Taking part in physical activities involves a lot of intense and aggressive movements; our joints contribute too much of this phenomenon by acting as a literal turning point for our limbs. In BJJ like in every sport, there are certain common injuries that can force you to take time off from the mat. If you are recovering from a knee injury or you just want to protect your knees check out the selection of the Best BJJ Knee Pads.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Knee Injuries
Our knees are the largest joints in the body, in addition to movement, they are crucial for any type of upright activity such as jogging, walking or even something as simple as standing. When practicing a sport such as martial arts, the knees are very likely to be injured. In grappling martial art such as Judo or BJJ or a striking martial art such as Kickboxing or Karate, the knee is one of the most commonly injured area, next to the head or fingers.
It is important that we reduce the risk of these injuries as they are a great barrier to our day to day movement and take very long to heal. Wearing a knee pad can help protect your knee cap by providing shock absorption and thus softening the impact. When it comes to BJJ, knee pads provide tremendous advantages, they reduce the strain off the knee joints’ bones, ligaments and cart ledge while you are grappling or crouching, they help protect the patella against fractures during a hard fall or just provide protection against surfaces that would have you in bruises. Other non-protective benefits include improving your stability and ability to roll, this can make going for a takedown easier.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear in BJJ
This occurs when the knee experiences a forceful hyperextension. In BJJ, it is most commonly occurring when an aggressive single leg takedown is attempted whilst the feet are planted and the person in an upright position. When it happens you will be unable to stand, bear any weight and your grappling ability will be greatly reduced.
Meniscus Tear in BJJ
The Meniscus Tear appears during forceful planting or twisting motions in the knee. It causes a sprain or tear in the cartilage that is between the thigh and the leg bones. The affected knee will restrict itself and any extensible movement and will make any weight bearing painful. While the small tears do not require surgery but a severe state like the bucket handle can be devastating and should be looked into at once.
Odonoghue’s Unhappy Triad
Being one of the most dangerous of the injuries, this occurs when a sharp blow is dealt to the knee on a planted foot. In this state, the anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus, and medial collateral ligaments are torn. The knee will be rendered unstable and will not be able to perform any sort of action. Multiple surgical aids are required to restore the knee to full functionality and even then it can take from 4 to 12 months to fully recover.
Why should you wear knee pads for BJJ and grappling?
Collision Protection
In BJJ grappling and MMA, collisions with your partner or with the mat are a common thing. Most of the time, a collision cant be avoided, but you can lessen the impact by wearing a pair of the best BJJ knee pads. These knee pads must be made with material that will protect you from hard blows. IDeal knee pads are those that offer enough protection but at the same time not too thick and bulky.
Reduced Patellar Fracture risk
Although patella protects your knee joints, patella itself is very vulnerable to fractures due to impact. Also, the use of knee pads was associated with a 56% decrease in risk of a knee injury for high school athletes.
Increases your Confidence after Injury
If you ever injured your knee during the sparing or competition, you probably don’t want to go the same agony ever again. After these kinds of injury its normal that you are more cautious, but that can cause anxiety which will decrease your performance at the mat. The anxiety and the fear of the injury will stop you from doing some techniques or taking more risk, so you will end up sacrificing performance for safety. Waring best BJJ knee pads will help to get your confidence on the mat and in the no time, you will return to pre-injury levels.
Best BJJ Knee Pads
IN this revew we covered some of the best BJJ knee pads on market. Products that we reviewd are:
- ASICS Unisex Gel Wrestling Knee Pad
- Cliff Keen Wraptor Lycra Knee Pad 2.0
- Bodyprox Protective Knee Pads
- Venum “Kontact” Lycra/Gel Knee Pads
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VIPER Compression Sleeve Knee Pads
ASICS Unisex Gel Wrestling Knee Pad
ASICS Gel Wrestling Knee padworks wonders for BJJ users as they offer a firm grip, support, and improved protection. They are specialized in giving you a stable momentum when you aim to go for a takedown or roll they help in avoiding slipping or clunky movements. The gel filled pads offer great shock absorption for great impacts all the while offering comfort.
Cliff Keen Wraptor Lycra Knee Pad 2.0
The Cliff Keen Wraptor brings added comfort and breathability with the air vent holes and stretch mesh panels on the backside. They do not compromise comfort for durability as it features an anatomical wrap around padding for high impact absorption and an inner terry-loop fabric lateral support and a tight fit.
These knee pads are designed with high protection in mind and offer a great grip for BJJ.
Bodyprox Protective Knee Pads
Bodyprox makes excellent protective gear which can be used for a variety of sports. Their BJJ knee pads have an ergonomic design that is threaded with high density foam to help with deep impacts and avoiding a collision. The thick anti-slip sponge offers great breathability and grip when you are working out.
Venum “Kontact” Lycra/Gel Knee Pads
The special thing about Venum Kontact knee pads is that they are made with lycra and gel to provide a nice comfortable and stable grip. The pads also include some vent holes on the back to allow the knee pads to breathe better and also have inner
VIPER Compression Sleeve Knee Pads
VIPER Compression Sleeve Knee Pads are often considered to be best knee pads amongst grapplers, and tehy are dieal if you lookfor a solution for meniscus or patella issues. Also, these knee pads utilize HyperFlex Technology that provides you with ultimate flexibility and protection while you bend and move your knee. These knee pads will also provide temperature regulation and support blood flow.
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