Should I Wear a Knee Brace While Surfing?

The surfing stance, particularly when paddling and getting up on the board, places significant pressure on the knee joint. When a surfer paddles, they place the front of their foot on the board and use their knees to lift themselves up out of the water. As the surfer lifts themself onto the board, they bend their knees deeply, which can place even more pressure on the knee joint. Over time, these repetitive movements and high-impact actions can lead to knee pain and injury. As a result of this strenuous movement, many surfers suffer from knee pain.

Using Knee Braces While Surfing

Having a form of knee support while surfing will provide control and support to your knees so you can ride the waves with less pain. A knee brace can allow for a more enjoyable surfing experience and reduce the risk of further injury.

Surfing requires a lot of coordination, balance, and awareness. The knees are particularly vulnerable to damage while surfing because the quadriceps place constant pressure and force on the joints. Since your knees are working overtime while you surf, it’s wise to consider a knee brace for surfing to prevent injury or the worsening of an existing one. 

A proper knee support for surfing can reduce the impact force on the knee and significantly alleviate pain and discomfort. Less pain translates to improved function and increased mobility in the water, allowing you to surf from sunrise to sunset with less pain than before.

Unloader Knee Braces for Surfing

An unloader knee brace is a type of medical knee brace that helps to unload weight and pressure placed on the knee joint. Being able to bend and straighten your knee is an imperative aspect of surfing. An unloading knee brace will decrease the amount of pressure placed on the joint, stabilizing the knee and reducing pain with inflection and extension.

If you are interested in an unloader knee brace, consider the Ascender multi-compartmental unloader knee brace. With our one of a kind tension dialing system, users can adjust support according to the assistance level required. The Ascender knee brace is specifically designed to assist the quadriceps in extending the leg, all while providing resistive force during inflection. This “external muscle-tendon system” has been shown to complement the quadriceps for surfing and other sports that require extensive bending of the knee.

Our custom-fit, lightweight braces are specifically engineered for strenuous activities that place extensive pressure on the knee joint. Activities like skiing and surfing fall under this category. When searching for a solution to reduce the risk of further injury and alleviate pain while surfing, consider the Ascender knee brace. 

Conclusion

A good knee brace can keep you in the water for hours at a time. There’s no denying it: surfing requires unconventional use of the knee joint compared to other activities, such as walking. The heavier you are, the more force you put on the knee joint while surfing. 

For surfers looking for assistance on the board, an unloader knee brace is a great option. Contact our team for a consultation and get your own Ascender knee brace. 

Get Started Today

Most braces are covered by insurance and the average cost is under $200!

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