Knee Braces & Guards
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How to Protect Your Knees
When it comes to motocross, knees take a hammering as they adjust to the constant suspension movement. Worse still, they’re often the first point of contact if you take a tumble. So what can you do to protect your knees when pounding the dirt? As with many other products there are varying degrees of protection available to you.
Motocross Knee Injuries
To discover the best way to protect the knees we must first identify the most common forms of a knee injury.
First, is collision or friction damage from a fall or stone strike. To combat this, 24MX offers a choice of many different knee guards.
Knee Guard
Even basic knee guards will offer some level of protection. Mostly constructed from a polypropylene outer shell, inner liners should consist of some form of impact-absorbing foam.
Look for venting or mesh in the outer shell to help airflow. Inner pads and outer shells should also feature an ergonomic design for the right and left leg.
At this price point, fastening straps will be basic elastic Velcro wraps. Spend a little more money, though, and extra features start appearing thick and fast. For example, you will now begin to see basic articulated knee joints, removable and washable inner pads and adjustable straps.
Next Level Protection
The most common knee damage and one that can have lasting effects is due to overextension and over-rotation of the ligaments and tendons. To protect against this type of injury, take a look at the next level of knee protection, the knee brace.
Knee Brace
The knee brace offers a whole new level of protection to the bones above and below the knee and their supporting ligaments and tendons.
The need for lightness and strength means that carbon fibre, Kevlar, and aluminium are popular construction materials. In addition, there are different methods of protecting the knee from excessive movement. Yet all brands use an articulated frame surrounding the joint.
It is possible to adjust the amount of vertical and lateral movement. This adjustment allows the brace to act as a shock absorber so the knee doesn't flex past your individual point of damage. You will also find that good-quality knee braces are fully adjustable to provide a perfect fit for the leg.
Correct fit
As for fit, knee guards are mostly one-size-fits-all with any adjustment, thanks to elastic Velcro straps. Knee braces also offer the same velcro strap adjustment, but may also include extra straps.
Spares
Some manufacturers will offer spare parts such as padding kits, buckles, straps, extra inner knee protectors, or spacers and cuffs. This option is excellent news for extending your safety gear’s shelf life.
When to Replace Knee Guards and Braces
Motocross is challenging and physical, and it’s essential to protect the body with the best safety kit you can afford. Even top-of-the-range knee guards and knee braces though, can over time wear out or become damaged in a fall.
Damaged frames, worn-out fasteners, or split outer shells result in a poor fit. Ill-fitting knee protection can mean that your knee brace or guard will cause rather than prevent damage.