My knees hurt. At 43-years-old, I’ve spent decades skiing, mountain biking, hiking and trail running. This accumulated activity means my knees are shot. Both are arthritic and recent surgery on my left knee repaired the meniscus, cartilage and inflamed plica bands. Because of this, I’ve desperately needed additional support while recreating outdoors. Thanks goodness I found Go Sleeves. Specifically, the GO Kinesiology Knee Sleeve.
Go Sleeves
Go Sleeves are compression sleeves that reduce inflammation and lactic acid build-up. They also accelerate muscle recovery. Like athletes using kinesiology tape to provide support and lessen pain, Go Sleeves mimic that application while also being easy to use. Now anyone can get the benefit of kinesiology tape without needing a doctor or physical therapist to apply it.
The Test
I mostly wanted to wear Go Sleeves for skiing, as that’s the activity that hurts my knees most these days. But it turns out that I’ve benefitted from the Go Knee Sleeve this summer on hikes in the Wasatch.
The Go Sleeve is very tight when it’s new. The sleeve rolls on over the knee, so it’s simple and easy to put on. The inside of the sleeve has Go Kinesiology Strips that are pretty sticky. These prevent the sleeve from slipping and keep everything in place. Each strip has a specific function to target support for muscles, ligaments and tendons.
The first time I walked with the Go Sleeve on my bad knee, I was impressed. The sleeve provides a ton of support. Bending the knee, the sleeve allowed full range of motion. But when I brought my leg back straight, there was a rebound effect. It’s almost as if the Go Sleeve functioned like an exoskeleton. The sleeve not only provided support, but also improved performance.
Hiking with the Go Knee Sleeve really showed me how the product shines. That rebound effect is super helpful when going uphill and down. Plus the support is great. Hiking downhill is what hurts my knees the most, and I tend to overextend the joint, which is always very painful. But the Go Sleeve kept my knee totally stable every time I’ve traveled in the mountains.
Final Word
Simply put, the Go Sleeve is the best compression sleeve I’ve used so far. After two years of wearing sleeves and knee braces of every sort, I can confidently say that the Go Kinesiology Knee Sleeve is the only one that gives me the pain-free results I’ve been searching for.
I look forward to using Go Sleeves while resort and backcountry skiing this winter. If I like how it feels on my left knee, I will certainly be purchasing another one to wear on my right knee. Because even though my right knee doesn’t have the same issues as my left, the added performance provided by Go Sleeves makes it worth wearing them on both legs.
Go Sleeves also have a calf sleeve to go along with the knee sleeve so you can target all of your leg’s problem areas. To purchase either sleeve, visit them at gosleeves.com.
Update
Since posting this review, I’ve used Go Sleeves while skiing, both in-bounds at Solitude, and in the backcountry. For this, I got another Go Sleeve for my right knee as well. What a difference these sleeves make! For the past two years after knee surgery, I’ve struggled to ski. But with Go Sleeves on my knees, I can ski like my old self again. I can even ski moguls!
If you also have knee issues that negatively affect your skiing, I strongly recommend trying out Go Sleeves.