Independent testing shows Bracelayer reduces knee pain, improves balance and stability

In 2025, Bracelayer submitted our products to undergo rigorous testing by the Canadian Sport Institute – Pacific. Participants of this study were Master level athletes between the ages of 35 to 65 who have experienced knee injuries and pain. We – and the people of CSI-P – wanted to see if Bracelayer could help improve the performance of these athletes. 

Researchers used five tests to see if Bracelayer really did help:

• Improve proprioception

• Perception of pain 

• Single leg balance 

• Relative force production. 

You can read and download the full report here, but we also wanted to provide a concise summary here for those looking for one, or having a hard time decoding the medical jargon. Plus, what CSI-P did is actually super cool!

Background

Research has shown that compression gear improves balance and proprioception, and that knee compression can help reduce pain. But no one has studied a garment like Bracelayer and measured its benefits. We thought this information was crucial, not just for us, but for the sport science research community to build upon.

The Tests

Participants attended two testing sessions 2-7 days apart, and were asked at random to either wear a pair of full length Bracelayer compression pants or standard athlete shorts. These tests were performed once, then immediately again after the “fatiguing protocol.” Researchers wanted to see how Bracelayer’s compression pants impacted performance on someone who was already tired from training, as well as someone fresh & ready to go. The “fatiguing protocol” consisted of 30 reps of a hex bar squat, stacked with 50% of the participants body weight. 

Joint Position Sense (Proprioception): In this test, participants extended and flexed their lower leg through a range of motion, as instructed by researchers, without seeing their leg in movement. The goal was to achieve this range of motion without over-extending or flexing the knee joint. After this, the participant’s leg was returned to the starting position and given a 5 second rest. Then, participants were asked to recreate the same joint angle from memory. Researchers used a tool called a “goniometer,” shown in the accompanying image, to measure the angle of the leg.

Single Leg Balance: How long can you balance on one foot? Could you do it for the same amount of time if you had your eyes closed? And what if you’d just done a leg day routine? This is what researchers measured. Participants put their hands on their hips, lifted one leg off the ground, and closed their eyes. Researchers timed how long they could stand on one foot without moving their hands from their hips, opening their eyes, or having their foot touch the ground. Then, they repeated the process on the other leg. All this happened across 3 seconds and multiple trials, and researchers took the 3 second window with the least amount of movement to record and compare. On force platforms, participants were instructed to keep their hands on their hips, lift one leg off the ground, and close their eyes and try to balance for as long as possible. 

Drop and Stick: And he sticks the landing! This test had participants step forward off a 40 cm box and into a partial squat. They landed on force platforms to calculate the time it took participant’s bodies to stabilize their weight. Participants were asked to land softly, yet to reach the position and hold for 5 seconds, repeating three times. (Lower time = a better landing ability.)

If you’re interested in seeing more of these tests in action, you can check out our short video of each test on Youtube. 

CSI-P’s Summary of Key Findings 

What did these tests show researchers?

• Knee proprioception was significantly better when wearing Bracelayer, with joint position error reduced by ~50% compared to control conditions. 

• Single-leg balance and stability were better in the injured limb when wearing Bracelayer, with movement variability over a 1-second window being less than in the control condition. 

• Relative force production of the injured limb during jumping was greater when wearing Bracelayer. 

• This greater force production was maintained even after a fatiguing task. 

• Participants reported significantly lower knee pain while wearing the Bracelayer garment. 

• There were no differences in jump height, power, or landing performance, indicating the compression pants didn't restrict natural or maximal movement.

As researchers expected due to the already existing body of work in this field, Bracelayer’s garment “measurable improvements in knee proprioception, balance, injured-limb force contribution, and perceived pain.”

What does this mean?

Overall, these tests showed that wearing Bracelayer may help: 

• Improve training quality by improving stability and increasing force production in the injured limb. 

• Improve proprioception, which can help prevent reinjury while increasing confidence during training and daily activity

• Maintain natural movement and performance by not interfering with dynamic tasks such as jumping. 

• Provide knee support in activities with high single leg stability and movement demands.

These tests proved what we knew from the jump — that Bracelayer’s compression pants can help improve performance by reducing pain and improving stability. Since 2015, we’ve been changing the supportive apparel game with our compression tights. We’ve helped thousands of people play longer & stronger, and get back to doing the things that they love.

Will you be next?

Shop the full collection here!