image via Amazon
Ouch. Our back hurts; our knees hurt. Whether we're just getting older, we are active, we have injured ourselves or we want to prevent injury, more and more of us (especially the baby boomers) are looking for interventions to improve support and reduce pain. If you are out on the Internet looking for relief for your back and knee pain, keep reading; our Be Active knee brace review may help you find the leg brace to give you helpful support that moves with you.
What Is a Be Active Knee Brace?
image via Amazon
The Be Active knee brace review focuses on the BeActive product and compares it to three other knee braces. BeActive device is a typical looking knee brace with a patented pressure pad within the brace that applies pressure to a targeted area below the knee on the calf muscles, with the goal of reducing sciatic pain. Sciatic pain is reduced because the pressure is applied to an acupressure point that relieves lower back pain. This product is made in China.
Product Specs
The BeActive knee brace is designed so that the actual brace (cuff, sleeve) is placed posterior to the knee rather than on and around the knee. The patented pressure pad is situated medially and laterally on the sides of the knee. The straps are a buckle and Velcro design and are situated anteriorly, just below the knee. The leg below the knee is exposed between the straps. This product is 6” x 6” x 0.5” and weighs 3.2 ounces.
Overall Pricing
The Be Active knee brace review discovered that the devices we analyzed are relatively inexpensive. These braces are priced in a low to average price range.
How It Compares
The Be Active knee brace review compared the BeActive brand to the following three competitors;
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[amazon box=”B00NIYHR0Q”]
Price
$
Ease of Application
The application of the brace proper is simple; we rated it three-stars because what will need to be adjusted is the patented pressure pad on either side of the knee.
Comfort Level
The application of the brace proper is simple; we rated it three-stars because what will need to be adjusted is the patented pressure pad on either side of the knee.
Design Quality
Our Be Active knee brace review gives this product four stars for design quality because, by default, it is a small brace.
Effectiveness
This product is given a three-star rating because verified users are split with regards to the effectiveness of this product in terms of relieving sciatic nerve related back pain.
[amazon box=”B0761VPL55″]
Our Be Active knee brace review chose the Remedy Health knee brace because of its targeted pressure pad. This brace is also a square piece of material, 7” x 7” x 0.8” and weighs 1.1 ounce with two thin straps along the top and the bottom and a central strap that works through a loop and Velcro fitting.
Price
$$
Ease of Application
This brace was also given a three-star rating for ease of application because it's a matter of putting it on, positioning the pressure pad, which can be tricky, and then tightening the central strap.
Comfort Level
We give this product a five-star rating because it is lightweight and wider than others.
Design Quality
The Be Active brace review gives this product four stars for design quality because it is a small to medium brace that fits the knee/ upper calf circumference of 12 inches to 16.5 inches.
Effectiveness
This product has also been given three stars because verified users are splitwith regards to the effectiveness of this product in terms of relieving sciatic nerve related back pain.
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Our Be Active knee brace review included this product because of its similarity to the others and because it also claims that it can relieve sciatic nerve related pain in the lower back. Like the others, it claims to be an effective therapeutic intervention because it is based on acupressure points. It also claims to relieve pain due to meniscus tears, ligament injuries, arthritis and tendinitis. It comes in a unisex size.
Price
$$
Ease of Application
This is very much the same as the other items we reviewed. Putting it on initially is not difficult. The difficulty is with adjusting the pressure point.
Comfort Level
This knee brace is given a default two stars because there is no information as to dimensions or the weight of person it's designed for. Because it is identical to the other knee braces, we anticipate that it probably has the same qualities of comfort.
Design Quality
The one size fits all description does not provide enough information for those who need a larger or a very small knee brace.
Effectiveness
There are no verified user reviews for this product. We find that the design of this brace is not ideal for relieving the pain from meniscus tears, ligament injuries, arthritis and tendonitis. Their claims to provide support to the patella by tight compression are not necessarily the best therapeutic intervention for patellar support.
[amazon box=”B00P2R6BGS”]
Our Be Active knee brace review chose this product because this is a true knee brace rather than a device designed to put pressure over an acupressure point on the calf muscle in the attempt to reduce sciatic related back pain. This product is designed in a cuff-like fashion. The cuff is made with neoprene, elastic and Velcro. This knee brace has stays on either side to provide lateral support. There is a reinforced hole that goes over the patella and upper, middle and lower Velcro straps are adjusted as needed. This item fits knee circumferences between 12 inches and 16 inches and weighs 4.8 ounces.
Price
$$$
Ease of Application
We would give this product two stars for ease of application because it has additional adjustment steps with the three straps; but we give it three stars because it doesn't have the pressure pad to worry about.
Comfort Level
We give the Compressions knee brace a five-star rating because once the wearer finds where the brace fits most comfortably, the knee and surrounding structures will be supported, resulting in a reduction in pain and an increase in comfort. The Meniscus and ligaments have support as well.
Design Quality
Our Be Active knee brace review gives this product four stars for design quality because it provides support to the knee with the three straps and neoprene material. We did not give it five stars because some users find the reinforced circle that goes around the patella uncomfortable.
Effectiveness
We gave this product a four star rating for effectiveness because, as a knee brace with a reinforced patellar component, this brace does what it says it will do. We found some users, however, could not achieve adequate support.
Be Active Knee Brace Review
The decision as to the best knee brace in our Be Active knee brace review was a hard one to make. The verified users for each of these products are divided on every component except for price and design quality. The problems that users have in terms of comfort and effectiveness stem from sizing, positioning of the pressure pad and effectiveness in delivering a reduction in lower back pain.
Verified Good/Verified Bad
Some verified users swear by these braces as to their ability to reduce lower back pain due to sciatic nerve issues. Others say that these braces are completely ineffective. Many verified users cannot seem to achieve adequate targeting related to the acupressure points without making the device too tight. Other users say that they have no problem once they discover the true acupressure point particular to their individual anatomy.
We picked the Compressions Knee Brace Support because we cannot find any documented support in the authentic literature that the other devices are truly effective at reducing sciatic nerve related pain and discomfort. The claims simply are not supported in the literature. As well, there are precautions that need to be taken with all elastic devices that go around the area at the back of the knee.
Compressions Knee Brace Support
The Compressions Knee Brace Support offers breathable, sturdy neoprene and an open patella stabilizer. The straps are adjustable with Velcro, without using a buckle type device that may cause a fulcrum effect and deliver too much tightness. Reinforcing stays on the side provide support, and the upper and lower straps keep the knee brace in place during motion. This product also will not bunch up behind the knee to cause improper pressure to that area.
We think that a knee brace designed to provide targeted pressure over an acupressure point delivers inconsistent results. As a result, our Be Active knee brace review has found the best knee brace for age-related pain and discomfort, pain and discomfort due to activity, injury or to prevent injury is the Compressions Knee Brace Support.
