It is well known that knee injuries are very common in the sport of volleyball. Constant jumping, diving and digging for the ball can put a lot of pressure on knees. That’s why may competitive volleyball players may be seen wearing various types of knee braces during volleyball games.
The best type of volleyball knee brace depends on the severity of previous injuries, level of discomfort and desired amount of support needed. Some players may need knee braces to simply relieve pain or discomfort from overuse or jumper's knee symptoms, while others may require knee braces while recovering from a knee injury. Review the options for selecting a volleyball knee brace that works best for you.
Best Types of Knee Braces for Volleyball Injuries
With any sports injury, a doctor should be consulted to determine the severity of the injury and recommended treatments. Knee injury treatments may include anything from basic therapy to knee surgery. Once the injury is diagnosed, a doctor may recommend various types of knee braces based on the type of injury. These knee braces may help volleyball players with pain or discomfort from knee overuse injuries or recovering from knee surgery.
Here are some commonly recommend types knee braces for typical volleyball injuries:
- Cross-strap or band knee brace. A common knee injury for volleyball players is patellar tendinitis known as “jumper’s knee”. According to Betterbraces.com, a cross-strap or band is the best brace for jumper’s knee because it provides comfortable yet targeted support across the knee and helps to alleviate the pain. The smaller cross-strap is also low profile and does not impact your movement during games.
- Wraparound sleeve knee brace. For volleyball players suffering from mild to moderate ACL, PCL, MCL, or LCL instabilities, a wraparound sleeve type of knee brace provides support and comfort. A wraparound sleeve knee brace enhances support of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) section of the knee joint with hinges that allow the knee to have full movement during volleyball games.
- Custom hinged knee brace. Volleyball players recovering from knee surgery or trying to prevent knee injury may need a hinged knee brace that is custom fitted. Injuries or surgery because of ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL or hyperextension can benefit from a custom hinged knee brace. A custom fit knee brace aligns perfectly with your body and allows for the greatest flexibility and freedom of movement for volleyball players.
Using Braces and Pads to Protect Knees During Volleyball Games
According to a study conducted by Montash University in Australia, knee overuse injuries are one of the most common injuries in volleyball. Protecting knees with braces or knee pads is an important prevention step. Although volleyball knee braces are most commonly used to relieve pain resulting from an injury or surgery, volleyball players may choose to wear braces to prevent overuse injury. Look for braces that are designed to move comfortably with the knees, particularly jumping and diving movements necessary in volleyball plays. Remembering to wear quality volleyball knee pads while playing on hard indoor volleyball courts is also a good practice to protect knees.
Sources: Betterbraces.com, Montash University
Diane Seltzer - Diane is a branding, pr and social media marketer with experience ranging from advertising to corporate marketing and consulting.
