Knee Wraps: The Benefits and Drawbacks

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Knee Wraps The Benefits and Drawbacks
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• You can use two kinds of wraps in the gym wrist
  wraps and knee wraps. We have already discussed
  about wrist wraps in the previous post. More or
  less the same logic applies to knee wraps. In
  general, unless youre squatting and deadlifting
  a ton of weight, a person with healthy knees who
  wears them is wasting his or her time or
  worse.  

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• Unfortunately, many weight training
  accessories are commonly misused and as a result
  do nothing to enhance the efficacy or safety of a
  workout. We know youll make the right decision.
  You are free to ask additional advice in the
  comment section below the post.

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What are knee wraps?

• Knee wraps are somewhat similar to an Ace
  bandage, but they are much stronger and thicker.
  They are made of the same elastic material that
  is typically found in wrist wraps. The allowed
  width is the same as for wrist wraps, 8 cm (3
  inches). But they can be 2.0 meter, 2.5 meter or
  even 3.5 meters long.

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Advantages of using knee wraps

• Knee wraps serve two purposes. The original
  purpose of knee wraps was to help protect the
  lifters knees from injury. But due to the
  lifting up effect, knee wraps can also add
  significantly to how much a lifter can squat.
• Preventing knee injury. They act as reinforced
  set of tendons and protect the knee joint during
  the squat while enhancing the explosive power out
  of the bottom of the lift. In other words, they
  keep everything tight and in place. Knee wraps
  also keep the knee joint warm and therefore
  better lubricated with synovial fluid.

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• May allow you to lift more weight. When you
  tightly wrap you knees with the legs straight,
  the joint is locked in that angle. Then when you
  bent your legs, the knees want to spring back in
  position. This helps the person to lift more
  weight. The amount of assistance varies greatly
  depending on the type of wrap used and how
  tightly it is wrapped. Tight power-lifting knee
  wraps add 20 to 50 pounds to the lift, in some
  cases even more, with an average of about 30
  pounds.

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Disadvantages of using knee wraps

• The main reason you perform exercises such as
  squats and deadlifts in the first place is to
  strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.
  When you wrap your knees, you remove a
  significant amount of the workload from the
  muscles and transfer it to the wraps. Simply put,
  wearing knee wraps defeats the purpose of the
  exercise. Being able to lift more weight is good
  only if it comes as the result of your muscles
  getting stronger, not because youve fortified
  yourself with wraps.

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• Ironically, wrapping your knees to protect this
  complex and vulnerable joint may actually end up
  jeopardizing your safety rather than ensuring it.
  Squatting with knee wraps hinders the development
  of the tendons and ligaments of the knee. In
  other words, your knees will become dependent on
  the wraps. As you progressively increase the
  weights you use, your ligaments and tendons
  increase in strength alongside your muscles. If
  you wear wraps to much, your knees will not feel
  the need to strengthen.

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• In addition, knee pain has many causes, such as
  the kneecap putting too much pressure on the bone
  underneath. Knee wraps may increase this pressure
  and make the pain worse. One solution is to buy a
  knee wrap that has a hole built in for the
  kneecap. The wrap provides support while the hole
  reduces pressure on the knee cap.

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When to wear knee wraps?

• There are only a few good reasons to wear knee
  wraps
• Nearly all professional powerlifters wear knee
  wraps in competition.
• If you are going for extremely heavy set or new
  one-repetition maximum.
• If youve recently suffered a knee injury, you
  may need the support.