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- Regularly spending long hours kneeling on hard surfaces can lead to both acute and chronic knee pain.
- Without proper protection, knees are at risk of developing bursitis, osteoarthritis, and other conditions that can limit professional performance and reduce quality of life.
- The NoCry Professional Knee Pads are our top choice thanks to their large, rugged shield, their secure straps, and their low cost.
Now in the second half of my 30s, I'm at an age where I know how to get a fair amount done. Cracked tile that needs to be removed and replaced? No problem, let me just run to the store for a matching a grout and we're good. Loose roof shingle? Hammer time. Scratch in the floor? Wood putty, sand, and stain, baby.
The thing is, as much as I'm shocked to say it, I'm also at the age where my body gets stiff and sore much more easily than it used to, with much of the unwelcome aches and pains localized in my lower back, right shoulder, and knees. As you might have noticed, all of the aforementioned activities involve spending a good amount of time kneeling on surfaces that are none to forgiving for the leg joint in question. The solution? Well, there are two: First, just call someone else to fix the damn floor for me.
The better choice? Knee pads.
When you wear work knee pads, you're not just making yourself more comfortable then and there as you install tile, wiring, pipes, floorboards, shingles and so on - you're protecting your body in the long term, reducing the likelihood of issues like chronic bursitis (damage to the fluid-filled sacks that cushion your knees) or painful, debilitation osteoarthritis, a condition that is greatly exacerbated by improper care of a joint.
If you're a professional tiler, roofer, carpenter, and the like, chances are you already have a decent pair of knee pads for work. When it comes time to replace them, consider this list. For everyone else, even if you just do a bit of gardening or the occasional DIY project around the house, you still owe it to your knees to keep them padded, supported, comfortable, and safe.
While joint damage is much more common through wear and tear over time, acute damage can cause every bit as much (or more) misery in a matter of seconds, all it takes is one hard impact between knee and floor. Or wall. Or roof. Or....
Here are the best knee pads you can buy:
- Best knee pads overall: NoCry Professional Knee Pads
- Best knee pads for extended use: Recoil Suspension System Knee Pads
- Best low-cost knee pads: TOUA Heavy Duty Knee Pads
- Best knee pads for heavy duty work: Klein Tools Tradesman Pro Knee Pads
- Best soft knee pads for work: Troxell USA Supersoft Leatherhead Kneepads
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
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