The Knee JournalA founder's story6 min read
For padel players whose knee gives up before they do
You don't lose the third set. Your knee does, at 4-4.
I thought it was age. It was one small tendon, about an inch below my kneecap, taking every split-step for me. Here's what I changed, and what I'd tell anyone at my club.
4-4 in the third. My partner hit a lob, they smashed it off the back glass, and the ball came back low. I knew exactly where it was going. My knee didn't go with me.
I didn't feel pain in that moment. I felt hesitation. That half-second where your body decides it would rather not bend. We lost the set 6-4, and on the drive home I figured out it had been happening for months: I'd stopped going for the low ones.
What was in my gear bag (about $255)
- ✕Knee sleeveAround my shin by the second set$30
- ✕Hinged braceToo bulky to move in. Lives in my bag now$70
- ✕Ibuprofen before matchesQuiet during the match, loud the next morning$10 a month
- ✕Kinesiology tapeNever lasted a sweaty match$15
- ✕New padel shoesBetter grip. Same knee$130
- ✕Two weeks offThe pain came back the night I did—
Every one of those helped a little, for a while. None of them let me finish a third set the way I used to. Here's what I wish someone had told me at the start.
The day after a three-set match
- 9:30 PMLast pointFelt fine. Adrenaline does that.
- 11 PMIce on the couchThe ache starts, just under the kneecap.
- 7:45 AMThe stairsSideways, one hand on the rail.
The pain lives in one small spot, about an inch below the kneecap
My physical therapist pressed two fingers just under my kneecap and I nearly jumped off the table. The patellar tendon. Players call it jumper's knee. Every split-step, every lunge for a ball off the glass, every stop at the net loads that one strip of tendon.
That's why the pain shows up the next morning and on the stairs, not during the point. And that's why a sleeve that squeezes the whole knee barely touches it.
Why the sleeve, the brace and the ibuprofen never stuck
The sleeve was comfortable for one set, then it was around my shin. The hinged brace held everything so tightly I couldn't move like a padel player. The ibuprofen made the match quieter and the next morning louder.
They all had the same problem: they treated the whole knee, when the trouble was in one spot.
A winter at my kitchen table with a pile of straps
Every strap I bought either slid down by the second set or dug in by the third. So I took them apart. What I wanted was simple: a pad that sits on that one spot, a notch that holds the kneecap so it can't ride down, and something inside that takes the landing.
A strap that presses on that one spot, with an airbag inside
A patellar strap is about as simple as knee gear gets: a pad that sits on the tendon, just below the kneecap. In one study, 16 of 20 people showed less strain on the tendon with a strap on.
We built ours for padel: a U-shaped notch that cups the kneecap so it can't ride down, a silicone pad that grips, and a sealed air pocket in the middle of the pad that compresses every time you land and springs back. You don't think about it. That's the point.
Outside: flat5-5 in the third, and I went for the low one
I didn't notice the strap during the match, which is the best thing I can say about it. What I noticed was at 5-5: the ball came back low off the glass, and I bent for it without the half-second of doubt.
The next morning I took the stairs normally. Not every ache is gone. But the hesitation is.
Before you buy anything for your knee, check these 5 things
From us or from anyone else.
- It sits just below the kneecap, on the tendon, not around the whole knee.
- It stays put through three sets without pulling it up between points.
- It's thin enough to forget under your shorts.
- You can play with it for weeks, and get your money back if it's not for you.
- Something inside takes the shock when you land. Ours has an airbag in the pad; most straps don't.
Strap, sleeve or brace?
| What matters | Second Set | Sleeve | Brace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presses on the tendon below the kneecap | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Airbag that takes the landing | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Stays put through three sets | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Thin enough for under your shorts | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| 60 days to try it, full refund | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
It won't fix your knee. It lets you play while you fix it.
Nothing here regrows a tendon. What the strap changes is where the load lands while you play, so you can keep your Tuesday and Thursday games. The other half is strength: wall sits, slow squats, step-downs on your rest days. That's why the 8-week plan comes free with every strap.
Sharp pain, swelling, or a knee that gives way is a different story: see a physical therapist before you buy anything.
One for you. One for whoever's been covering your side of the court.
Padel is doubles. Half the people I play with have the same story and won't say it out loud. That's why we run the strap as Buy 1, Get 1 Free: one for you, one for your partner. Or one for each knee.
One for you, one for your partner. Free tracked shipping and 60 days to try them in real matches.
Sell-Out RiskHigh
The 60-day court test
Wear it for real matches. Sweat in it. If it isn't for you after 60 days, you get a full refund, worn or not.
Try it risk-freeStraight answers
Will it fix my knee?
No, and we won't pretend it does. It puts steady pressure on the patellar tendon while you play, the spot physical therapists often target with a strap. The free 8-week plan is there for the strengthening part.
Is it the right strap for my pain?
It's made for pain just below the kneecap that shows up during or after matches, on the stairs, the next morning. Pain inside the joint, swelling, or a knee that gives way? See a physical therapist first.
Will it slide down?
The silicone pad grips the skin and the U-shaped notch cups the kneecap, so it stays where you set it. Set it once with the metal slider, then just close it before you warm up.
Does it dig in?
It should feel snug, not tight. The pad is wide and soft so the pressure is spread over the tendon, not on a thin edge. If it leaves a deep mark, loosen it a notch.
Which size do I need?
One size. The slider and the hook-and-loop fit it to your leg two fingers below the kneecap. If it doesn't fit, the 60-day guarantee covers it.
What do I get?
Your strap (two with Buy 1, Get 1 Free) and the free 8-week knee plan by email, the same day.
This is an advertisement: a story told by Second Set's founder. It isn't medical advice.