Knee Sleeves - What, How, Why
HISTORY
In 1967 Dr. Robert McDavid a professor of physiology created the first knee brace for an NFL Player at the Super Bowl 3, primarily to help prevent injury and re-injury. For the next 10 years new adaptations came about and knee braces become a norm in the NFL. In 1978 Mark Nordquist from the Philadelphia Eagles came up with the idea to use Neoprene to make Knee Sleeves and that was the birth of the modern day knee sleeve which most of us use in Powerlifting, Bodybuilding, Strongman, Weightlifting, Crossfit and General Fitness.
WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF
Most commonly Knee Sleeves are made from Neoprene (a synthetic rubber that holds its stability and flexibility over a wide range of temperatures). These are the most popular and durable amongst the knee sleeves in todays market. Companies like us (Generation Strong), SBD, Mark Bells STRONG, Rehban, etc mainly produce and sell neoprene knee sleeves. Another popular knee sleeve / knee brace found in the market is made up of a blend of Nylon, Polyester and Elastane, these are used mainly by athletes in sports such as American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, etc where movement in multiple directions is key. These are also know as compression knee braces, very seldom do we see them in strength sports.
Note: Knee Wraps are not the same as Knee Sleeves, in the future we’ll do a separate article on Knee Wraps.
TYPES
1. Neoprene Knee Sleeves (7mm) - Generally Used by Powerlifters, Strongman / Strongwoman Athletes
2. Neoprene Knee Sleeves (5mm) - Generally used by Crossfit Athletes
3. Fabric Knee Braces - Generally used in Sports & Injuries
WHY AND WHEN DO WE USE KNEE SLEEVES
We use knee sleeves for:
1. Knee support
2. Help with warmth & compression
3. Help with knee alignment
4. To help avoid injury
Knee Sleeves are used for most lower body exercises eg. Squats, Lunges, Leg Presses, etc. Whenever you're going heavy, feeling a little achy, get your knee sleeves on and you're good to go.
Interesting Fact: While Deadlifting you can slide the knee sleeves down over your shins and they can help with avoiding shin abrasions & bleeding.
EXERCISES
1. Back Squats & Front Squats
2. Lunges
3. Leg Press
4. Olympic Lifts
5. Deadlifts (Yup, even deadlifts when you roll them down)
HOW TO WEAR KNEE SLEEVES
1. Fold bottom 2 inches and the top 2 inches
2. Foot through the sleeve
3. Fingers hook the bottom
4. Pull-up till knee sleeve reaches mid knee
5. Unfold top and bottom
HOW OUR KNEE SLEEVES ARE DIFFERENT
1. Our Knee Sleeves are slightly longer than the usual to give you more coverage.
2. Our Knee Sleeves are 7mm in thickness and vary in Regular & Stiff variations.
REFERENCES:
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