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How to Make a Patellar Brace

A number of athletes suffer from patellar tendinitis, a chronic inflammation of the patellar tendon. Also known as “Runner’s Knee,” this condition affects runners, cyclists, basketball players and athletes in sports where the knee suffers repeated force from the ground while bent. The patellar tendon connects to the lower leg and holds the knee cap in place by connecting to the upper leg at the femur. Patellar tendinitis occurs when the patellar tendon moves in and out away from the leg during jumping, bounding or pedaling. A patellar brace can help alleviate this condition and prevent it from worsening.

Things You'll Need

  • Athletic tape
  • 1 1/2 inch elastic bandage
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Instructions

  1. Athletic Tape Method

    • 1

      Sit in a chair and bend your leg at the knee you plan to wrap with athletic tape. Pull away a ten inch strip of tape but don’t cut it from the roll. Wrap the tape around the entire circumference of your leg just below the knee.

    • 2

      Increase the thickness of the patellar brace by twisting the tape several times. Lay the twisted layer of tape around the front of your leg, just below the knee. This will create a buffer that keeps the patellar tendon from moving in and out away from your leg.

    • 3

      Wrap the tape around the entire circumference of your leg a second time, laying it directly over the existing layer of tape. Cover the twisted portion of tape to hold it in place.

    • 4

      Twist the tape again several times to make another thick layer of tape over the front of your leg just below the kneecap. Wrap the tape around the entire circumference of your leg a third time. Pull the tape around to the side of your leg, cut the tape and then lay it on the existing layer of tape to complete the brace.

    Elastic Bandage Method

    • 5

      Remove the metal clips, if applicable, that hold the elastic bandage in a roll. Unroll the bandage and stretch it out with your hands to gauge how much give the bandage has.

    • 6

      Place one end of the bandage on top of the patellar tendon, just below the knee cap. Roll the elastic bandage around your knee until you have it wrapped around the entire circumference of your leg directly on top of itself.

    • 7

      Pull the bandage tight enough that you cannot slip your finger tip underneath it but not so tight that it causes pain or begins to cut off blood flow.

    • 8

      Continue wrapping the elastic bandage around your knee. With each full wrap around the circumference of your leg, lower the bandage 1/2 inch. Wrap it around itself and then lower it another 1/2 inch.

    • 9

      Repeat Step 4 until you have run out of bandage. Connect the loose end of the bandage to the bandage layers already wrapped around your knee with the metal clips. If your bandage did not come with metal clips, pull the wrapped bandage away from your leg and slide the loose end underneath and through the other side so the wrapped bandage layers hold down on the loose end.

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