A knee strap is a very specific type of knee support that’s made to, well, support your knee cap while relieving pressure on the patellar tendon. But, with so many options on the market, finding the best patella knee straps can be a challenge.
That’s where our team of physical therapists come in. We tested, researched, and rounded-up the best ones using a strict criteria that encompasses comfort, durability, quality, value for money, and other features that set these products apart from the competition.
We will discuss all those factors later on in the buyer’s guide section of this article. But, for now, here are short reviews of our top picks:
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Braceability Patellar Tendon Knee Strap
Braceability is our consensus best because it does everything a knee strap should do at a high level.
Best for Recovery: Cocoon Knee Flex Pro
While technically not a strap, the Cocoon Knee Flex Pro will work wonders for your recovery, especially when used in tandem with any strap on this list.
Best Knee Strap Runner-Up: McDavid Knee Support Strap
Has a tubular design that applies direct but comfortable pressure that relieves your knees of pain.
Best Patella Knee Strap in 2025
1. Braceability Patellar Tendon Knee Strap (Best Overall)
Pros
- Durable material, stitching, and velcro
- Comfortable to wear through activity
- With anti-slip interior
- Wide range of sizes
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- Slightly above average price
Braceability’s Patella Knee Straps are durable, comfortable, and effective.
Of all the many knee straps on the market, we came to a consensus that Braceability’s version is a cut above the rest. While priced slightly above average, we think it’s well worth it given its durability, comfort, and effectiveness.
For one, its velcro straps hold up well. This is something that we can’t say for a lot of its other competitors by the way. You would also be able tell just from the feel of it that its material and stitching is top-notch.
I personally used it to play a lot of basketball games and I didn’t notice any unraveling piece of fabric.
The inside of this patellar tendon strap is lined with anti-slip fabric. Sizes are fairly wide-ranging, too.
- Material: Neoprene
- Size options: XS-2XL
- Color options: Black only
2. Cocoon Knee Flex Pro
Pros
- All-in-one therapeutic tool, from compression, heat, and cold.
- Lycra for superior comfort and durability
- Double-stitched and leak-proof for enhanced durability
- Great for highly active athletes
- Multiple sizes for knees and other parts of your limbs
Cons
- Slightly pricier than average
- Only comes in blue
- Not technically a knee strap
While technically not a patella tendon strap, the Cocoon Knee Flex Pro treats the same exact injuries – and does it well.
The Cocoon Knee Flex Pros are versatile products that combine the function of both traditional knee sleeves and heat/cold therapy. That alone gives it the versatility to treat virtually any knee injury unlike any other product on the market.
It holds its temperatures at just the right amount of time, too. That’s a great feature to have because it helps prevent frostbites, burns, and other potential complications of thermotherapy.
Oh, and did I already mention how it uses lycra instead of the usual neoprene? This particularly sets it apart in terms of comfort. These cocoons are best used before and/or after physical activity to warm up your knee joint or cool it down to minimize pain and inflammation.
What I will say, though, is that it’s expensive. I also wouldn’t recommend wearing this during sports or exercise because it slides down because of the lycra.
- Material: Lycra, hydrogel
- Size options: M, L
- Color options: Blue only
Recommended: Our in-depth review of the Cocoon Knee Flex Pro
3. McDavid Knee Support Strap
Pros
- Fits on both the right and left knee
- Custom fit
- Features a non-slip buttress
- Can help minimize patellar tendonitis symptoms
Cons
- The sizing chart can be inaccurate at times
- No hook and loop velcro design
The McDavid Knee Support Strap is comfortable and highly effective at relieving pressure from your patellar tendon.
Just like the Braceability Patellar Tendon Knee Strap, the McDavid knee support strap is both comfortable and effective. As a matter of fact, it even feels more effective because its tubular design applies a more direct pressure.
The reason it fell lower on our list, though, is because of its velcro strap and locking system. We’d much prefer it if it were a hook and loop design. This would have made it a bit more challenging to put on but it also stays on better.
Ultimately, I would recommend this if you’re the type of athlete who won’t need to wear this patella tendon strap for hours on end. If you’re an endurance athlete, however, get something that stays in place better.
- Material: Latex-free neoprene
- Size options: Regular, Large
- Color options: Black only
4. IPOW 2 Patella Stabilizer Knee Straps
Pros
- Backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Remains secure
- Comfy
- Provides relief from knee pain
- Shock absorbing
Cons
- Comes with plastic buckles
- Can stink (no moisture-wicking)
The best part about the IPOW Patella Tendon Straps is that it pairs effectiveness and practicality.
Nowhere online will you find 2 functional knee straps – I repeat: TWO KNEE STRAPS – for the price that’s less than one. There might be cheaper ones but they’re not as effective or they don’t come in pairs. There might be more effective ones but they’re not as cheap.
The IPOW knee straps, however, are narrower than many of its competition. Still, they do a great job of relieve knee pain from all sorts of patellar tendon injuries, including patellar tendonitis and Osgood Schlatter disease.
What’s also good about this is that if you’re injured on both knees, one purchase has you covered. If you have knee pain on only one leg, you can alternate the pair to make each strap last longer.
What stinks about IPOW, however, is that they aren’t moisture-wicking so they can, quite literally, stink.
- Material: Neoprene
- Size options: One size only
- Color options: Black, Gray, White, Blue, Pink
5. ArmaJoint Compression Sleeve
Pros
- Excellent 360-degree compression
- Comfortable and breathable
- Top-quality materials for durability
- Works great paired with any knee strap on this list
Cons
- Not technically a knee strap
Pair the ArmaJoint Compression Sleeve with any strap on this list and you have yourself a recovery machine.
Like the Cocoon Knee Flex Pros, the ArmaJoint knee sleeve isn’t technically a patellar strap. It does, however, make it easier to manage the symptoms and recover from knee injuries.
The ArmaJoint compression sleeve offers 360 degrees of compression. This, in turn, gives you better blood and knee pain relief. It’s also more comfortable than the average sleeve, so you can wear these the whole day. The price is practical, too.
If you do decide to get these sleeves to pair with patellar tendon straps, I recommend wearing the straps during activity so you get targeted compression. Wear the sleeve before and/or after for recovery and regulate inflammation.
- Material: 80% nylon, 20% spandex.
- Size: S-XL.
- Color options: Black
Recommended: Our review of the ArmaJoint Knee Sleeve
6. Mueller Jumper Knee Strap
Pros
- The Mueller brand is well-trusted in the sports community
- Inexpensive but massively effective
- Targeted compression with silicone buttress
- Durable
Cons
- One size only (might be too long for those of you with smaller legs)
It’s an effective knee strap from one of the sporting world’s most trusted brands: Mueller.
Mueller has been a staple brand around the sports community for a long time now. Ask any athlete with joint injuries and I’m sure you’ll eventually come across someone who tells you about this brand.
Their patella knee strap, in particular, works wonders for patellar tendonitis and other patellar tendon injuries. It comes with a silicone buttress that’s sealed between polyester which gives you both comfort and targeted compression.
For a brand this well known, their knee patella support strap surprisingly isn’t expensive, too. Although, we do wish it came in more sizes. In the size it comes in, those of you who are smaller than average might find it too long.
- Material: Polyester
- Size: One size only
- Color options: Black, blue, gold, pink
7. EXOUS Knee Brace Support Protector
Pros
- Made from high-quality materials like neoprene
- Stabilizes knee cap
- 4-way compression system
- Stays in place
- Provides excellent support for knee muscles
- Comfortable
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Difficult to put on
The EXOUS Knee Brace is both knee strap and, well… a knee brace.
The EXOUS knee brace is mainly a neoprene brace with an open patella design. This design alone gives you compression and better stability in your knees and knee cap.
What sets the EXOUS knee brace apart from its competition, however, are the straps that run both above and below your patella. These straps are meant to bolster the already impressive stability and further improve fitting. But, from our testing, we found that they can also provide targeted compression to your patellar tendon.
Whether inadvertently or not, EXOUS really did something neat with this knee brace. However, it fell this low on our list is because its pricey relative to the quality of the its material, it’s somewhat fiddly to put on, and it only comes in one size and color.
- Material: Neoprene
- Size: One size only
- Color options: Black only.
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Patellar Knee Strap (Buyer’s Guide)
Closed Vs. Open Patella Design
This will be a factor if you’re choosing between a patella knee strap and a knee brace.
Knee straps are only designed to relieve pressure on your patellar tendon which is great for certain knee injuries like patellar tendonitis and Osgood Schlatter disease. Knee braces, on the other hand, are more robust and supportive but don’t generally provide targeted compression.
Knee braces, in particular, can either have closed or open patella designs.
On the one hand, a closed patella provides better all-around compression. But, on the other, the open patella also adds stability to your kneecap. Think hard on what you need and decide from there.
Adjustability and Size
Patella knee straps come with velcro straps for adjustability. Some also come with multiple sizes.
Whatever patella knee strap you fancy, though, you have to make sure it fits. Manufacturers often have sizing charts and the size details of their products in their page or on Amazon, so be sure to read those before committing.
If the manufacturer doesn’t have a way for you feel confident about how their product will fit you, take that as a red flag and choose something else. Remember that these adjustable straps have to actually fit you to properly relieve pain.
Comfort and Stability
As an athlete, I’m sure you know your games and practices can last hours. So, make sure you pick a knee strap that you’re comfortable wearing for long periods of time.
Particularly if you have allergies or sensitive skin, check out the materials used in the production of the patellar knee straps you’re eyeing.
Read other people’s reviews, too, and see if it actually stays in place.
Quality and Durability
Again, this goes down to material and production. It gets kind of tricky, though.
For example, product A and product B are made with neoprene but their neoprene might not actually be the same type. Product A might also have more durable velcro and stitching as product B despite having similar designs.
In this case, we recommend going for brands that have reputations for using top-quality materials.
Value for Money
Last but not least, take your budget into account.
Essentially, you’re going to want to get the best patella knee strap that your budget allows you to. Consider the quality of the material, how durable and comfortable the entire thing is, and how effective it is at dealing with your knee issues .
In our list, we made to sure to feature knee braces and straps that cover a wide range of price ranges so make sure to check them out.
Why you should trust Knee Force
Kris is a physical therapist who specializes in sports rehab and sustainable fitness. His expertise has led him to treat athletes from a wide variety of sports with an even wider array of joint injuries and diseases.
He also has his fair share of knee joint ailments – from full-grade ACL tears, torn menisci, and sprains on other knee ligaments. He’s also had to use various knee supports during his recovery from knee surgery and when he was getting back into his sport.
Hence, he draws his medical opinions from both evidence-based knowledge of physical therapy and experience.
For this article, he and our team of physical therapists tested dozens of knee braces, knee sleeves, and knee straps, took note of important features, and compared his own findings with other people’s experiences. Finally, he chose what he found were the best ones.
Conclusion
When looking for the best knee patella strap, you want to look for one that effectively deals with the knee issues right in front of you.
Is your knee pain from too much stress on your patellar tendon? Okay, then got one that can precisely relieve pressure from that tendon. Is it because your patella isn’t tracking properly? Get a brace that helps you fix that. Are you an athlete who needs the strap regularly? Get one that’s durable and doesn’t slide down. I could go on and on.
My point is that different features target different problems. So, if you’re looking for the most effective knee patella strap, take the time to figure what’s causing your knee pain.
Our list was made with that in mind, so we included knee straps with different features. We hope you find that best suits you! If not, you can always refer to our buyer’s guide to find other products.
