DonJoy Performance Bionic Drytex Hinged Knee Sleeve

I’ve been diagnosed with a torn meniscus, but am trying to hold off on having surgery. I am an avid pickleball player (3-4 sessions a week for a total of 9-11 hours of playing time) and at the onset of the problem I was lucky if I could play one session for a couple of hours a week. While I am not pain-free, this brace has enabled me to mostly get back to the level of activity I was at before the pain began. I had tried a number of drug store braces with minimal success and found the lifespan of those braces tended to be fairly limited before they started coming apart. This brace is built much sturdier and sure seems likely to last much longer than those less expensive braces. I like the Drytex as it is lighter and cooler than the neoprene of other braces I had used.The sizing does run on the small size. According to the sizing guide I was a clear Medium. The braces (I’m wearing one on each knee) are very, very snug. They do seem to stretch out a bit with use, but remain snug. Not uncomfortably snug, but enough so that it takes some work putting them on and especially taking them off when I’ve been sweating. Personally, I feel like the tightness of fit gives me an extra feeling of stability for the knee, but I’m sure some people would find the fit bothersome. If you think you would be so inclined then you may want to order a size larger than the sizing chart indicates.

I tried a number of braces from other brands including McDavid and Shock Doctor and this one blows away the competition. I have an MCL sprain and was advised to be in a hinged brace for 6 weeks. All other braces I tried had hinges that dug right into my MCL and created even more pain for me. This sleeve isn’t like that, there is plenty of padding and space between the MCL and it is extremely comfortable. It’s just supportive enough but not suffocating or restricting on my knee. Very thankful to find this brace.

Years later this is still working well used multiple times a week for sport. Other than the top portion that covers the metal hinging wearing away, this provided decent support preventing my knee from popping out during lateral forces from an old injury

If I could give it ZERO STARS I would. Absolute waste of money and time and basically ruined a day of skiing. Got it because I have an old version of this for my right knee but after an injury last year I now need one for might left as well. At home before we headed out I put it on over the long johns and the brace felt fine. On the mountain we skied a few runs and it warmed up a lot so I took off the long johns and put the braces on my knees. The old one was fine but the new one was SO incredibly irritating to my skin. It felt like there was a bunch of fishing line ends poking into my knee, it seemed like all the stitching was like this, and it was also extra annoying because some of the irritating parts were right where incisions had been. WORST design… did no one ever try a prototype?? I tried putting a layer of cloth between my skin and the brace but it didn’t help much and then the cloth became annoying as well. I wanted to use this brace for exercise in addition to skiing like running and cycling but there is no way I could ever use something that uncomfortable on my bare skin. BUYER BEWARE!!!

I like this knee brace, but I’ve bought it twice and both times the stitching is coming undone

Used on my knee prior to replacement surgery.

The brace is really good quality. I just ordered the wrong size.

If this brace lasted longer I'd have given it five stars. As it is now, I can't recommend this product for anyone looking for a running knee brace.The good:I ordered this brace on June 27th and received it quickly. The fit was good and the support it provided was great. I had my ACL replaced years ago and wanted to get back into running and this gave me the confidence to get back out on the trail.The bad:One Velcro strap on the top of the brace no longer holds while I run. It doesn't hold if tight or loose (defeats the purpose) and it just baffles me that the Velcro would die in just a few months. I run 2 - 4 times a week anywhere from 3.5 - 7 miles a run so nothing extreme. So this brace lasted somewhere around 70 miles before failing costing me more than $1/mile.Conclusion:I just went on a run this morning and no matter what spot I tried to fasten the Velcro tab to it would disconnect withing a couple of steps. I was able to finish the run but the brace is no longer providing the lateral support I need it to.Almost a great product but the longevity of it makes it not worth the cost. If you're looking for a knee brace to run with that will last you more than a few months I'd look somewhere else.