Vive Knee Brace for Meniscus Tear - ACL & Patella Support for Men, Women

Why it's worth it

A neoprene wrap-around brace with an open kneecap and two adjustable straps, sized to fit almost anyone. It's the low-commitment way to find out whether a bit of compression and warmth takes the edge off your morning stiffness.

The wrap design is the practical part. Instead of pulling a tube up over a sore knee — exactly the motion an arthritic joint hates — you lay this one around the leg and fasten the straps. If your hands aren't what they used to be, or bending down to your ankle is the hard part of getting dressed, that difference is bigger than it sounds.

The open kneecap keeps pressure off the front of the joint. Plenty of people with arthritis also have a cranky patella, and a closed sleeve presses straight onto it. The cutout leaves that area alone and lets heat escape, so the brace stays wearable for a few hours at a stretch instead of forty minutes.

From our review of 10 knee braces for arthritis, by Eleanor Vance, Health & Beauty Editor

What we like

• +The wrap design is the practical part
• +The open kneecap keeps pressure off the front of the joint
• +It's neoprene, so it's warm, and warmth helps a stiff joint in the morning even when nothing structural has changed

What to know

• –There's no offloading here and no hinge
• –Build quality matches what you pay