Customer Rating: 
Summary: Surprising support
Comment: I bought a pair because my knees ache a little when I climb stairs and I had plans to hike Grand Canyon. I was amazed that my knees did not hurt at all hiking down 7.5 miles. My joints were slightly sore afterward when I removed the straps and walked around, but it was hardly noticeable. I highly recommend these straps - they save a lot of discomfort for the price.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Excellent for no matter what shape you are in!!
Comment: I purchased this product because I am over weight and just starting to run. This product has been EXCELLENT for the running I have been doing and most importantly, it stays in place. My knees do not hurt after exercising and the pain I used to feel is now gone. I even did lunges with this on and it stayed put. Just be sure to get the right size!!! I had to order this item two times before getting the right size but once I got the fit, it felt GREAT!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: wow!
Comment: When i received this, i thought there is no way this will work. Usually the day after sports, my knee kills me and i have to hobble to get around. I wore this and my knee feels great.
update 5/21/08 - the elastic is starting to get looser, so i have to crank the band on, but it still works. If i have to replace this item every year, i still feel it is a great value. I have no idea how it works, but it does. if you have knee pain after excercise, it is definitely worth a try!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Costly mistake
Comment: I had high hopes after reading the reviews here, and decided to purchase 2 of these. The positive of these straps is that they stay on very well. The slip thru buckle and velcro stay on very well.
Everyone gave it a 5, why am I giving it a 2 star rating? First, I should say it seems okay for regular exercising. But I use these primarily to play basketball and volleyball competitively; which requires a lot of explosion, from jumping and lateral movement. The problem with these straps is more apparent when you play these types of sports.
The front part, contains a very softly padded bar that supports your patella. It is a little too soft, and does not support very well even when compared to your basic cho-pat strap; which has a more ideal shape and firmness. In order to make it support well, you need to fasten the straps on tightly. And that's where the other problem comes in. These put A LOT of back pressure on your back knee ligament. I have been healthy as an ox for the last 20 years, but after playing a few games with these on, I noticed unusual amounts of soreness and even some partial swelling afterwards from using these. I later found that when I went up for a block, I tore my pcl on my left knee, the only one that I was wearing a strap on for that game. You might be in disbelief that a simple device like this can cause a significant injury, but if you really think about it, this thing is almost like a giant rubber band that is constantly squeezing the back of your knee hard.
If you are only planning to walk or jog with this, it may be fine. But serious athletes, I would not recommend this, until they improve the design to balance the tension between the front and back of the strap, rather than making it put all the pressure on your PCL.
Customer Rating:
Summary: It's kept me running marathons for 10 years
Comment: Diagnosed with patellar tendonitis in 1997. I used the Cho-Pat strap for a while but it sometimes slipped, particularly when worn over running tights. And I had to keep removing it and binding it increasingly tighter to maintain the effect and keep it in the correct position. The Pro-Tec stays up almost no matter what (deep knee bends will dislodge it) whether wearing shorts or lightweight or heavy running tights. Eventually the neoprene fails, the stitching comes out, and it loses its grippy surface, but one lasts me a couple of years of 25-45 miles/week training. I've worn it in many marathons without having to tug it up. But it does smell after a while if you don't wash it. My orthopedist told me it was fine to wear if that's what kept my knee pain at bay. Positioning is important; I sometimes have to move it around to get the right effect, then it's OK for hours. I've tried running without it but after a few days, the knee pain comes back. Guess I can afford to buy a few more of these until some other ailment stops me from running. I'm sure it won't fix all knee problems but it works for me.
|
