Review on Shock Doctor Bionic Knee Brace with Compression Sleeve - BIO-LOGIX Hinged Lateral Support for Instabilities, Ligament, ACL, MCL, PCL, Meniscus Injury - Pain Relief, Recovery Aid, Preventive Hyperextension - Semi Rigid Aluminum Hinge, Hard Brace - Men's & Women's, Left/Right Side - Heavy Duty by Girish Underwood

, I'm a short, middle-aged guy who used to be quite athletic. I just suffered my first knee injury while skiing. It turns out the injury isn't severe enough to require surgery or critical care, but severe enough that I can't put weight on my leg without feeling unstable and "popping" in a way that it partially overstretches or causes sideways movements that cause pain. . . I needed some sort of knee brace to help and this was the only one I could find that was articulated (for lateral support) and came in a size small enough for me. Due to the listed size (leg circumference is two inches below the center of the patella) I had to order a very small size. I didn't really aim to be the apparently heaviest in the line, but again, there were no other brands available in my size from this manufacturer, nor were most. Two days now and I can say that it's durable, comfortable and definitely allows me to go out and do things I couldn't do without it. This eliminates most of the lateral instability and the hinge keeps my knee from hyperextending. For some reason the price (at least for this size) was comparable to other mid-range products from other manufacturers, so I can't say I overpaid. It's easy to slip on and off and feels sturdy enough and well made to last quite a while. I'll admit it can be a bit bulky for serious exercise like running or cycling, but I don't plan on doing those things for a while anyway. I plan to use an orthosis in the near future, mainly to hold my feet up and move the joint, which doctors say will be important for healing. This is to protect me from further injury, which I think is important.