The Best Hinged Knee Brace for Mobility and Support

The knee is one of the largest and most important joints in the body.

Therefore, we should make sure we take adequate care of them because, without them, we wouldn’t be able to do much at all.

Ensuring good knee health means protecting them when necessary, minimising wear and tear, as well as making sure they are well supported during activity and recovery from injury.

One way to meet these needs is by stabilising your knees with a hinged knee brace.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of what a knee brace is, how they work and how they can help you.

I’m are also going to review some of the best hinged knee braces on the market.

Do You Need a Hinged Knee Brace?

There are many types of knee braces and supports, with each providing its own attributes and qualities:

• Knee Sleeves – Compression knee sleeves are slipped over the knee joint and generally provide the lowest level of support.
• Knee Supports – often wrap around the knee and will have some form of adjustment.
• Hinged Knee Braces – are knee supports with hinges on either side of the knee to help stabilise the knee in its natural flow of motion.

You’ll want to consider a hinged knee brace if you want a little more support than a knee compression sleeve or wrap.

With a greater level of support, a hinged knee brace will better help to reduce knee pain, ensure greater stability of the knee joint, while at the same time protecting against injury.

Furthermore, a hinged knee brace has the added advantage of being able to prevent your knee from hyperextending (extending beyond straight).

Some hinged knee braces will even allow you to set how much flexion you want your knee to be able to experience.

A hinged knee brace is suitable for:

• Knees that have ligament or cartilage problems
• Arthritis
• Supporting a weak and unstable knee
• Post-operation recovery
• Helping with knee pain and pain relief
• Improving range of motion

As a general rule of thumb if you want the highest amount of stability for your knee, go with a hinged knee brace over other forms of knee support.

What to Look for in the Best Hinged Knee Braces and Supports

Once you’ve decided that a hinged knee brace is what you need, there are a number of other factors you’ll want to consider before buying one.

Pricing

The more you are willing to pay the better the quality of hinged brace you’ll get.

The hinged braces that cost more are usually more reliable and stable.

If you are serious about protecting your knee then it is worth spending a bit more to protect such a valuable asset as your knee.

Comfortability

Knee braces are particularly prone to being uncomfortable given that they need to be tight enough to provide good support for your knee.

Sometimes too much tightness can cause it to get very hot and sweaty under the brace.

It’s important to choose a hinged brace that uses a breathable material to offer some ventilation.

Easy to Put On

Knee braces that come with an adjustable strap are quick to put on since all you have to do is place the hinged brace over your kneecap, and then tighten the strap to secure it in place.

There are, however, some hinged knee braces that come in the form of sleeves that you have to put your foot through and slide up your shins and over your knees.

These types of hinged braces may offer more support but can be cumbersome to put on as you need to take your shoes and socks off before you can put it on.

Therefore, your final choice of hinged knee brace will depend on how quickly and conveniently you want to put it on.

Open or Closed Patella

Knee braces will have either open or closed patella support.

A hinged knee brace with an open patella allows for the kneecap to be free of pressure, whilst one with closed support will put pressure on the patella.

If you are specifically looking for patella support, then you may want to look for a knee brace that offers this feature too.

Related: The Best Patella Knee Supports

Size

Getting the right size brace for your knee is imperative to ensure the best support and comfortability.

Unfortunately, this can also be the most frustrating areas when purchasing a knee brace.

Different manufacturers have different sizes available as well as their own unique way of measuring what size you need.

Pay attention to their instructions and do not expect the rules of measurement to be the same across manufacturers.

The Best Hinged Knee Braces and Supports in 2023

Now that you know what to look for when choosing the best hinged knee brace, you can begin to start browsing the options.

Below are the best and most popular hinged knee braces around.

This hinged knee brace has a good balance between price and quality, making it a good value buy.

It’s sturdy and should provide adequate support for ligaments and overall stability in the knee making it good at assisting recovery.

People with ACL, MCL and who need patella support will find this knee brace helpful.

It is made of Neoprene, making it good for exercise and everyday use as this type of fabric is light and breathable.

In addition, the hinges can be removed and added to get the amount of support that is right for you.

Some users on Amazon have pointed out that because this brace is a one size fits all, that you may not get as good a fit as if you bought a knee brace that is specific to size.

If you aren’t looking for ‘serious’ knee support and want a standard level brace to wear every day, then this is a viable option

The Shock Doctor Ultra Knee Support is a great hinged knee brace that will provide support and recovery from ACL, PCL, patella and meniscus injuries.

It is also helpful in supporting all other knee problems that cause stability issues.

The brace is also designed to be airy to reduce odour, bacteria and prevent moisture from building up.

The biggest issue with the Shock Doctor is that it’s easy to order a size that feels uncomfortable.

It comes in small, medium, large, x-large, xx-large and xxx-large.

If you order the wrong size the brace is pretty unforgiving and you will notice quickly that you ordered the wrong size even if you felt you measured your knee correctly.

If you manage to order the right size and get a snug fit, then the Shock Doctor is a very good brace offering a high level of support and stability for most knee issues.

McDavid produces a vast array of knee braces with one of their most popular models being the 422 brace.

This model is designed to provide protection against moderate to major instabilities but can also be used as a knee brace to wear post-operation.

The support level of the McDavid 422 is one of the highest around given that it is made in the slip-on knee sleeve style as well as having a top and bottom strap on the brace.

One potential downfall of the hinged brace is that it may not be suitable to wear for a full day given that the support is so strong and tight.

If you were to wear it too long you may experience numbness or find the material gets too hot.

In most cases, this brace may be better as a brace to wear during exercise or for short periods, rather than one which is worn all day long.

The Donjoy Performance hinged knee brace is a great option for people looking for a brace to wear while active or during sports.

The brace is specially made to allow the knee to extend and flex freely while maintaining knee stability and is particularly recommended for ligament injuries, damage and joint instability.

The adjustable straps mean that this brace is easy to put on and take off, unlike the ones you have to put your foot in then pull up to your knee.

The big advantage about the Donjoy Performance knee brace is that it is a wrap-around knee brace meaning it is much easier and quicker to put on than the slip-on sleeves like most of the other hinged knee braces in this post.

If you don’t want to have to take off your shoes every time you want to put on your brace then this brace is a good option.

It also provides good support despite being a wrap-around knee brace.

The Mueller HG80 is one of the more popular hinged knee braces on the market.

It differs from the majority of knee braces in that it is made with a closed patella, rather than an open patella.

This brace has proven to be comfortable amongst its users as well as being quite airy, unlike many other braces which can become quite hot.

Like a lot of braces, its downfall is that you need to make sure you order the right size otherwise it will be an uncomfortable fit.

People looking for the highest level of knee support may find that this brace is lacking and may prefer the ShockDoctor or the Mcdavid.

However, the Mueller brace is a much more airy and comfortable option.

This hinged knee brace from Bauerfeind is available in a range of sizes for both the right and left knee.

It promises to deliver medical-grade compression to help with muscle fatigue, swelling and circulation by utilizing an adjustable strap system that aids in knee stabilization and mobility— in combination with the joint side bars.

The product also provides a massaging effect during use, thanks to the gel viscoelastic Omega pad surrounding the patella.

It is made with three-dimensional fabric that conform to the natural shape of the body and is both breathable and moisture-wicking.

Furthermore, the edges of the knee brace is made with reduced pressure to prevent constriction.

This item is quite pricey and buyers noted that they had to constantly re-adjust the side straps and that the hinged area was uncomfortable on the knee.

But, the variety of size options makes it a good pick for men and women.

This knee brace boasts an exclusive patent, allowing you to adjust the item based on the shape of your patella.

This allows the device to stay in place and offers lateral stability thanks to the removable, dual aluminium hinges.

These are designed to help stabilize the knee and reduce lateral movement to assist in recovery and reduce injury.

Additionally, it is made with wavy silicone strips for anti-slip, and features breathable Lycra, nylon and neoprene fabric that absorbs moisture and help to evaporate sweat.

It is available in sizes medium to 4-XL.

Users shared that the item was complicated to put on and there are no small sizes.

However, if you’ve had issues finding a knee brace that is large enough, this is a good one to consider.

This hinged knee brace is made from breathable fibre material that absorbs sweat which helps keeps the area comfortable all day.

It features metal hinges that run along both sides of each knee to keep your knee sturdy and stable within the brace.

The knee brace stays on via two large velcro straps that wrap around the back of your knee and attaches to the front.

There are 4 sizes available, ranging from medium to X-large for the right and left knee.

Overall, this hinged knee brace is one of the best choices if you are looking to get value for your money.

It’s not too costly yet it provides adequate stability for your knees while not being overly uncomfortable to wear.

There are better hinged knee braces but this one is a great choice if you’re looking for something to wear short-term.

This knee brace comes in 2 sizes, large and regular and it is designed to assist with knee recovery treatment.

It is easy to wear and has a push and control locking dial on both sides which can be adjusted from -10° to 120°.

The setting controls the range of motion of your joints and helps to greatly improve the stability of the knee.

The device also has removable hinges that are lightweight but provide exceptional support and has high-quality Velcro straps which can be used 1000 times.

Furthermore, this knee brace from Nvorliy is made with high-quality nylon and neoprene and it does not contain latex.

Buyers noted that it doesn’t provide enough support behind the knee and some persons complained that the brace does not stay in place.

However, it does boast unique control locking dials and if you are allergic to latex this is a suitable option to consider.

This knee brace from Neo G is designed for persons with an active lifestyle.

It is a piece of medical-grade equipment registered as a Class 1 medical device with international regulatory bodies such as the FDA and the MHRA.

It is made with high-quality, heat therapeutic neoprene that aids in warming up aching muscles and stiff joints.

Neo G also features an adjustable dial with a 10° to 120° flexion, along with extra-long velcro straps for compression and support as well as internal silicone to keep in place during activity.

Some users shared that the brace was too large and was more ideal for persons with large knees, they also complained about lack of hinge support and that the velcro easily wears out.

Nonetheless, this is a medically registered knee brace approved by the FDA so if you live an active lifestyle, this one is worth a try.

Which is the Best Hinged Knee Brace?

Ultimately there isn’t a straightforward answer to this question as many have their own benefits and drawbacks, as well as people requiring them for different things (all-day-wear vs exercise).

If you are someone looking for the highest level of knee support to use during exercise, then the McDavid, Donjoy Performance or the Shockdoctor may be the best brace for you, with the Shockdoctor maybe edging ahead of the other two due to its high ratings and popularity among its users.

For a medium level of knee support during exercise, the Mueller HG80 is a good option.

The Hinged Knee Brace by Vive is likely to be the best value for money if you are looking for everyday wear.

Whilst it can be used to support the knee during exercise the other options are more suitable for this, however, they cost a little more.

The Mueller could also work well for everyday wear as it is comfortable and the fabric appears to be more breathable than the others.

As we noted earlier, finding a hinged knee brace that suits you perfectly can take some time and a lot of trial and error.

That being said when you find a suitable hinged knee brace it can bring a lot of benefits and greatly improve your knee comfortability as you go about your day.