Updated for 2025
History of Bauerfeind
Bauerfeind is a family-owned company founded and manufactured in Germany. With almost 100 years of experience, it has become an industry leader for their compressive knit garments. With a high standard of quality, Bauerfeind braces are a comfortable option to assist with knee pain.
What is unique about Bauerfeind GenuTrain
Bauerfeind's flagship knee brace line is called GenuTrain. There are many different versions of GenuTrain knee braces and orthoses designed for specific needs. In general, GenuTrian is designed to provide rapid relief from pain by soothing the areas that hurt and delivering stability.
The muscles, tendons and ligaments of the knee are the most common areas of the body to suffer pain and injury. From arthritis, ACL tears, knee surgery, ligament tears or muscle pulls, injuries, soreness, pain and inflammation can interfere with your daily life.
Bauerfeind knee braces help reduce pain and swelling, providing joint stability and supporting your painful area without limiting mobility. The knit material and special viscoelastic cushioned pads make the brace a very comfortable option.
Bauerfeind’s signature "Train Knit" fabric features a breathable, three-dimensional design that promotes micro-circulation and delivers targeted compression during movement. This helps reduce swelling, relieve pain, and support natural muscle function. The anatomically contoured knit includes strategically placed zones to enhance comfort, improve stability, and regulate temperature throughout the day.
The GenuTrain line is soft, breathable and moisture-wicking, especially in the sensitive area in the back of the knee for all-day wearing comfort. The latex that is included in the compressive knit of these garments are not in direct contact with the skin.
Built within the elastic material are a variety of pad shapes which are used across the GenuTrain knee brace line. Each pad has a specific purpose in providing pain relief/support:
Omeg+ Pad - provides gentle massage
Omega+ pad provides targeted stimulation to sensitive areas of the knee that influence pain perception and mobility. Its anatomically-contoured knitted fabric with a soft textured surface provides a gentle massage and activates the body's proprioceptors to keep the support in place. This pad type is used in the New GenuTrain, GenuTrain Comfort, GenuTrain with Silicone, and Merino Knee Brace.
Anatomical Pad - provides compression
Anatomically shaped pad (elastic pressure pad) integrated in the elastic knit fabric gives the joint and muscles a targeted, healing intermittent compression massage on every movement. This pad is used on the GenuTrain A3 model.
Pressure cushion - provides stabilization
Pressure cushions (pads) along with corrective straps, stabilize the position of the kneecap and activates the musculature, thereby accelerating the healing process. This pad is used on the GenuTrain P3 model.
Which GenuTrain Should You Choose?
GenuTrain Compression Sleeves
Great option if your knee feels weak, is swollen or painful, the GenuTrain knee brace is a highly recommended item. We like the embeded stays with flexible bending zones and donning and doffing aids that ensure a secure fit and make the support easy to put on and take off. Contains the Omega+ pad.
What you can use it for:
- Mild arthritis
- Inflammation of the knee joint
- Meniscus tear (without instability)
Contains: Semi-Rigid Plastic Stays on the side of the brace to prevent the brace from bunching at the knee joint.
Perfect option if you have a leg shape that doesn't fit into the standard GenuTrain sizing. The 'comfort' references sizing as this brace is designed to be the half sizes of the standard GenuTrain. So if someone has a larger thigh to calf ratio, this brace option may be a better fit. Embeded stays with flexible bending zones and donning and doffing aids ensure a secure fit and make the support easy to put on and take off. Contains the Omega+ pad.
What you can use it for:
- Mild arthritis
- Inflammation of the knee joint
- Meniscus tear (without instability)
Contains: Semi-Rigid Plastic Stays on the side of the brace to prevent the brace from bunching at the knee joint.
This brace is designed for the same indications as the GenuTrain, but has silicone dots on the top bands of the brace to resist the garment sliding down. If you're using your GenuTrain for sports or athletics the grip top may be the right option for you to help the brace stay in place while you're moving. Also, the embeded stays with flexible bending zones and donning and doffing aids ensure a secure fit and make the support easy to put on and take off. Contains the Omega+ pad. A Silicone Band version is also available for the GenuTrain Comfort, you can see it here.
What you can use it for:
- Mild arthritis
- Inflammation of the knee joint
- Meniscus tear (without instability)
Contains: Semi-Rigid Plastic Stays on the side of the brace to prevent the brace from bunching at the knee joint.
GenuTrain Patella Knee Braces
Uses the same GenuTrain technology in a Patella Strap style support. We like the special pad that enables targeted compression of the patellar ligament. The pad guides and relieves strain on the patellar tendon. It massages typically painful areas during movement, thereby relieving symptoms.
What you can use it for:
- Patella Tendonitis
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Contains: rigid plastic.
We like the Bauerfeind GenuTrain P3 because it has the same compression technology as GenuTrain, and it helps relieve pain caused by misalignment of the kneecap (patellar lateralization), anterior knee pain (PFS - patellofemoral pain syndrome) or pain associated with patellar tip syndrome.
What you can use it for:
- Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
- Patella alta
Contains: galvanized steels stays.
We've included this new Bauerfeind product in our style guide, even though it's not officially labeled as a "GenuTrain." Built with technology similar to the GenuTrain line, this knee brace offers targeted patellar support to stabilize and relieve knee pain. It features an anatomically shaped Omega pad that centers the kneecap, absorbs impact, and distributes pressure evenly. An adjustable strap allows for customized relief of the patellar tendon, making it well-suited for active users. The breathable compression knit, blended with soft Merino wool, provides excellent comfort and temperature regulation.
What you can use it for:
- Irritation (post-traumatic/post-operative)
- Recurring joint effusion (swelling)
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome
- Instability (mild)
- Meniscus injury (mild)
- arthritis (mild)
- Tendinopathy
Contains: Semi-Rigid Plastic Stays on the side of the brace to prevent the brace from bunching at the knee joint.
GenuTrain Osteoarthritis Knee Braces
The GenuTrain A3 is a great orthopedic brace that provides additional targeted compression on the medial side of the joint for those that suffer from medial compartment osteoarthritis of a mild to moderate severity.
What you can use it for:
- Medial Compartment Osteoarthritis
Contains: metal spiral stays.
One of our favourite products from Bauerfeind. This popular OA knee brace combines compression and offloading technology for effective pain relief. Using a BOA dial, it offers quick, customizable offloading of either the medial or lateral knee compartment, helping to shift pressure away from the affected area. The compression and targeted offloading work together to relieve pain on the inside or outside of the knee—so you can move more freely, stay active longer, and experience noticeable comfort throughout the day.
What you can use it for:
- Unicompartmental osteoarthritis
- Unicompartmental cartilage/bone lesion
- Following unilateral meniscus lesions
Contains: rigid plastic, stainless steel
GenuTrain Ligament Protection Braces
The GenuTrain S is a great all-around general purpose ligament brace. Active support with lateral joint splints supports the knee joint for indications of slight instability, arthritis or osteoarthritis of the knee.
What you can use it for:
- Recent meniscus tears
- Mild to moderate instability of the knee joint caused by laxity in the ligaments, or prior ligament tears (ACL/MCL/LCL)
- Tricompartmental Osteoarthritis
Contains: rigid plastic.
The GenuTrain S Pro goes one step further with adjustable active support.
The lateral joint splints support the knee joint for indications of slight instability, arthritis or osteoarthritis of the knee. The anatomically contoured joint splints on the Bauerfeind GenuTrain S Pro can be individually adjusted by an orthotist / medical supply retailer and their range of movement can be restricted. By adjusting the hinge, the flexion angle of the knee can be limited to 30°, 60° or 90°. The knee can also be prevented from stretching to its full extent by locking the hinge at 20°. These restrictions are designed to protect the knee and can be lifted in line with the progress of treatment.
What you can use it for:
- Recent meniscus tears
- Mild to moderate instability of the knee joint caused by laxity in the ligaments, or prior ligament tears (ACL/MCL/LCL)
- Tricompartmental Osteoarthritis
Contains: rigid plastic.
A good option for higher levels of support. SofTec Genu is a multifunctional orthosis for stabilization of the knee. It is used, for example, in cases of torn ligaments, collateral ligament injury or arthritis. Its construction combines: stability and control provided by fixed joint splints, healing massage provided by a pad on the kneecap and maximum wearing comfort thanks to the anatomically shaped, breathable SofTec vector-oriented knitted fabric.
What you can use it for:
- Moderate instability of knee joint caused by laxity in the ligaments, or prior ligament tears (ACL/MCL/LCL)
- Recent meniscus tears with higher knee joint instability
Contains: metal.
Pro Tip: a great feature of the entire GenuTrain line is that they are easily washable.
- Washing Machine Instructions: Place in laundry net, set spin cycle to maximum 500 revolutions/minute, cold water and gentle cycle. Remove hinges and set velcro in place beforehand.
- Dry your brace support in the air and not in the dryer, otherwise the knitted fabric will be impaired.
- Wash your brace regularly so that the compression of the knitted fabric is retained.
