I know how devastating a knee injury can be for every gymnast.

That could be a huge problem and could stop anybody from achieving your dreams and continue improving. The best way to solve that problem is to simply wear a knee brace. 

Doing that could protect your knees from future injuries while also helping with any current ones you might have. 

Using a knee brace does also help with providing you additional support and compression. 

By the end of this article, you are going to find out what is the best knee brace for gymnastics, what is the best pick for your specific needs and what differentiates a good one from a bad one. 

If you want to learn everything keep reading till the end. 

Here we go! 

In a hurry?

In that case, check out my recommended brace which is the Athledict Knee Compression Brace.

It offers great protection and support for a reasonable price.

Click here to check the price on Amazon

7 Things to Look For in the Best Knee Brace for Gymnastics

Before you order your first knee brace I highly recommend you to take a look and check out the list below to see why they are important and how you can use them as your advantage.

With their help, you are making sure that you’re getting the best quality and value for the price you are paying.

[#1] – Type of the knee brace

There are usually two types of knee braces and both types provide different usage and support for various situations.

Let’s find out what they are and what is their best usage so you know which one is going to help you the best.

Knee Brace

As you can see from the picture the knee brace is usually thick and often use velcro straps for adjustability.

Because of that, it provides a lot of support and it’s best used for current injuries you might have. 

A downside of this type of brace is that because of the design it is somewhat limiting your ability to move.

Of course, that’s not the case for all products because some of them can do both things at the same time – protecting your knee while giving you decent freedom of movement.

Knee Sleeve

Knee sleeves are famous for their flexibility and slim design. They are also very easy to use and are preferred by people looking for a quick way to wear them. 

They are best used to protect your knees from future injuries while also providing good compression around your knees in order to help reduce pain and increase blood flow during and even after your workouts. 

Because of their thin design, they are very breathable and don’t allow sweat to accumulate. 

[#2] – Provided Support

I believe this factor is really important when choosing the right knee brace you need for your gymnastic training. If you don’t have the required amount of support wearing a knee sleeve is pointless.

That’s why I have separated the two types of braces with the support they provide.

Let’s go more in-depth and see which type of support it’s going to be the best choice for your situation.

As you are going to see from the table below we have evaluated each product and the amount of support it provides you with. 

That way if you’re looking for a specific amount of support you can check easily find what is the best product for you.

Side Note:

Please don’t take the following advice too seriously and speak to a professional if you have some type of injury. He is going to know how much support you really need.

Light/Moderate Amount of Support 

This type of support is usually preferred when you have a minor knee injury or are simply looking for a good way to protect your knees from future injuries that may occur. 

The type of brace that provides such amount is usually very thin, flexible and breathable.

We are talking about the sleeve design with sometimes the option for adjustability.

High Amount of Support 

If your knee requires a lot more support then it is suggested you go for a more solid type of a brace. 

These types of braces are usually thicker and not remarkably flexible but they still can provide you with very good freedom of movement while keeping your knee secured and protected so it can heal faster. 

Depending on how serious your injury is this might be a good solution for you.

Here’s a short video showing you how to put on a high support knee brace:

[#3] – Amount of compression

The amount of compression you get is different for every brace.

The big difference that differentiates how much compression you’re going to get is usually the type of the brace.

If a model doesn’t have any adjustable options that mean if uses fixed amount compression.

So if you place it on your leg and you don’t feel it’s providing you with enough compression you have a problem because there isn’t anything that you can really do to change that.

If opposite to that the brace has the option to be adjusted (using straps) then you can change the amount of compression to whatever you like. 

It is always good to have that ability because having the right amount of compression does really help with blood circulation and stability. It does also protects your knees.

[#4] – True Sizing

The most common problem with knee braces is that they don’t usually fit as good as it is described on the product page or people are simply too lazy to read the sizing charts and just order.

In order to avoid this common problem make sure to read the size charts on the product page very carefully and measure your legs twice before your order.

Another thing you can do is to read some of the comments previous customers have left to find out if the product charts use accurate and use real sizing. 

That way you can save yourself a lot of headaches and the need to return it back for not fitting your leg.

[#5] – Comfort

Gymnastics is a very active support meaning for you to do a lot of different movements such as rolling, jumping and tumbling. 

If your gymnastic knee brace isn’t flexible enough you may have a difficult time doing a lot of the required moves.

To avoid this make sure the gymnastic knee brace you liked is flexible enough.

It is also very important that the knee brace is comfortable to wear for a long period of time.

It shouldn’t leave scratches or irritate your skin during usage. 

It should protect your knees and do it in a way that doesn’t bother you.

For me personally comfortability is the number one priority for every single product I buy. It really doesn’t matter how expensive it is if it makes me hate using it. 

[#6] – Quality & Materials 

Breathability – Make sure the materials your knee brace is made off are breathing because you don’t want it to leave your legs drenched in sweat every time you remove it. Gymnastics is a very physically demanding sport that is going to make you sweat a lot so that’s why I find this very important factor to consider. 

Flexibility – I think you have to consider is how flexible the materials are. Depending on the type of the knee brace and design it could be very flexible or sometimes not so. Usually, the more flexible options do not provide much support and vise versa. Have that in mind when choosing a product.

Durability – A good thing you can do is to check what exactly are the materials being used for the manufacturing process and try to find out if they are durable or not. You can do this by reading some reviews online and come to a conclusion. It is always good to have durable materials because that way everything is going to last way longer and you won’t have problems. That also saves you additional money, time and nerves.

Anti-slip – It is really nice if the used inner materials and the design of the brace stay in one place. The second most common problem people have with this type of product is slippiness. If you don’t want the brace to move all-around your leg during usage make sure to take a look at these details.

Absorb sweat – It’s always a good sign if the materials are antibacterial and can easily absorb sweat in order to keep your knees nice and dry.

[#7] – Adjustability

If you want to have the freedom to adjust the support and compression of your knee brace then it is probably a good option for you to pick products that offer this feature in their design.

Most knee sleeve types of braces don’t usually allow any form of adjustability meaning you just put it on your leg and that’s about it.

You can’t really do you anything about how tight or loosened it is going to be. You also can’t change the amount of support and compression you need. 

If you care about having this type of freedom then you should probably go for a brace that uses straps. 

With their help, you have the complete freedom to adjust the tightness for your requirements. 

I want to also add that usually, the more complex a product is the higher the price is going to cost. 

The good news about this is that the price differences for these types of products aren’t that big so in my opinion, it’s worth paying a little extra.

Top 5 Best Knee Braces for Gymnastics

Here is a short list made from what I believe are the top 5 best knee braces for gymnastics.

As you will shortly see all products are different from one another. That way I’m going to provide you with different options and variety to choose from. 

Take a closer look at every product and depending on what you seek, pick the one that is going to help you the most. 

Don’t worry all products are tested and approved by hundreds of customers worldwide and have great prices and materials.

Before we start here’s a quick comparison chart in order to see them compared one another:

Product	Image (Click for Details)	Support
Athledict Knee Sleeve		Medium
TechWare Pro Knee Brace		High
Vive Knee Cold/Hot Gel Brace		Medium
POWERLIX Knee Sleeve		Low
Patellar Tendon Support Strap		Medium

Let’s begin!

#1 – Athledict Knee Compression Sleeve with Strap – [Winner]

Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon

The first product I’m going to review is what I believe to be the best option for anybody who has got some previous injury or is looking for a product that can provide good support and compression at a reasonable price. 

What makes this knee support different from the others is the total length and area it uses. 

Because of the longer design in combination with the velcro straps, this gymnastic brace is going to stay in one place.

Another important factor that makes it unique from the rest is that this product is a mixture from a sleeve and a brace because it has the slim and flexible design of a sleeve but it also has the adjustability and support of a brace.

That’s why I believe this a great product for your knees. It provides you with a full range of motion and at the same same time you have the freedom to adjust the tightness and compression depending on your preferences.

The inner materials are soft and skin-friendly. 

People are very happy with the fit and share that this product is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. 

It is also very breathable so it won’t make you sweat unnecessarily while you are wearing it. Customers confirm that wearing it does help with pain, reduces swelling and improves performance. 

Because of how it’s designed this gymnastic knee support is good option for people with light injuries or those looking for a great way to protect their knees for the future.

The product is made from good materials and it’s not going to tear apart easily. The size chart is pretty accurate so you are really getting the size you seek. 

Even if the support you get isn’t ideal for some types of injuries I still believe this is a very good product that it going to help you a lot. One last thing I want to mention is that Athledict has pretty decent customer service.

Quick Summary:

Even if this is not the best option for big amount of support this knee brace is an excellent choice for people who are really into gymnastics. It’s lightweight, flexible and breathable. You can also adjust it and use it as you feel pleased. The design is also decent and combines the best from two different types.

Here a short video showcasing how easy it is to put in on and off:

#2 – TechWare Pro Knee Brace – [Biggest Support]

Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon

The second brace we are going to check out is ideal for people with moderate to serious knee injuries because of the big amount of support it provides.

The TechWare knee support is fully adjustable with the help of two velcro straps located on the upper and lower part.

With their help, you can easily adjust the support and compression for your specific needs.

This model uses an open design specifically made to keep the tension all-around your knee cap. It comes with a lot of different sizes to choose from and it even fits well people with bigger legs.

People confirm that wearing this brace does reduce swelling and helps a lot with knee pain.

It also provides excellent support for people who are looking for it.

Even with the straps, putting the support on and off is a fairly easy process. Because of the design and the additional straps, the brace is very likely to stay in one place during explosive exercises.

This model may be a good fit for people with current injuries or looking for some serious support for their knees.

Even if this model looks very expensive it actually isn’t. Like the majority of similar products in this category TechWare’s brace is very affordable and gives good value in return. 

It is made with breathable, lightweight and flexiblematerials that are also of decent quality.

Users share that they do stay in one place after a good amount of usage. 

Even if this product isn’t one of the slimmest, I do believe it plays an important role in gymnastics. It still allows pretty decent freedom of movement while keeping your knees nice and secured.

Quick Summary:

If you are looking for a product that can provide you with decent support and gives you the ability to move freely at the same time you may want to check this one. People are very happy with what they get in return and the quality is decent. 

#3 – Vive Knee Cold/Hot Gel Compression Brace [Multifunctional]

Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon

What makes this product unique is the fact that it uses reusable hot and cold gel packs that are also included. 

Gel packs are proven to help a lot with many of the common problems people face. They also give you the option to have additional hot or cold therapy.

Having gel packs can be quite useful because you can place them inside a microwave and heat them up to a certain degree.

Using their heat you can increase your knee blood circulation, etc. 

You can also freeze them which can help with knee swelling and inflammation.

One big downside of this additional therapy is that depending on the temperature you are using it the gel packs couldn’t be kept cold for too long.

This model is also adjustable and uses 4 velcro straps in order to keep it secure in one place.

Another big plus about this product is that even with all the straps and bulkier design the whole thing is made from breathable neoprene that is also very flexible and can be washed using a washing machine. 

To be completely honest with you I haven’t stumbled upon another brace that is machine washable so if this feature is something you find important you might like this product.

Customers are happy with the quality and comfortability they get and share that this product does stay in one place during movements. It also provides compression on a fairly big area around the knee.

If you have current injuries you want to heal this might be a good option for you. I really like the amount of value you are getting in return and the total amount of help it does provide. 

Finally, I want to add up that even with all those gel packs and straps using it is a fairly easy process to do.

Quick Summary:

If you are looking for the best value money can buy you should definitely check the Vive’s knee brace. This knee support comes with extra gel pads that can be used for both hot or cold therapy.

Using such methods can increase the overall effectiveness of the product and can speed up the whole recovery process. It addition to that you also get fair adjustability, good flexibility, and support. 

#4 – POWERLIX Compression Knee Sleeve [Easy Use]

Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon

If you are looking for something extremely easy and fast to put on and off then you might like the next product I’m going to review. 

It is made from very flexible and thin materials making the whole thing perfect for somebody who doesn’t want to have restricted movements. 

Because of how thin the whole compression sleeve is you understand why it won’t allow your knees to sweat. Because of the thinner material you are less likely to overheat.

Even if this scenario happens you are going to quickly deal with it because the sleeve does absorb sweat leaving your skin nice and dry. It does also have a fairly quick dry process so you shouldn’t stay wet for too long. 

People are happy with the amount of compression they get, and how well it does handle pain and swelling. 

A big downside of this type of knee sleeves is that they do not provide a sufficient amount of support for some scenarios. Even so, the support and compression you get are going to be enough for light injuries and give you some protection at the same time. 

Most people share that this type of brace doesn’t move around with you and stay where it is supposed to be. 

The inside is soft so it’s pretty comfortable to wear for a decent period of time. You shouldn’t have any problems with the product quality because everything is made from pretty decent materials. 

The estimated and actual fit are the same and you shouldn’t have any difficulties getting the right size if you follow the sizing chart correctly. 

With this product, you also get a few colors to choose from which is something worth mentioning because most of the competitors don’t offer such things.

Quick Summary:

If you are looking for something that you can easily wear under your clothes that is going to protect and still allow you to move freely during your gymnastic workouts then you might like this product.

It is easy to wash, lightweight and provides good amount of compression and stability. The price and quality are also something you might like.

#5 – Patellar Tendon Support Strap – [Most Compact]

What I like about the final knee brace from this list is the simple yet effective design it has. 

It won’t take too much area from your skin while still provides you with plenty of compression and support for your knee. 

And that isn’t the end – even with this minimalistic design Bodyprox has made sure you won’t sweat and have purposely designed and made the backside of the brace to be entirely made from breathable lightweight membrane. 

I have to respect that because and I believe they have definitely nailed it when it comes to that. 

This is usually the place where most sweat is accommodated and I haven’t seen many other products doing the same thing.

Taking a quick look at the product picture above is going to be enough for you to see why this knee support is going to provide you with the ability to move freely in all directions. 

Even with its smaller design this model still uses adjustable straps which you can use to choose the right amount of support and compression you want to have.

Everything I mentioned comes with a decent price, provides good knee support and it does really help with current pain and injuries you might have.

The whole thing is very flexible, lightweight and durable so you shouldn’t have any future problems using it.

Wearing this knee support does work in many different sports and movements making it an ideal knee brace for gymnastics. In other words – it’s simple to use and it does its job.

In the end, I want to mention that Bodyprox uses a pretty accurate sizing chart and it’s very difficult to get the wrong size. Even if you do so you can still use the straps to adjust it to a certain degree.

Quick Summary:

What makes Bodyprox’s knee brace a great option for gymnastics is the small and compact design it uses. It also doesn’t limit your leg’s movements and allows your skin to breathe.

The sizing is good and you also have the option to adjust it as you feel pleased. It’s an overall great product I recommend you to check out.

Final Thoughts

Knee injuries are something you should definitely not underestimate.

Serious injuries can happen in a blink of a second. It’s always good to be protected when that happens.

Here’s s quick video showing you why it’s not a bad idea to wear a knee brace for gymnastics.

I know this isn’t a pretty video but it does show what may happen so you are well aware of the possible dangers. 

If you have reached this point and read everything congrats!

You are now very well educated about knee braces. You know what the best knee brace for gymnastics is, what it should have and why. 

Now using all the useful information above make your choice and pick the model that fits your needs the best.

If you are not quite sure which one to pick I highly recommend you to check out my favorite pick which is a combination of two different types – the Athledict Knee Compression Brace.

I believe it has everything you possibly want in such type of product and it does help a lot with support and protection.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon.

If you really want to take learn more about protecting yourself during bodyweight exercises I highly recommend you to take a look in our posts talking about ankle braces, wrist wraps and how using your bodyweight does impact your joints.

If you are looking for a way to improve your gymnastic skills take a look at what are recommendations about outdoor trampolines and portable gymnastic rings.

I believe you might some golden nuggets there.

Thank you very much for reading my article. I hope it was useful for you and you learned a thing or two that you can apply. 

Don’t forget to let me know by leaving a comment below or sharing it with your friends. 

Hope to see you again,

– Bozhidar