughout the day because of its anti-bacterial and anti-moisture features.
Pros:
✔️ Custom sizing option
✔️ Can fit both knees
✔️ Reduces knee pain and injuries
✔️ High quality and comfortable
Cons:
❌ Choosing the wrong sizing may cause problem
2. Vive Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.5/5
Pricing: 4.6/5
Rating: 4.4/5
Vive knee brace comes in three different colors, such as black, gray, and beige. The aluminum support hinges help with lateral stability and can easily be removed. Vive hinged knee brace reduces muscle strain, fatigue, and risks of sports injury.
The brace has an open patella design and provides your knee with enough compression for quick recovery from joints, ligaments, tendons, and patellar injury. Made of neoprene material, Vive knee brace is breathable, lightweight, and comfortable for daily use. Users who tried Viva hinged knee brace said it didn’t fully restrict their range of motion.
Knee support – Whether you’ve joint instability, patellar dislocation, or muscle strain, Vive knee brace provides excellent support to soothe your ailing knee.
Material – The lightweight, breathable, and comfortable neoprene material offers enough thermal compression for a speedy recovery.
Stability – The dual, removable hinges are made of aluminum and help with medial and lateral stability.
Pros:
✔️ Open patella design
✔️ Allows range of motion
✔️ Knee injury support
✔️ Universal size option
Cons:
❌ Takes time to get used to it
3. DonJoy Performance Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.4/5
Pricing: 4.3/5
Rating: 4.6/5
If you’re looking for knee support during intense sports and fitness activities, then look no further than DonJoy hinged knee brace. The bilateral polycentric hinges stabilize and support your knees during intense fitness activities.
The stretch webbing on both sides of the knee provides a customized fit. It also has an “anti-migration technology” that reduces slip during fitness training. People who used DonJoy Performance knee brace said it had sturdy support and was well-made.
Knee support – Ideal for new and pro fitness enthusiasts who need support for injured knees, ligament tears, and muscle sprain.
Comfort and stability – Breathable design, anti-slip material, and wrap-around style provide maximum comfort and stability.
Custom sizing – Unlike many others, this knee brace comes with four different sizing options. You can easily choose a better fit without a hassle.
Pros:
✔️ Hyperextension stops for knee stability
✔️ Wrap around design
✔️ Anti-slip technology
✔️ Ideal for sports and intense activities
Cons:
❌ Behind the knee wrap causes discomfort
4. Neo-G Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.4/5
Pricing: 4.3/5
Rating: 4.5/5
Neo-G Hinged Knee Brace is ideal for sports and daily activities. You can wear it to hiking, walking, running, skiing, golf, and soccer, etc. This hinged brace alleviates knee pain and instability due to sports activities, muscle injuries, meniscus tear, runner knee, ACL, and patellar dislocation.
The dual hinge support called two point hinge system on both sides of the knee provides lateral stability. Users who tried Neo G knee brace said it was easy to put on and felt comfortable.
Knee support – The knee brace offers better support to your injured knees. Strains, patellar tracking, arthritic pain, injured knees, and aching joints – all can be addressed by using this knee brace.
Customization – Neo G knee brace has a universal size, so you’ve to rely upon one size. The knee brace does wrap around with three velcros straps, which you can adjust accordingly.
Comfort and ease of use – With three velcro straps, it’s not as comfortable as it should be.
Pros:
✔️ Medical grade
✔️ Fits both knees
✔️ Adjustable compression
✔️ Reduces knee injuries
Cons:
❌ May be uncomfortable
5. Bodyprox Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.4/5
Pricing: 4.5/5
Rating: 4.2/5
Bodyprox is a heavy-duty, dual hinged knee brace that relieves muscle pain, ligament sprain, and many common knee related injuries. The knee brace has bilateral aluminum hinges that reduce instability without limiting your range of motion.
The advanced, latex-free neoprene material provides thermal compression and reduces knee pain instantly. The open patella design and wrap around feature minimize pressure on the knee and provide a snug fit around the joint.
Range of motion – Bodyprox provides complete knee stability without limiting your range of motion.
Knee support – The high-quality, sturdy design and thermal compression features help your knee to recover fast from injury.
Comfort – The adjustable velcro straps and anti-slip design keep you comfortable throughout the day.
Pros:
✔️ Four sizing options
✔️ Adjustable and snug fit
✔️ Open back design for comfort
Cons:
❌ May be bulky for some users
6. VieVibrante Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.3/5
Pricing: 4.2/5
Rating: 4.2/5
This knee brace comes in three different colors with four sizes to choose from. VieVibrante claims to have built their knee brace based on surveys by hundreds of real customers. This knee brace has anti-sliding strips to prevent falling of the knee brace during sports and daily activities.
This hinged knee brace has removable and adjustable metal stabilizers on both sides of the knee. For extra flexibility, this knee brace also features four metal springs. The design is wrap-around and is liked by many customers for its optimum support and knee stability features.
Knee support – VieVibrante knee brace reduces knee pain, muscle injuries, torn meniscus, and sprain, etc.
Custom fit – The design is for plus size knees. So if you’re overweight and have large thighs with wider knees, this knee brace will snugly fit.
Comfort – The knee brace is comfortable and can easily be put on without a problem.
Pros:
✔️ Custom fit
✔️ Anti slip straps
✔️ Reduces knee injuries
✔️ Highly flexible.
Cons:
❌ Back flap may be uncomfortable
7. McDavid Hinged Knee Brace
Quality: 4.0/5
Pricing: 4.1/5
Rating: 3.9/5
McDavid Hinged Knee brace has highly cushioned hyperextension stops for stability and reducing the risks of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage and meniscus tear. The open patella has a 360 degree padded buttress for comfort and knee cap support.
The knee brace is made of high quality, neoprene material and can easily be adjusted with the help of its adjustable straps. Customers who used McDavid hinged knee brace said it helped with a meniscus tear and knee injuries.
Comfort and ease of use – The knee brace has a lightweight and comfortable design and can be used easily. However, many users found the comfort level not so good.
Knee stability – The hyperextension support reduces the risks of severe injuries and provides your knee with premium stability.
Material – The high quality neoprene material is latex free and has an adjustable fit.
Pros:
✔️ Patella padding
✔️ Dual support hinges
✔️ Knee injury support
✔️ Custom sizing option
Cons:
❌ May slip down
8. MEDIZED Adjustable Hinged Knee Brace
Made for people who need help with their knee injury and joints support. MEDIZED hinged knee brace ensures long-lasting support to your ailing knees and stabilizes it with two hinges located on both sides of the knee.
This knee brace is made of high-quality, breathable material and can be adjusted accordingly. MEDIZED, however, has a universal size and won’t work for people who want to reduce the extra struggle of adjustment.
Comfort level – Like many other knee braces, this one is also comfortable. But you need to adjust the straps.
Knee support – This knee brace provides better knee support for people who have a problem with walking, running, hiking, and jogging.
Custom fit – While the sizing is universal, you will still have the room to adjust the straps accordingly and comfort your knee.
Pros:
✔️ Can fit both knees
✔️ Comfortable and supportive
✔️ Dual hinges for knee stability
Cons:
❌ Sizing may be a problem
Conclusion
Hinged knee braces are better for meniscus tear, ligament injuries, serious fractures, and ACL damage, etc. It’s better to know your knee condition and see if you really need a heavy duty knee brace. If not, you may try a compression sleeve. But for those that need advanced support with faster recovery, a hinged knee brace is a better option. Not only do they provide stability and support, but the dual hinges also limit your knee from hyperextension. Out of the 8 knee braces we have listed above, Shock Doctor Hinged Knee Brace is the best. You can try it without any risk and see how it helps your knee.
