Are you trying to find the best knee sleeves for basketball? If so, make sure you read this article in full.
For anyone who likes to take part in some basketball, one thing you might find is that you can begin to get a lot of pain in the knee.
The constant up and down nature of basketball as well as the high intensity and flexibility needed puts a lot of strain on the body.
This can lead to knees that really don’t feel as strong and as secure as you would have been hoping for. So, what should you do? You should look at getting some knee sleeves.
Designed to give you total flexibility whilst naturally supporting the knee, this helps to reduce pain, discomfort, and general irritation.
It’s a good choice for anyone who is looking for a strong, secure, flexible and comfortable fabric.
It’s a good choice for anyone who needs a bit of extra support in and around the knee area, giving you the extra comfort that you would have been hoping for.
However, the problem with buying knee sleeves is that you have so many options.
That can become a headache, which is why we recommend you look at this article so you can decide what works best for you.
You can use one of these to help you stay nice and comfortable for a long period of time. At the same time, they can help to give you more support and even improve your game.
Before you go ahead and buy one, though, let’s take a look at what matters when it comes to buying a knee sleeve.
When should I even wear a knee sleeve?
We know that you likely have many options to think about, so it can be tough to work out what you actually need.
The most common reason that we can give you for wearing a knee sleeve or pad, though, is that it tends to give you immediate protection.
If you want to know when to start wearing a sleeve/pad, though, we recommend that you start doing so around a few days into your training regime.
Once you are used to the warm-up days that you often get upon joining a team, you will find that you need no protection.
However, when the intensity increases so too will the pressure on your bones and your joints. The simplest way to avoid this is quite simple – grab a knee sleeve and put that on.
This offers the extra layer of support that you need, and it should help you to avoid things like twists, sprains, and other kinds of damage.
What if you have already suffered an injury?
If you are already hurting, then you might need a knee brace.
A knee brace is going to kill your mobility, though, so it’s more about giving you support to get through day-to-day activities and rehabilitation.
You should not really be trying to play much basketball – or any sport – when you are in need of a brace.
If a pad or a sleeve is not going to be enough to help you play, then you need to take the time to recover and get a knee sleeve put on.
This is very important, as it will play a very crucial role in making sure you can enjoy wearing the sleeve without it becoming an uncomfortable burden.
What injuries can they help me recover from?
As one might expect, wearing a durable and protective solution around the leg or knee can be very good for your health.
This helps you to avoid regular injuries that can pop up in the career of a basketball player, including but not limited to:
Partial ligament tearing and long-term ligament damage.
Muscular and tendon-based injuries, including long-term tears.
Ankle and wrist injuries, often as a result of impact and/or wear and tear.
Head and chest injuries, often caused due to an accident or a poor throw/catch.
General wear and tear on the body.
While all of these injuries are part of the game, you’ll find that a lot of protective solutions can help you out. However, it’s hard to know the difference – so what matters?
If you buy a pad for your knee, then you can avoid small-scale injuries and also help to provide a cushion in and around the kneecap.
If you buy a sleeve for your knee, then it tends to offer a great sense of stability than a pad. It’s great for still playing on with, too, and should prevent injury over time.
If you buy a brace for your knee, though, you won’t have free movement in the knee area. However, you will be insulated from further damage – but these are mostly to prevent an injury worsening, not preventing an injury altogether.
If you are looking to wear something that can give you extra strength and protection, then you should look at trying to buy the right style. We recommend that you look at getting a knee sleeve or pad as it offers secure knee movement. Knee braces are mostly for recovering from injury rather than preventing injury.
Which one should I buy?
If you have played basketball at any level, then you will know how useful it is to have items like a knee sleeve.
As we’ve explained above, these items offer more than a cool, cosmetic look. They offer durability, protection, and simplicity.
Not only do they allow you to enjoy a much smoother and simpler basketball experience, but a knee sleeve does a lot to keep you feeling good as you play.
It’s for that reason that we highly recommend you look into buying any of the following basketball knee sleeves right away.
The Top 7 Knee Sleeves For Basketball
1. Uflex Knee Sleeve
A good starting place for just about anyone in need of a quality basketball knee sleeve, we think, would be this solution.
The Uflex knee sleeve feels good, looks good, and should sit more or less exactly where you would want it to.
We like this model because it has such a good level of support and thus helps to relive pain and stress in the knee area.
If you are finding it hard to get playing due to the nature of your knee damage, we recommend that you try this out.
It does offer some good support, and the anti-slip silicone ensures that it will stay exactly where it should be.
This will help with recovery, improving the amount of time that you spend out for the count.
Definitely a good choice, we would say, and definitely one to try out if you are looking for something strong yet sturdy.
However, just be aware that this is one you might want to buy multiples of. Like most supports, it has a longevity problem that could mean you need to replace it sooner than you might expect if you wear it regularly.
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2. Blitzu Power Compression Brace
If you are looking for a really thick and sturdy knee brace, this Blitzu option is absolutely a fine starting place.
This offers a high level of relief from muscle pain and can be a fine solution for minimising soreness in the joints.
Also, the thickness means that if you are out playing all day you don’t need to worry about UV rays on that particular part of the body.
Also, one thing to note about this is that this has proper 360-degree flexibility.
This means that it can stretch in just about any direction, meaning that it isn’t going to lose durability because you happen to stretch one way more than the other.
If you are looking for an all-purpose sports solution, this works out really well.
Those who take part in combat sports, soccer, and other sports like baseball can feel the benefits of wearing something like this.
Another nice touch is that this works well for keeping your knee feeling quite cool and dry.
Other options can feel like they are soaking up your heat needlessly so, and this helps you to avoid having that feeling as you go ahead and start playing.
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3. McDavid Hex Leg Sleeve
This is more than just a general knee sleeve, so if your pain tends to be more leg-based than just knee-based, start here.
This uses impressive 9mm HEX technology which has become the envy of the industry.
Not only does it keep your legs feeling fantastic, but it does an excellent job of making sure your sleeves feel nice and secure as you play.
They are useful too for making sure you aren’t dealing with excessive moisture.
Some leg sleeves can feel like they are torturing you, such is the itch that can come from the excessive build-up of moisture.
This is why we recommend that ou look to get a leg sleeve like this.
The extended length of it compared to other models on our list means that it should feel absolutely fantastic from the moment that you put it on.
The mixture of nylon, spandex and polyethylene foam makes sure that you get a nice balance, too.
This is a very good starting point for just about anyone who needs a simpler, easier way to keep their legs feeling good on a regular basis.
So, why not take a look at this particular brace?
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4. Reach Honeycomb Leg Sleeve
Another leg sleeve and a bit more lightweight than the McDavid option above.
This feels really easy to wear, and the smooth nature of it means that you can play for a full match without feeling an excessive level of strain.
We recommend that you try this out if you are looking for something that can do a lot to keep your legs feeling strong and also to give you a bit of extra balance.
The smooth nature of the material means that it should not bother you when you are playing either, which is quite useful.
The unique hexagonal shape, designed in a rich honeycomb design, is a fine starting point for just about anyone.
They look good, they sit well on the leg, and they tend to be very easy to wear all thanks to the anti-slip material.
It’s suitable for just about kind of outdoor gaming or workout experience, we would say, and it’s probably the best place to start for a simple leg protection sleeve.
The big difference here is just how easy this one sits on the leg. Definitely one to try out if you are looking for something a little bit more robust than the norm.
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5. Ultra Flex Athletics Knee Sleeve
This compression sleeve is a fine starting point for just about anyone in need of a consistent, comfortable knee solution.
This knee compression sleeve works extremely well because it can help you to stretch in more than one direction.
The 4-way stretch direction means that you are never really going to feel the swelling or the general pain that you feel without a band being equipped.
Also, be sure to look into the fact that this is a useful tool for anyone with arthritis and/or tendinitis.
This can give you an excellent solution, a high-end anti-slip feature that keeps your knee in place as you play.
If you are looking for a quality compression sleeve for your knee for basketball, then this Ultra Flex solution makes a lot of sense.
Few options are quite as sturdy as this, and it does a great job of making sure that your knee can look and feel good as you play.
If you are looking for a simple solution, then you should absolutely take this into account.
The slow but sure nature of the healing it provides can really make a big difference to how you play and feel physically.
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6. Cambivo Knee Sleeve
While this can be a touch itchy on more sensitive legs, you will find that the Cambivo knee sleeve makes a very reliable solution indeed.
It’s effective for keeping your knee in a good position while you play, which will enhance knee pain management on your end.
Also, the superior standard of the material ensures that you should have little to no problem in making sure this can stretch over your knee properly.
The lack of issues with sizing is a big bonus, too, and can go a very long way to making sure you can get a knee sleeve that allows you to keep your knee in the one place.
This stays perfectly in place, and it should give you a nice heating impact as you play.
If you feel like you might be looking for something to help minimise knee pain and also aid recovery in your muscles, be sure to look at this closely.
It might not be what you need, but for many people it will be the exact solution that they were hoping for. So, why not try one out for yourself and see what you think about it?
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7. NeoAlly High Compression Sleeve
If the main thing you are looking for is total compression, though, this is the best pair on our list.
This is arguably the best choice to go for if you are looking for supreme tightness and complete compression.
One thing we would also note about this is that it provides you with a high level of protection not just on the knee, but around it.
This is a comfortable, secure, and sturdy solution that should give you no real problems with regard to comfort over a long period of time.
That’s why we recommend you take a look at using this.
The only regular problem we would recommend keeping an eye out for is the problem with sizing.
Many people can find that they end up with incorrect sizing which can lead to more than a few issues in terms of comfort.
If you can find a NeoAlly in the size that works for you, it’s probably the best solution that we can think of for you to get a bit of extra support and compression adjustment.
It’s a good starting place for anyone who wants a high-end solution; just make sure you get the exact size that you need!
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Choosing the right size
The one thing you need to keep in mind when buying an item like this is that you have to get it in the right size, or it can just become downright uncomfortable.
To avoid that, we recommend that you try and find the right size for you.
Typically, support items like this will come in three sizes – Small, Medium, and Large.
A small option will normally be around 14.5” to 17”. Meanwhile, a large will often be around 19.5” to 22”. It just depends on the size of your knee and/or leg area, though, so keep that in mind.
One thing you will find about the benefits of choosing the right size, though, is that it can give you that extra padding and support.
You should look to always measure around 4” above your knee area and see what tends to fit you the best.
Really, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer – it comes down almost entirely to what is going to properly fit you.
So, keep this in mind as you go about your decision making process.
Choosing the right size is very important, so make sure you don’t just dismiss the importance of this.
Things to consider before buying
Before you go and hit ‘Buy Now’ on any of the above basketball knee supports, though, we recommend that you take the time to do the following:
Pay close attention to the size and measurements, as we stressed above. Measure your thigh and see what kind of size it is that you are likely to need.
Also, try and look for how you can care for the knee support. Over time these items will need regular cleaning to keep them fresh and in condition; always read the instructions beforehand.
We recommend looking for something that can properly stay in shape. Cheaper, smaller supports (none of the above) have a habit of becoming out of shape after one too many uses.
Also, try and look for something that has an extra layer of gelling or padding included. This will help you to make sure that you can get a good, secure solution to keep your knee secure.
If you feel any kind of pain above or below the knee, not just directly on the knee, try and look for a long sleeve solution instead. They are generally stronger, sturdier, and safer to wear for a longer period of time.
What should I buy, then?
Take a closer look at all of the above options we have just provided.
Each one should give you a good starting place for finding a quality knee sleeve that offers consistent protection.
It’s a good starting guide, and it should make it a bit easier for you to find out the look that you think would work best for you.
So, if you are on the lookout for a brand new compression sleeve for basketball then be sure to look at all of the above options.
Each one has a limitation, yes, but each one also has a particular purpose.
We would suggest taking the time to closely analyze what it is that you actually need from a basketball knee sleeve.
If you can work that out, then you should have no problem at all in making sure you can buy the right model.
It just takes a bit of time to look at what you are doing, ensuring that you can get a fit and a feel that is going to really make the right impression.
So, try and make the right choice.
Get a knee sleeve and you can enjoy a simpler, easier experience without any of the usual stress or strain.
That’s why we highly recommend that you look at buying one of the above knee sleeves. With such great options, you might find it hard to go wrong here!
