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Uses:
Patellar tendonitis (jumpers knee), Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome
Introduction:
The Zamst JK-2 knee brace has been a staple in my quiver of knee supports since my early years in college as it is truly the best knee brace for jumpers knee- although there's a lot to unpack here. After my jumpers knee got bad enough that I had to graduate from the very worthy but less robust McDavid knee strap (check that out here if your jumpers knee is minor), the Zamst JK-2 was the next line of defense for me.
Patellar tendonitis is no joke. It can seriously lay you low from all physical activities. Beyond jumping, even running is a huge no-go if it gets serious enough.
This is the point I was at when I got the Zamst JK-2. I skipped the JK-1 entirely, which is still an option, and bought this purely based off of reviews and the fact that it looked like it would “stay up” on my leg.
Functionality:
To get right to the point- the Zamst JK-2 knee brace works. Really well. If your patellar tendonitis stays in that moderate or bordering on severe category, you can probably get away with rocking this thing forever. It does exactly what it’s meant to do and keeps you/gets you back into the game.
I’ve used this brace for competitive soccer and baseball to great effect. As soon as you put it on and strap it up tight, you can immediately feel the relief in your patella tendon which is great.
An interesting aspect of this brace is that the padding that presses into your patellar tendon (to reduce the symptoms of tendonitis through shock absorption) is shaped differently than other products that do the same thing- to your benefit.
The shape of the padding supports your kneecap very well while also being more comfortable than the average brace that is built for the same reason. It’s important to note that there is also additional padding ABOVE the kneecap- this is to keep everything in place and tracking like it’s supposed to and is something that you don’t get with your average
jumpers knee strap.
Highlights:
Probably my favorite aspects of it are A) that it doesn’t move on your leg because of all the strapping and B) you can get it TIGHT, and it stays that way!
With some other knee brace products I’ve used, I’ve needed to pair them with Bracelayer to keep them up. However, this is a non-issue with the Zamst JK-2.
Another highlight would just be how well it works- something I’ve harped on already in this review. As I only review products that I’ve personally reviewed and really like, I really can’t stress enough how good this product really is for jumpers knee- I don’t hesitate to say that without this product, there’s a good chance I would have missed many months of competitive sports and activity- and if you’re here reading this, I know you’re probably like me and will do anything to prevent that!
Another understated bonus of this product is the durability. I probably had the Zamst JK-2 on my leg four or five times a week for years- definitely all through college. So I can confidently say that this brace has survived through thousands of hours of intense workouts and training. Everything from soccer, baseball, badminton, volleyball, you name it. Even though I’m an old man now (relatively) and I only play sports once a week, I still break it out and it still works like a charm.
My jumper’s knee isn’t even troublesome anymore, thanks to a useful combination of rest and physiotherapy, so I really only use the Zamst JK-2 for preventative measures these days. While it is definitely helpful in this way, there are certainly some options that are lighter and less bulky, even though bulk isn’t a serious concern here.
Questions/Concerns:
Something that’s important to realize about this brace is that it really is only for jumper’s knee and Osgood-Schlatter disease- issues that directly affect the patella tendon. There is no lateral support and the JK-2 was not built for anything other than what it states. While the sleeve-like build of the brace definitely keeps your knee warm, it would only provide very minor bracing for other structures of your knee, if any at all. While this brace is absolutely superb in helping what it says, it really shouldn’t be counted on for general knee pain or instability, or anything not directly related to the patella tendon.
A common question regarding knee braces is how hot and uncomfortable they get- this can be a legitimate issue with some braces that do not breathe well. However, I’m happy to report you won’t have this issue with the Zamst JK-2. The back of the brace is breathable mesh, and it has a comfort hole in the front of the knee. It’s built from a good sweat absorbent compression material that works excellent.
Sizing:
Once you fold over the pad onto your patella tendon and strap it tight with the Velcro, there’s another strap that goes around this same area as well to keep it secure. Better yet, there’s another Velcro strap above the knee that goes around the quad to make sure you’re really locked in.
Important: If you’re a person with huge quads, the top strap might be a bit tight when you wrap it around. This was me, and I just ordered a size up. Even if it is a bit tight though, you should be fine. The top quad strap is honestly one of my “highlights” for this product, as it truly helps keep the brace up and in place better than what you will see with most other braces. As most people know that keeping a knee brace in place is half the battle, the quad strap is a godsend.
Other Uses:
While I mainly used this brace for sports, it saw very limited use with me for long distance running. I’m not sure how well it would work for long distances (anything over 5K) but I would think that a smaller brace would be more comfortable for something like this.
Final Word:
Overall, this product is one of my all-time favorites and I definitely recommend it! Do not hesitate to check this one out.
Click the link below to check it out!
Until next time!
(all images used with permission from Zamst)
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