Concept2 Forum

I've started to wear a brace on my left knee and it seems to be quite effective when I row. My knee discomfort has been decreased greatly. However, I have a big problem using a conventional brace with a closed back. The constant flexing and extending of my leg causes the back of the brace to bunch up and that results in irritating the back of my knee. This chafing wouldn't be too bad if I only rowed for a short period of time, but when rowing at a rate of around 27 strokes per minute over a period of an hour, it becomes very irritating and uncomfortable. Conventional knee braces apparently aren't made for rowers like me. Many of them have open patella areas but no open backs.

Does anyone know of a knee brace with an open back that reduces this irritation? I have a temporary fix that seems to work pretty well. I cut a 2 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch high hole in the back of my neoprene knee brace and it reduces the chafing considerably. But I have no idea if doing this has weakened the neoprene and I don't know how long it will last. I am interested in buying a knee brace that should hold up much better while doing the same thing. Any information would be appreciated.

I don't know what type of knee injury you have or if you're recovering from an operation/knee repalcement.

I have menicus tears in both knees and while I do exercises to strengthen and improve flexibility of the surrounding muscle groups (hams, quads and calves), I do occassionally have knee pain issues, especially if I do higher ratings over extended periods of time. But when the pain flares up, I've found that the KT Tape (kensio-theraphy) provides a better support than neoprene braces. There are several configurations of placement that can work, depending on what your medical issue is. None involve strapping behind the knee. These are available on the web and in some sporting goods stores. Amazon also sells a full pre-cut Spider-Tech configuration for the knee. I found these to adhere fairly well and last about 3-4 days before needing to be changed, even through showers. You do need to experiement a bit and early on may find them not sticky completely at the ends until you get the placement right. Shaving area around knee helps too.
However, depending on your degree of injury, these may not work for you, so consult your physio if you're not sure.

well said...thanks...its gonna come in handy..