sore legs from knee pads

[TheUnicorn]

I was putting down some flooring today, and to avoid sore knees I wore some knee pads (the sort that strap in place and make you look like a skateboarder) over jeans. Didn't realise as I was , but having taken them off, the jeans were obviously being pinched against the skin and the back of my knees are sore as anything.

does anyone have any tips for a more comfortable experience

I might try shorts, but its not really the time of year and i'm working outside (wooden outbuilding with no doors our heating as yet)

 

[bp122]

Sorry to hear that mate.

My legs are skinny, so none of the knee pads ever worked for me.

So, when I was at work and used to kneel down to get under the machines etc, I used to use a lamination of a 2 -3 layers of thick (1 inch) white foam with a final layer of softer foam. This was like a kneeling pad. Gives you the flexibility of moving your knees about when kneeling without the fabric pinching you, and no chafing from the straps. If you make them big enough (1 x 2 feet) you can also use it to rest your head and back while working on the floor.

Best of all, it's free if you find some quality packaging.

 

[thetyreman]

it looks ridiculous but I don't care anymore, I tied bubble wrap around my knees with cellotape, just be careful not to cut off the circulation, it works surprisingly well but don't go to the local shops bare footed, you might get locked up

 

[bp122]

I was putting down some flooring today, and to avoid sore knees I wore some knee pads (the sort that strap in place and make you look like a skateboarder) over jeans. Didn't realise as I was , but having taken them off, the jeans were obviously being pinched against the skin and the back of my knees are sore as anything.

does anyone have any tips for a more comfortable experience

I might try shorts, but its not really the time of year and i'm working outside (wooden outbuilding with no doors our heating as yet)

Look for freebie yoga mats and workout mats or gym tyles which are soft from Facebook marketplace. Laminate a few layers and you'll not regret it.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I've got various kneelers, best being one from screwfix when the used to give away freebies, I wanted to use pads so I didn't have to contantly move the kneeler, whilst also moving hammer, nails and boards around.

the theory was better than the practise

 

[Doug71]

I love my Snickers work trousers which have the knee pads built in (well in pockets so removable), really comfy and the knee pads are always in the right place.

 

[yogi667]

I love my Snickers work trousers which have the knee pads built in (well in pockets so removable), really comfy and the knee pads are always in the right place.

Yep, l have the same and I agree. It's very practical.

 

[MarkAW]

I find I get sore legs from doing flooring, but it's the muscles, from lots of standing up and getting down to kneeling without using my hands - squats?

I think work trousers with built in knee pad pockets will solve your problem

 

[Jacob]

I find I get sore legs from doing flooring, but it's the muscles, from lots of standing up and getting down to kneeling without using my hands - squats?

I think work trousers with built in knee pad pockets will solve your problem

Yes, trousers with kneepad pockets built-in are more comfortable as you can easily hitch them up a touch to keep them loose as you kneel down.

 

[pe2dave]

For occasional use, the gardening kneeling pad. For more frequent use, the 'built-in' option as mentioned above.

 

[HappyHacker]

I normally wear trousers with kneeling pads in when working on the floor and apart from some poor quality inserts have had no problems. I have also tried a few different strap on pads but never got on with them especially when getting up and down a lot.
I recently did a job on the bathroom floor and used a kneeling pad but not enough as I now have housemaids knee, its almost as funny as gout and three weeks later is still painful

 

[Jake]

I use Snickers too. I think they do specific floorlayer's trousers presumably with more knee room and crack-hiding measures, but I use their overalls/dungarees. However, I found the key for that much all-day kneeling is these specific beanbag kneepads, which are bulkier than the foam ones I usually use but much more cushioned too https://snickersonline.co.uk/produc...neepads-certified-protection-uk-supplier-9118

 

[kayjay]

I've had lots of knee issues over the years. I agree pads in trousers are the best option but as a dedicated shorts wearer I needed something else and found these to be the best for me:

Redback Kneeling Pad. These are expensive (£60+) but well worth it in my view. Since I purchased mine it looks like Redback have licenced their knee pads to McAlpine. Amazon sell them but they can be cheaper elsewhere.

I also keep a small Proflex pad cliped to my toolbag (see image). This is small but means I can at least kneel on one knee without causing issues if I dont have anything else handy.

Other than that I use an old gym/tumble mat my kids had when they were young. This is large enough to lay on and looks a bit strange with its cartoon graphics but was many times cheaper than the above solutions.