"Runner's Knee" brace?

Originally posted by mobey Funny you should ask this.... I've been having some issues with my right knee behind the knee cap. I was looking at various braces, but had the same concern you have about it rubbing. I found a brace called a 'Jumpers Knee Strap", and ran in it for the first time yesterday. You've probably seen them before. They look like an elastic strap that goes around your leg just below the knee cap. Basically, they help stabilize the knee cap. I have only used it for one 5k run, but it seemed to work. I was able to run with basically no issues at a faster pace than I've run in a month (about 20 seconds faster per mile). The braces are pretty cheap (I got mine on Amazon), and so far, seem to work. ETA: You may want to consult a medical professional before using a brace of any type.

Originally posted by Mtnwesttri

I've tried compression sleeve style braces, KT tape, foam rolling etc... The only thing that worked for my IT band caused runners knee was strengthening exercises. We have to strengthen all the stabilizer muscles that we neglect through our specific training regimens. Stuff like side leg lifts, clamshells, etc.... Plenty of good videos on youtube demonstrate some of those exercises.

Try and do some pistol squats. you should have plenty of strength to do a one legged squat, but you might not have the stability. That indicates the peripheral/stabilizer muscles are not strong enough.

One caveat. It might not help for degenerative issues like arthritis, but my take on it is try the strengthening first. I went from very painful running, to better in less than a couple weeks, and to good in less than a month doing stabilizer strengthening for about 10 min a day 3x per week.