Best Knee Compression Sleeves – TOP 5
Knee compression sleeves are crafted to provide support and protection for your knees. Did you think that all those basketball and soccer players were wearing them just to look cool? Although I must admit, some of them are kinda cool looking. In this roundup of best knee sleeves, you’ll learn how to find the most suitable for yourself.
Compression Knee Sleeves
| PRODUCT | OUR RATING | AVAILABLE |
|---|---|---|
  CopperJoint Knee Compression Sleeve |
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  Nordic Lifting Knee Sleeves |
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  ActiveGear Knee Brace |
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  Copper Compression Recovery Knee Sleeve |
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  Copper United Knee Sleeve |
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TOP 5 Knee Compression Sleeve Reviews
CopperJoint Knee Compression Sleeve
These knee sleeves are perfect for people who have sore knees and could benefit from a high level of support. The double-silicone anti-slip system–a unique feature of CopperJoint’s knee sleeves–keeps the wearer’s knees stable while in use.
Like all CopperJoint products, these knee sleeves are made with copper-infused materials.
Pros
- High level of support
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Very tight–make sure to get the right size
Nordic Lifting Knee Sleeves
Nordic Lifting knee sleeves are of great quality. They are intended for heavy lifting, not running or aerobic sports, so these are really for weightlifters only.
They are very affordable, especially considering how effective they are.
Pros
- Great durability
- Helps with knee pain
Cons
- Really only for weightlifting, if you’re looking for support for running or basketball, look elsewhere
ActiveGear Knee Brace
The ActiveGear knee brace is designed for heavy-duty support: the kind you need for weightlifting or after having surgery.
It’s made of a breathable fabric that warms the knee while in use.
The ActiveGear knee brace is also recommended for people suffering from arthritis.
Pros
- Strong supportive product
- Keeps knee warm, preventing injury
Cons
- Made from synthetic material that smells strongly
Copper Compression Recovery Knee Sleeve
This knee sleeve is recommended for men or women. It is made from 88% copper-embedded nylon, which the manufacturer says aids in tissue regeneration after workouts. They are also recommended as countermeasures to swelling after surgery.
This is a compression sleeve, so it’s not meant to provide a ton of support.
Pros
- Moderately inexpensive
- 88% copper content
Copper United Knee Sleeve
This is a compression knee sleeve, meaning that it doesn’t offer a high degree of support.
It’s not going to be as useful for say, preventing injuries, as a more rigid sleeve might be. However, it is sufficient to relieve muscle soreness, stiffness, swelling, and irritation.
As with any compression sleeve, they also aid in improving blood circulation and post-workout recovery.
Pros
- Moisture wicking technology
- High copper content
- Affordable
Cons
- Loses elasticity quickly
What you should know before buying knee compression sleeves?
Benefits for knees
Very much like other compression sleeves, the type intended for knees has a primary role of providing support and protection for its eponymous body area.
To elaborate, knee sleeves compress your muscles and enhance blood circulation, which in turn improves the functioning of your muscles. Same applies to joints, due to the enhanced blood flow.
There are many benefits why you should wear knee compression sleeves – like the ability to alleviate aches and soreness in your knee by simply constructing it.
Additionally, knee sleeves can keep your knees warm and dry. Naturally, a disclaimer here should warn you to seek professional help before doing something on your own. Too much compression can lead to even more pain.
For Whom Knee Sleeves are for?
Compression knee sleeves are commonly worn by athletes coming from many disparate competitive sports, such as track events, football, basketball, handball, rugby, soccer, Aussie Rules, and even golf. Moreover, there are dedicated knee compression sleeves for track events (running).
Do they really improve performance?
There is a notion that wearing a knee sleeve actually improves an athlete’s performance, though this has not yet been supported by scientific data. However, knee sleeves do provide extra support and additional comfort.
Even if this is uncertain, the effects knee sleeves have on the time of recovery and injury prevention are well-known and well-documented.
Preventing injuries from happening
Knee compression sleeves are a must in competitive sports where there is a high pressure (literally and metaphorically) put on the knee. These include, above all, track events and weightlifting.
It’s a good idea to wear these for prevention, as they provide additional support to your knees and prevent injury. Conversely, if you’re already injured, wearing a knee sleeve will speed up the recovery thanks to the enhanced blood circulation.
Finally, even after you’ve recovered, it would be beneficial to keep wearing it to prevent the problem from reoccurring.
Types
Depending on the specific purpose, there are a few different types of knee compression sleeves.
- Closed knee sleeve – is a one-piece garment, designed to completely cover the knee area. They’re the most popular ones by far.
- Open knee sleeve – has a small opening in front, mainly to improve the airflow around the knee nevertheless, they provide a good compression.
- Padded knee sleeves – are designed to be thicker, mostly to provide better protection against shocks and prevent over-exertion due to intense physical activity.
Which knee sleeve to get?
Aside from consulting a sizing chart to get the right size and a doctor to see if you need one at all, there’s not much to know about the knee sleeve. Keep in mind, that not all models are sold as pairs, so make sure to ask.