After falling and twisting his knee on cold dirt tyres , Ray Heron has been trying POD ’ s knee protection for dirt riding and commuting .
above and below the knee are meant to be tight , to keep the brace in place and working properly . Then the upper and lower straps attached to the cuffs are firm but looser , to provide a little more comfort . The K8 utilises a foam lining instead of material , meaning they don ' t absorb sweat or smells and are easy to clean . They ' re pretty hardy , with few moving parts , which means they ' re going to last and protect for a long time . The POD K8 is one of the only offerings on the market that is a rated Class 1 Medical Device , so if you are recovering from an injury , you can speak to your doctor about whether they will aid in your recovery . They also come with a five-year warranty .
WHAT DO THEY DO ? They are built to protect the ligaments and cartilage in the knee . They stop overextension of the knee and keep everything aligned . The main way they work though is by transferring force . When you ' re riding off-road , and hit a slippery tree root , for example , the first thing a lot of riders do is go to put a foot out . This can put a lot of force through your leg , and the knee , being the weakest point , is prone to soft tissue damage – something that could put you off the bike for 6-12 months . With the PODs , the knee joint is supported , and the force is transferred . Instead of all that force going directly to the knee , some of it is redirected to the thigh , which is the strongest
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