Knee pads or kneepads are protective gear worn on knees to protect them against impact injury from falling to the ground or hitting an obstacle, or to provide padding for extended kneeling.Their primary purpose is to shield this vulnerable joint from potential impact injuries that may occur due to accidental falls, collisions with objects, or striking obstacles. By providing a cushioning barrier between the knees and the ground or other hard surfaces, knee pads help minimize the risk of severe damage or trauma.

US soldiers wearing knee pads
Knee pads for skateboarding
Typical In-line skating protective gear includes helmet, elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads.
Mountain biking knee pads with attached shin guards (left), and elbow pads with attached forearm guards (right).

Use edit

Sports edit

 
Knee pads are standard PPE for polo players

Knee pads are worn in many recreational and sporting activities such as cycling, rollerskating, skateboarding, cricket, volleyball, handball, basketball, gridiron football, polo, dancing, etc. In polo, knee pads serve primarily to protect the rider's knee when "riding off" an opponent.[clarification needed]

Work edit

Work that requires frequent or constant kneeling, including carpet installation, plumbing, tilling, and mechanic work will normally require hard, rugged knee pads with hard shells. If work requires less or occasional kneeling, then a lighter, softer and more flexible knee pad can be used to increase comfort.

Trades and military use edit

Knee pads are also used in various trades such as for the home handyman, for the police SWAT teams, and they are also incorporated into military uniforms such as the Army Combat Uniform and the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform. These knee pads are generally designed differently[clarification needed] than the general all round high impact knee pads made for sports.

Babies edit

The padding of the baby knee pads should be soft because the baby knee is the soft part of the body. The padding foam should be soft and ultra-durable. Knee pads should be in proper fitting according to baby knees.

See also edit

References edit