Review on IPOW 2 PACK Knee Support For Women, Patellar Tendon Support Strap & Knee Pain Relief For Adult, Knee Brace For Hiking, Running, Tennis, Volleyball & Squats by Mary Ashford

Like most people here, I purchased these straps hoping they could provide my knees with some added stability and pain relief. I have suffered from patellofemoral pain in my right knee on and off for the last 10 years. At times it can be painful to walk, let alone run. For now, at least, the symptoms have gone away, but I know they will only come back if I don't take preventative measures. So I've tried a BUNCH of different accessories claiming to help with knee problems. Some have worked really well, others not so much. Unfortunately these knee straps fall into the latter category.When I first tried them on I actually felt like they might make a difference. My patella did feel like it had some extra support. But I had to experiment with adjusting the straps (loosening and tightening) before my knees felt supported. You want it to be tight, but not TOO tight, and if it's not tight enough these literally will do nothing.First of all, these straps were not comfortable on bare skin. They feel much better placed over a thin layer of clothing like leggings or knee-high socks. But the biggest issue for me was how these performed during a run. This item claims it can be used during activity including running. So that's what I got it for - - to prevent pain while running. What's odd is that throughout my run these straps didn't hurt or feel bothersome, and yet I found my calf muscles to feel unusually tight. I had to stop a total of 7 times to stretch during just a short 2 mile run. I have NEVER had to stop so often and figured maybe I was just having one of those days.It wasn't until 3/4 of the way into my run that I suspected maybe these straps were the problem. It didn't dawn on me sooner because I didn't feel discomfort or anything weird going on with the straps. So I took them off just to see if it made a difference, and it most certainly did. I was able to run the last 1/4 with no calf pain at all. Needless to say, I won't be using them again.The reason I believe this was happening is because during an activity like running, certain parts of your body like your feet and legs begin to swell. This is why experts tend to recommend going up a half size when choosing a running shoe. And it's likely that I needed to do the same with this strap, loosen it up a bit to accommodate expansion during a run. The fit felt perfect for walking, but clearly needed adjustment for running.I want to stress the point that I never at any time felt like I installed these too tight. But the difference between these straps and something like a knee sleeve is that a sleeve is more flexible and can accommodate the swelling that naturally occurs during activity. These straps, on the other hand, are firmly in place and don't budge. Because of that, they inadvertently cut off proper blood flow which is why I kept having to stop because of calf pain. It can become very tricky to adjust these straps to provide both support AND proper circulation ahead of the activity you're about to take on. Because if they're not tight enough they won't do anything, so finding that balance isn't easy. What you really don't want, though, is a tourniquet on your leg, and these straps can become one if you're not careful. I feel like this issue could easily be fixed if there was some slight elasticity to the velcro straps, but there isn't.So I'm giving this product 2 stars instead of 1, because the bad experience I had was likely down to user error and not having fitted it properly. But figuring out how tight or loose to adjust the straps became more of a chore that I didn't want to take on EVERY time I run, and then possibly have to stop multiple times DURING my run to make adjustments. No thanks. I think these straps are much better suited for walking rather than athletics.My favorite running accessories are now a simple combination of calf and knee sleeves that offer slight compression and stability. Not as much as maybe a strap or brace, but enough whereby it helps minimize discomfort and boosts my performance without cutting off my circulation.