The knee plays a very important role in the overall human anatomy as one of the largest and most complex joints in the human body. The knee joins the thighbone or femur to the shinbone or tibia. The small bone that runs alongside the tibia (fibula) and the kneecap (patella) are the other bones that make the knee joint. The tendons connect the knee bones to the leg muscles that moves the knee joint. Ligaments join the knee bones and provide stability to the knee. The knees are vital for the body movement and bear the weight of the human body.

The knees due to their complexity are much vulnerable to injury and certain diseases can play havoc on the knees. Some of the medical conditions that can result in knee problems include Chondromalacia patella, Knee osteoarthritis, Knee effusion, Rheumatoid arthritis etc. An injured or unstable knee because of disease or injury can cause great pain and interfere with the day-to-day activities of the concerned person's active life. In such cases, health experts usually recommend wearing elastic knee braces that can help in avoiding further aggravation of the knee pain due to a disease or protect the knee from being injured in the first place.

The elastic knee braces are designed to encourage stability in the knee while providing or promoting flexibility and comfort. These braces do not prevent motion and thereby are quite popular with the people who intend to remain active despite of their knee problems or injuries. The elastic knee braces when worn extend above and below the knee and may contain padding or even plastic that depends upon the type of the brace one wears. These braces come in different colors and needs to be sized even though they are stretchy. The four chief functions of elastic knee braces include supporting an injured knee, injury prevention, helping in quick healing of the knee after surgery or injury and preventing the kneecap from dislocating.

The basic structure of an elastic knee brace usually made of a stretchy material that may be cotton or a cotton blend. The use of cotton as part of knee brace helps in letting the skin breathe easily and also help in absorbing sweat away from the inside of the brace. There are many types of braces; some of them are designed specifically for athletes that offer exceptional breathability to allow the skin to keep cool and dry. Some of the other types include elastic hinged knee brace with closed patella that help in stabilizing of the knee joint when muscles or ligaments have been weakened and damaged. These braces have stainless steel standard style hinges and encircling leather straps. They are knitted from one-way stretch beige elastic. The popular elastic knee braces brands include Bauerfeind, Breg, Don Joy, Medi, Ossur etc. There also exists certain activity related drawback when wearing these braces such as providing false sense of security for the person performing an activity that their body cannot support, affecting the concerned person's agility etc.