Cycling is a low-impact exercise that focuses on strengthening the muscles and joints without stressing them out of the necessary.
Though cycling is a good form of exercise that’s stressful on the joints, it still poses the risk of injury, especially for those who cycle frequently.
Exercise is the last thing you want to do when your joints and muscles are inflamed.
However, without exercise, you may gain weight and develop weakness in your muscles, which can lead to further complications.
This is where a knee brace comes in as it helps you exercise without feeling much pain.
In this article, we’ll examine why you should wear knee braces and the benefits of wearing them while exercising.
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Should I Wear A Knee Brace While Cycling?
You can wear a knee brace while cycling if you have suffered knee injuries before or trying to avoid cycling injuries.
Wearing a knee brace minimizes your chances of suffering a cycling injury or a cycling injury reoccurring by balance, enhanced stability, and moisture-wicking compression.
Cycling places high pressure on your knees due to the repeated motion your knees feel when you cycle.
Wearing a knee brace would help promote healing through medical-grade compression.
The medical-grade compression depletes the lactic acid build-up from repeated movement and causes regeneration.
- PREVENTS AND PROTECTS - Helps prevent and heal medial and lateral instability, minor patella instability, meniscus injuries, minor ligament sprains, hypertension, arthritis, and more. HSA/FSA Eligible
- MOISTURE AND ODOR PREVENTION - Airflow vented tech to reduce odor and moisture, so you can stay comfortable through the toughest days and workouts
- BOOST MOVEMENT AND COMFORT - Heavy duty bilateral dual hinges provide support while allowing you to move comfortably with four-way stretch Lycra mesh and pre-curved anatomical design, fits left and right knee. Four-way stretch spandex [elastane] mesh at back of knee
- PREMIUM MATERIALS - Latex-free, premium stitching, and integrated flexible side stabilizers, stays in place and includes easy grip tabs for accurate fitting.
- LIFTS AND COMPRESSES - Compression supports soft tissue, joint alignment and relief, and boosts therapeutic heat for improved blood flow which aids in healing tendon and muscle This product is intended to be close-fitting for the best protection so it may fit small. If your measurements are close to the maximum size range, we recommend sizing up for comfort. Sizing will vary.
How Do I Protect My Knees While Cycling?
Apart from using knee braces, there are other steps you can follow to protect your knees while riding your bike for leisure or around the city as a commute.
In this section, we’re going to show you these few steps and how you can practice them.
(i) Build Fitness Level Gradually
When you want to start cycling as a regular activity, you should start slowly as you would do any other activity.
If you don’t start slow, you will end up with aching joints and sore muscles after a few miles.
To protect your knees and joints, you need to build up your strength and fitness by cycling gradually.
Doing this will give your body the chance to generate supportive muscles needed to keep your knees and joints positioned properly while you cycle.
(ii) Know Your Limits
While you’re building your fitness, you have to know your limits. Once you hit the limits you set for yourself, you have to push to another limit until you build your fitness to the highest level.
If you experience pain while you ride, you can have it checked out but you would have to reduce your intensity until you heal properly.
(iii) Sustain Upright Position While Riding
You have to maintain a good upright position when riding because it keeps your body safe.
How do you do this?
You have to have your bike set up correctly at your local bike shop.
Have your saddle set at the correct position and the right height. Let your handlebar be positioned correctly as well as your pedal.
Is It Okay To Cycle With A Knee Injury?
The most common cycling injury that happens to all riders is knee injury which happens because of the overuse of the lower joints of the body by riders. It is not advisable to continue riding with a knee injury.
If you sustain a knee injury from riding a bike, you should contact your doctor to determine the cause of the pain, especially if it becomes persistent.
This knee pain developed is most likely caused by their bike lacking the necessary adjustment to cycle comfortably.
If they can adjust their saddle height and saddle-to-pedal distance, the knee pain can be reduced.
10 Benefits Of Wearing a Knee Brace While Cycling
Wearing a knee brace when you want to cycle can have numerous benefits to the rider. They can be used in various circumstances and are recommended by medical personnel if you’ve already had a knee injury.
If you want to wear a knee brace to cycle, here are the following benefits you would enjoy
(i) Comfort Ability
Knee braces are comfortable to wear and help keep the knees in place while you cycle as long as you choose a product that fastens in place securely and fits your knees correctly.
(ii) Flexibility
You get flexibility when you wear leg braces during cycling. The design of these braces supports your leg to move in the right manner and controls how your knees rotate.
With this flexibility, you can keep on riding and carry out the usual maneuvers you do.
(iii) Protection
Knee braces are used to protect existing injuries and prevent new ones from occurring.
If you have undergone surgery to repair certain damages done to your knee, you will need to wear braces to keep your knee together.
This will enable you to regain strength and movement in the affected knee without putting unnecessary pressure on it.
(iv) Withstand Pressure
By protecting the area from further damage, the knee brace can withstand the loads placed on it by riders putting their feet down.
Following an injury to your knee, you can suffer extreme levels of pain but with a knee brace, you can withstand the pain and reduce whatever pain you’re feeling.
(v) Support
Without using knee braces you may not be able to return to cycling after a knee injury.
These braces offer the needed support and protection to keep your knee going and increase the time a rider can continue riding and limit any wear and tear the rider would feel afterward.
(vi) Balance
The knee braces can be used to enhance the balance of the athlete and rider. However, to achieve this balance you need to choose the best braces that fit the individual according to their fitness level.
(vii) Compression
The tissues around your knees also enjoy compression as the knee braces help control swelling around the tissues.
With this knee brace, you gain more confidence when you walk and feel comfortable.
(viii) Re-injury Risk Reduction
The knee braces protect the ligaments by conditioning forward-backward or side-to-side movement. According to recent studies, the risk of re-injury can be minimized, and the ongoing damage.
(ix) Helps Cyclist Stay Active
Aside from flexibility and good strength, the knee braces help riders stay active rather than sitting in one place. This can help them get stronger and get back their knee strength in no time.
(x) Inflammation Reduction
Knee braces are also perfect for reducing inflammation and giving instant comfort. You can use one if you start feeling aches in your knee but it would be better to consult a doctor before using a knee brace.
How To Choose A Knee Brace For A Cyclist?
Have you noticed your need for supportive pressure or banding for a period? If you have noticed it, you might need to get a knee brace.
Now how do you choose a knee brace?
To choose the knee brace that would fit you, you need to define the type of knee pain you’re feeling. Some braces simply add a little bit of support with a small strap below the knee.
While the most supportive braces provide compression and strengthening support above, on top of, and below the joint.
With this description, you can choose:
(i) Traditional Stability Brace
You can choose this type of brace if you need support for your knee while exercising. This brace offers support to the areas surrounding the kneecap.
You can make this brace fit your knee with the loop and hook closure.
(ii) Stabilizer Knee Brace
The stabilizer knee brace is the perfect brace for when you’re experiencing arthritis or other severe knee problems.
The stabilizer uses a reinforced support system that reduces the pain the rider feels and reduces pressure on the knee cap as well as slippage and sweating.
(iii) Compression Knee Brace
The compression brace uses consistent motion over an extended period to support your aching joint. This brace provides warmth without adding excessive heat.
The warmth, compression, and joint reinforcement give cyclists relief and enhance blood flow to increase healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cycling harder on the knees than walking?
Cycling is not harder on the knees than walking. The reason for this is that it puts less pressure on your joints.
This is great for people with arthritis and other conditions that affect the knee joint.
No matter the bike type you ride, it limits the stress you will feel more than walking.
Do bicycles strengthen the knee?
Riding your bicycle increases the range of motion, especially in the knee and hip. It works your hamstrings and glutes to make them stronger.
With the use of bicycles, the muscles surrounding the knee can protect and support your knees.
Should I stop biking if my knees hurt?
If you feel any ache or pain in your knees while biking, you should take a break and have that knee examined.
Knee pain can be caused by different things and not necessarily that you’ve injured your knee. So have it checked out to know the real issue and how it can be solved.
Conclusion
Cycling is a good way to heal and strengthen your knee, lower joints, and muscles if you feel pain but first have it checked out so it can be properly diagnosed.
If you decide to wear knee braces, you will enjoy the benefits listed here.
