Knee braces are very useful in managing anterior knee pain. These devices have a hole in the front for the patella to sit. 

Some devices also have a hinged support for those knees which give way.

Symptoms that often require a AKP knee brace:

1. Patello-femoral joint pain
2. Patella maltracking
3. Chondromalacia patella 
4. Knee bursitis

5. Knee osteoarthritis retropatella

 A support will commonly deactivated muscles slowly, so remember to build your muscles up.