Tool Review: Health and Safety – ProKnee Knee Pads Model 07

knee joint anatomy bones

If you are a professional wood floor contractor, you need a pair of knee pads that is going to last and you won’t need to replace every few months because you have worn them down. You need a pair of knee pads that will deliver support, comfort and protection to your joints.

The answer is simple: ProKnee brand Knee Pads Model 07. The people at ProKneee Corp. understand the ergonomics of kneeling and have designed their knee pads accordingly. They have developed a high quality, durable knee pad that delivers in comfort and protection. When you wear ProKnee knee pads on the job, you are protecting your knees from injury.

The design of ProKnee knee pads works in harmony with the typical movements of a flooring contractor. When you wear ProKnee knee pads, they force you to kneel properly. The knee is held firmly in place by the cup when you go down to kneel. It is important to keep the knee in place or else the knee cap may dislocate. This is a very painful injury that does not always heal properly. If you kneel improperly overtime you may tear tissue in your knee.

Another important feature of the ProKnee knee pads is that when you kneel, your body weight is not concentrated on your knees. The knee pads distribute the weight throughout your shins.

A common knee injury from concentrated weight when kneeling can result in a swollen knee. The reason for this is that you are putting the majority of your body weight onto your knee. In between the bone and the joint is a thin layer of cartilage that acts as a cushion to prevent the bone and joint from rubbing together. The more concentrated weight and impact you put on your knee, the more that layer of cartilage has the ability to wear away.

Concentrating your body weight onto your knees will commonly result in swelling. Sometimes a surgery for this injury involves draining the knee of fluid. This correctional procedure may take more than one operation.

Because the ProKnee knee pads redistribute your weight through the length of your shins, you will not encounter this problem. You will not experience swollen knees because you will never concentrate your weight onto your knees. Further, when resting on your calf muscles, the weight now brought into the shins allows you to prevent overstretching of your ligaments and muscles in your feet.

Another selling feature of the Pro Knees is the straps. It may seem less important but some knee pads have poorly designed straps. The result is frequent pinching and perhaps even a loss of circulation to your lower legs. Not only is this uncomfortable, this means that you are restricting the blood flow throughout your body when you are wearing your knee pads. The ProKnee knee pads are custom fit and the straps are placed 3″ below the knee joint. This allows you to kneel comfortably without being pinched at all. Your blood flow will be normal when kneeling in your ProKnee knee pads.

The material that Pro Knee knee pads are made with is another important feature that emphasizes the ability to cushion. They are constructed from a variety of both soft and resilient cellular urethane as well as a thinner layer of high-density cellular urethane. This enables the knee pads to absorb shock every time you go to kneel down. This means that your joints will be relaxed every time you kneel.

Many injuries are caused because of tension and rigidity. Think of a cat falling. When a cat falls, its body is extremely limp. Imagine what a cat’s fall would result in if its body was tense. Now think of kneeling in the same light. If you kneel with a relaxed joint, you will reduce the possibility of injury. If you anticipate shock when your knees are about to hit the floor, naturally your body will tense up. Think of the potential for injury when your joints are rigid.

Proper sizing is also necessary. Some come in assorted sizes but the majority of knee pads on the market come in one size fits all or in very basic sizes. This is unfortunate because things fit different people differently. An advantage of ProKnee knee pads is they are custom fit and come in 17 different sizes.

Measuring to determine your size for your new ProKnees is easy. All you do is remove your shoes. Place your foot flat on the floor. While standing, measure the distance from the floor to the top of your kneecap. Your knee must be straight. Also, when wearing work pants, in a standing position with straight knees, measure the widest part of your calf muscle. All you need are these two measurements and you are good to go.

Though ProKnee knee pads are in the more expensive range for knee pads, costing $230 per pair they are designed to last. Another great feature about them is if a component breaks overtime, it can be purchased and replaced from the company. From replacement straps and buckles to entire replacement part kits, once you purchase your pair of ProKnee knee pads, you will be certain you will have a pair for life!

It doesn’t matter how old you are. If you are younger, chances are that your body is more resilient However, when you purchase protective gear for the job, you are not only preventing injury now but for the long-term too. Not every symptom from an injury is expressed immediately. You can perform the same repetitive action, like kneeling down on a hardwood floor, and not feel pain. Then, suddenly one day you wake up with knee and back pain and wonder why!