100 years of knee brace evolution

From bulky metal and leather braces in the 1920s to modern patellar tracking braces today, knee stabilization has come a LONG way.

But what’s crazy is that while the materials have changed dramatically, the basic approach to controlling an unstable kneecap hasn’t changed nearly as much.

If you have knee instability and want to keep up with current patellar tracking technology join the free newsletter: newsletter

Correction: the second to last photo is from the 70s 😅

A study by Science Direct highlights how “Knee alignment and patella shape are not associated with the persistence of patellofemoral pain.”

This is important because for a while people assumed that a misaligned patella would be an indicator of pain, but with this study we find how that is not always the case. Although a misaligned patella is a good indicator of patella instability, it does not necessarily imply pain.

This makes sense because of the poll we took yesterday, as most of you don’t experience daily pain unless you have an episode of instability.

Thought this would be something interesting for you all, here is the link to the study: Science Direct Study

Hey everyone, just found some interesting clinical news just dropped today about the Icarus Ascender Knee Brace.

A peer-reviewed study tracking 134 knees over 4 weeks was published in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, and the results are pretty cool.

How it Works

So this brace is much different from current sleeves because it focuses on unloading pressure from the knee joint. It does this by having adjustable dials and elastic bands that reduces the compressive force of the knee by up to 40 pounds! Because of this release in force, this reduces joint friction and the discomfort caused by that.

3D-printed custom fit

The brace is customized for every knee and is first 3D scanned from your iPhone.

Does it prevent Dislocations & Subluxations?

Yes, but you need the optional add-on.
The brace specifically targets people suffering from cartilage degeneration and pain caused from excessive joint pressure. But for those with patellar instability, the brace has a Spooner Patella Stabilizer, which attaches to the frame and uses straps to apply pressure to help control patellar movement (I think of it similar to a J buttress). Now, the brace isn’t designed to prevent patellar subluxation or dislocation.

Clinical Results

The 4-week study showed a 59.3% reduction in pain!

What are your thoughts about this brace? Would you ever try it out?

Hello everyone, we just hit over 70 members and I’m really grateful for this community and all the advice, stories, and support so far. I wanted to share something I’ve been working on.

This community started because I wanted fewer people to go through the confusion and isolation that patellar tracking issues can cause.

A lot of you know I’ve relied on J-pad braces for my kneecap subluxations and dislocations, and they’ve helped me a lot. But I always felt like they could be better. Most are bulky, restrictive, and don’t really feel like something you’d want to wear outside of rehab.

That’s what led me to start working on a new J-pad knee sleeve called ALIGN. The idea is to keep the stability of a J-pad brace but make it feel more like a compression sleeve in terms of comfort, movement, and appearance. The first prototype is a couple weeks away and I’m excited to finally share it with you all.

I’ll be sharing the journey as I go, but this isn’t just my project. I want us to build it together. Your feedback and experiences will directly shape where it goes.

At the same time, I don’t want this subreddit to turn into just my project. I want it to stay a place for anyone dealing with patellar tracking issues to ask questions and support each other.

Because of that, I started a newsletter called The Patellar Tracker. That’s where I’ll share more detailed updates on ALIGN, along with exercise guides, knee stability tips, and other resources I think will help. I’ll still post big updates here, but the newsletter will be where I go deeper into the process.

Thanks again for being here. I really appreciate all the support and I’m excited to keep building this with you all.

The Patellar Tracker Newsletter: Join for Updates!

# 5. Teddy Bridgewater

Non-contact knee dislocation with a torn ACL and extensive structural damage nearly ended his career.

# 4. Nick Chubb

Catastrophic knee dislocation with torn MCL, PCL, and LCL, plus significant cartilage damage during his college career.

# 3. Napoleon McCallum

Devastating knee dislocation with multiple torn ligaments and a ruptured popliteal artery, putting his leg at risk.

# 2. Marcus Lattimore

Knee dislocation with torn ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL, extensive cartilage damage, and fractures that ended his football career.

# 1.Jabari Parker

Tore his ACL twice in the same knee before age 22, dramatically altering what looked like a very promising career. P.S. I saw him at a restaurant once ;)

Do you agree with this ranking? Is there an athlete I left off that deserves to be in the top five?

5. Teddy Bridgewater

Non-contact knee dislocation with a torn ACL and extensive structural damage nearly ended his career.

4. Nick Chubb

Catastrophic knee dislocation with torn MCL, PCL, and LCL, plus significant cartilage damage during his college career.

3. Napoleon McCallum

Devastating knee dislocation with multiple torn ligaments and a ruptured popliteal artery, putting his leg at risk.

2. Marcus Lattimore

Knee dislocation with torn ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL, extensive cartilage damage, and fractures that ended his football career.

1.Jabari Parker

Tore his ACL twice in the same knee before age 22, dramatically altering what looked like a very promising career. P.S. I saw him at a restaurant once ;)

Do you agree with this ranking? Is there an athlete I left off that deserves to be in the top five?

For those of you who use KT Tape, here’s a helpful tutorial I found. Do you tape your knee differently? I’d love to hear your method.

1. Not strengthening your VMOs

Stronger legs don’t automatically mean a stronger VMO. If you have patellar instability, don’t assume general leg exercises are enough.

2. Returning to sports too early

Just because the pain is gone doesn’t mean your knee is ready. Strength, control, and confidence all matter.

3. Only wearing a brace without rehab

A good J-pad brace can improve stability, but it shouldn’t replace strengthening and movement retraining.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other tips of what to avoid!

I used to primarily weigh lift (squat and deadlift) on leg day but I realized that although these were good for building muscle, I needed to focus on my VMOs and hips. Here are some exercises that do that. Let me know what exercises you do!

#5- Terminal Knee Extensions (TKEs)

Great for VMO activation in a controlled range. Make sure to fully tense your leg at the end of every rep.

#4- Bulgarian Split Squats

Excellent functional quad/VMO strengthening while training single-leg stability. It also helps to have your toes pointed slightly outward.

#3- Single-Leg Wall Sits (or regular wall sits)

Isometric quad strengthening with a strong VMO demand. Sometimes a 45 degree bend is better if a full bend hurts too much.

#2- Leg Extensions (machine)

Helpful for targeted quadriceps strengthening. Use a pain-free range and progress gradually. Try to keep your toes pointed outwards to fully hit the VMO.

#1- Lateral Band Walks (Monster Walks)

Strengthens the glute medius to improve hip control and reduce your knees from caving inward.

Here are the best braces for patella instability, kneecap subluxations/dislocations and patellofemoral pain syndrome.

#5 - epX Lateral J Support

Has a sleek look, as low profile as a J pad brace can be, and provides good support.

#4 -Ossur Hinged J Pad

Unlike most hinged patella instability braces, the Ossur is less bulky and more mobile, still not perfect but nonetheless a great hinged brace.

#3 - Donjoy Lateral J Pad

I like this one because it is extremely durable and allows you to do a lot of activity in it without being too much of a hindrance.

#2 - Breg Airmesh J Pad Brace

This is a great option because unlike the neoprene that is used for most braces, Breg uses a breathable material while still providing good support.

#1 - Pro-Tec J Stabilizer

This is the best J pad brace I’ve seen because it’s more low-profile and less bulky as most J pad braces. And we know these qualities are not that common in J pad braces unfortunately. It seems as if this brace was designed with the athlete in mind and its design shows that.

Do you all agree with this list? What would you recommend?