A knee brace can be used as substitute for plastering for injuries to the knee cap. If the knee cap is not broken, a knee brace can allow for more flexibility.
When you get a knee injury.
because he just had a recent knee injury
The best type of knee brace for an ACL injury is the type with locking hinges. These can be locked when the injury is still bad to provide extra support then unlocked to allow more movement.
Some doctors recommend a knee brace after knee surgery. Knee braces are also worn to support weak or damaged knee ligaments -- sometimes in lieu of surgery to allow the ligament time to heal or sometimes in an attempt to ward off injury to the knee.
A hinged knee brace is required when a knee has been severely injured or immediately after knee surgery. One can purchase a hinged knee brace at a pharmacy.
A hinged knee brace is a knee brace with padded metal hinges on either side. They are very helpful, because when your knee collapses or cannot support weight, the hinges hold your knee in place and up. I have the KNAPP Hinged Knee Orthosis Brace which I strongly recommend if you are looking into knee braces.
You do not need a knee brace if you are sure that it is just a contusion. A knee brace can be helpful for ligament and cartilage injuries and sometimes is used if there is some doubt.
I, personally, have am not a runner. But according to my research, knee injuries are very common among runners. There are many things you can do to prevent knee injuries while running, such as wearing a knee brace during your run and stretching before and after.
A knee brace has its own benefits especially after knee surgery. One, there's mainly the problem of additional damage to the weak bone of the knee after knee surgery.
The type of knee problems or injury will ultimately determine the best equipment to help. It is very common to use a knee support brace (of which there are several kinds), however, for any knee injury that requires more than rest for recovery, the best thing to do is see a doctor, who can choose the best equipment for you.
You have to make sure the brace is very durable for what activities you may pursue. A good knee brace is durable and doesn't hurt to wear.
Depending on what kind of injury your knee suffered in the bike accident, you could benefit from several kinds of braces for your knee. There are braces that fit around like an ace bandage, the kind with the ball bearing hinge on the side, and there are some that can be fitted to your knee to accommodate for swelling.