A knee brace, for use by athletes or others requiring protection and support of the knee, that includes an elastic base that covers the knee and adjacent portions of the leg of a person, a mesh support layer covering an upper portion of the base and extending below the knee when the brace is worn, and a below-knee support panel made of an inelastic sheet material. The mesh support layer can have a symmetric construction, and can have overlapping ears, although this is not required. Alternative embodiments of a knee brace according to the present invention can include a mesh support layer that covers the patella tendon, or a mesh support layer that encircles the kneecap.
