Never Tap Knee Guard
Never Tap Knee Guard
Nevertapknees.com
It’s never fun to hear about a kid in high school that needs to have ACL surgery, or someone in their forties that’s about to have their third knee surgery. In many sports that require athletes to cut their way down the field or court, a tremendous strain is placed on the knee joints. In jiu-jitsu we’re not cutting, but just the same our knees are extremely vulnerable to rotation or hyperextension. Knee braces are pretty common in
jiu-jitsu. Unlike football players on the field with high-tech carbon fiber braces that look like something out of the Terminator, our options are more limited. Knee braces must be soft, comfortable and add some level of protection. That’s where the Never Tap Knee Guard comes in. It’s designed specifically for the needs of jiu-jitsu athletes.
The Never Tap Knee Guard is the invention of Ben Potesky who tore his MCL while training jiu-jitsu. With the help of other grapplers and orthopedic doctors the Knee Guard was born. The compression of the brace helps to keep the joint and everything in place. The braces that run along the sides provide a small amount of bending resistance that gets more intense as you flex your knee. The patella pad up front helps to prevent injury when impacting the mats for take downs or other situations where you’re posting on your knees. It’s available in a blue/grey color combination and comes in three sizes, small, medium and large.
Our overall impression is very positive. After a few minutes of wearing the brace and getting into a roll you pretty much forget you’re wearing it. Neither of us has any lingering knee injuries, but we’re both in our forties and all too aware of how quickly things can go south. I wore mine on my right leg, I’ve been noticing some bursitis recently. The guard helped with reducing pain felt when basing on that knee. The side braces are nice, they won’t prevent injury, but the added resistance helps to push your knee into a straightened state. Again, during all my rolls, I forgot I was wearing it. It was only when a training partner asked if my knees were injured that I remembered it was on. A few times I did have to pull the brace up
and reposition, not sure if a little extra grip inside would help. I’m going to order another medium and start wearing them all the time.
I just turned 43 and anything that will help me to prevent an injury sounds like a pretty good idea.
Conclusion
At $29.95 price tag is a steal. Never Tap offers a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with
the product. If you’re dealing with a fragile knee from surgery, injury, or just want an ounce of prevention the Never Tap Knee Guard should be on your list.
