How to measure
You need two numbers, both taken in inches. Wear thin-fitting clothes (or no clothes on the leg) and stand naturally with weight slightly favoring the unmeasured leg.
Measure 4 inches above the center of your kneecap
Find the middle of your kneecap. Move the tape up 4 inches (a hand's width is roughly right). Wrap the tape around the thigh at that height — snug against the skin, not compressed into it. Note the measurement to the nearest half-inch. This is your above-knee circumference.
Measure 4 inches below the center of your kneecap
From the same starting point, move the tape down 4 inches. Wrap around the calf at that height with the same snug-but-not-compressed pressure. Note the measurement to the nearest half-inch. This is your below-knee circumference.
Read the size chart
Find the row where both numbers fit. If you're between rows on one measurement but not the other, choose the row that matches your above-knee measurement — the calf has more give in the knit than the thigh.
| Size | Above-knee (4″ above) | Below-knee (4″ below) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 12.0″ – 14.5″ | 10.5″ – 12.5″ |
| Medium | 14.5″ – 17.0″ | 12.5″ – 14.5″ |
| Large | 17.0″ – 19.5″ | 14.5″ – 16.5″ |
| X-Large | 19.5″ – 22.5″ | 16.5″ – 18.5″ |
| XX-Large | 22.5″ – 25.5″ | 18.5″ – 20.5″ |
Order both sizes, try them at home, and return the one that doesn't fit (free return shipping). Or email us your measurements at fit@pivotknee.com — Sara on the fit team will tell you which size most people with your numbers keep.
What "good fit" feels like
- Snug compression all the way around, but not breath-restricting.
- The silicone gel-grip at the top sits against the skin (not over fabric) and stays put when you walk a few steps.
- You can fit one finger between the sleeve and your skin at the calf — no more, no less.
- No pinching or rolling at the kneecap opening; the patella should sit centered in the cutout when you stand straight.
- After 15 minutes of wear, you stop noticing the sleeve.
What's wrong if it doesn't feel right
Too tight (numbness, throbbing, leg falls asleep)
Size up one. Compression that's too high cuts off circulation and is counter-productive. Email fit@pivotknee.com for a free size exchange.
Too loose (sliding down, bunching at the knee)
Size down one. Compression that's too low doesn't deliver the proprioceptive feedback the sleeve is built to give. Free size exchange.
Rides up the thigh
Usually a sign the above-knee circumference is bigger than the sleeve was rated for. Size up.
Pinches behind the knee
Could be that the calf measurement is on a boundary and the sleeve is loading too much length onto a shorter calf. Email us — we can sometimes recommend a different-length cut.
When in doubt, ask
Email fit@pivotknee.com with your two measurements, your height, and a sentence about your activity (long hikes, daily walking, court sports, etc.). Sara will recommend a size and a wear schedule. Average reply is 4 business hours during weekdays.