Knee Braces?

Any weekend warriors out there have a suggestion for a good knee brace? Looking for brand/model, something I can find at a generic sporting goods store. I've got three softball games a week and my left knee is starting to kill me. It's mostly an issue for pushing off -- once I'm going, I'm okay. And it doesn't seem to hurt when I'm doing my basic gym routine, so I don't think it's a surgery-worthy issue.
Thanks,
Dan

 

one thing you have to be careful about is becoming so dependent on the brace that the muscles surroundings your knees can weaken. The orthopedics I dealt all encouraged me to rebuild the muscles around my legs through weights, stretching, lunges and other exercise, as well as weight loss to keep the burdgen off my knees.
Then again, I spent as much time in medical school as I did in concert piano school, so your best bet is to consult a physician before self-medicating (even with a brace).

 

As one whose knees started failing when my growth spurt didn't take place until after I got my driver's license -then did so at an insane pace - some neoprene braces might help.

Whether or not you need an open-patella brace I couldn't tell you. I have some simple closed-patella knee braces I wear for touch football and softball. Since they don't breathe - and because I'm between sizes - I shim them with Ace wrap elastic sleeves underneath to soak up perspiration.

Maybe something here might help ...

 

I have arthritis in my left knee. Tore the meniscus and nearly cracked the kneecap during college, mopping the floor of a fast food joint I worked out. I've also got gout (another form) in my ankle, seems it runs in the family.

A $40 cane is a lot cheaper than a $600 osteoarthritis knee brace. However, if you can trim down some, it does work wonders to take a little pressure off.