Why knee protection is essential for off-road riding

While they might be out of sight, your knees are never too far away from danger when you ride a dirt bike. A simple stick whacking you dead on the knee can be really painful, let alone the damage that can be caused when you crash and your knees get pulverized as you hit the dirt.

Impact protection is one thing, but structural support is another and this is where knee braces come into the equation. There aren’t too many experienced dirt bike riders that don’t have some sort of knee injury story, or the aches and crunches that come with years of wear and tear. Knee braces are designed to help support the structural integrity of your knees while also offering impact protection. A knee brace will help prevent your knee from twisting and hyper extending which is quite common in dirt bike riding due to the unpredictable and high impact nature of the sport.

Knee protection comes in three categories:

Knee guards are a cost-effective and simple form of impact protection offering coverage of the kneecap and the upper shin with a hard plastic shell and a soft liner on the inside. Generally, they are held in place with two elastic straps. Knee guards are designed to be worn beneath your ride pants which helps keep them in place. Never ride with knee guards over your pants because the hard surface of the guard is extremely slippery against the plastic of your bike’s fuel tank and radiator shrouds. It makes it very hard to ride. Knee guards cost anywhere between $50 and $250.

Knee braces are the preferred form of protection for riders who want support and protection from joint injury. There are plenty of good braces that are available off-the-shelf at any reputable bike dealership or accessories store. Most braces are available in different sizes and can be fitted comfortably with adjustable straps and padding options. Some knee braces are recognized medical devices which can be eligible for rebates on some health insurance policies.

A custom knee brace offers the same sort of protection as an off-the-shelf brace, but the actual fit is not generic. A custom brace is manufactured to your specific fitting requirements after careful and strategic measurements have been taken. A custom brace is designed for unique individual fit. The cool thing about a custom brace is you can choose your own colors and graphic design. However, custom braces are the most expensive form of knee protection.

Knee guards and braces are a great way to minimize injury with a simple strap-on strategy but there’s plenty more you can do to help keep your knees strong and flexible. Some simple off-bike exercises can strengthen and bullet-proof your knees. A quality strength and conditioning coach, preferably with a dirt bike specific orientation can guide you through a series of drills that will not only make your knees more stable but also more flexible. Off Road coach Ben Greenwood offers plenty of excellent coaching on this topic. You can find him on Instagram at @offroadperformancecoach.