This study examined how knee sleeve application affects the knee adduction moment (KAM), knee adduction angle (KAA), and knee muscle activation during gait in eleven healthy individuals. Participants completed walking trials under four conditions: a control condition without a sleeve (Normal) and three sleeve conditions with distinct compression characteristics (Motion, Slim, and Strong). KAM, KAA, and surface electromyography (EMG) from five lower limb muscles were compared across conditions. Neither KAM nor KAA differed significantly among the conditions (p > 0.05). In contrast, knee extensor EMG was lower under specific sleeve conditions than under Normal (p < 0.05). Because muscle forces contribute substantially to knee contact force during gait, this reduced activation may indicate lower internal knee joint loading. These findings suggest that, in healthy individuals, certain knee sleeves may alter neuromuscular strategies without producing detectable changes in KAM or KAA, although further validation is needed.
