Der Verband, mit dem ich mein Knie schütze, sitzt besser, wenn ich ruhig bleibe.

Because mit always takes the dative case, and der Verband is masculine singular.

So the forms are:

• der Verband = nominative
• den Verband = accusative
• dem Verband = dative

In the relative clause, dem is the relative pronoun referring back to der Verband:

• Der Verband, mit dem ich mein Knie schütze, ...
• literally: The bandage, with which I protect my knee, ...

So mit dem is correct because:

1. mit requires dative
2. Verband is masculine singular

Here, dem is a relative pronoun. It refers back to der Verband and introduces the relative clause:

• Der Verband, mit dem ich mein Knie schütze, ...

The relative clause gives extra information about the bandage.

You can think of it like this:

• der Verband = the bandage
• mit dem ich mein Knie schütze = with which I protect my knee

In English, we often say that or which, but in German the form changes depending on gender, number, and case.

Because mit dem ich mein Knie schütze is a relative clause, and in German conjugated verbs go to the end of relative clauses.

Compare:

• Main clause: Ich schütze mein Knie mit dem Verband.
• Relative clause: ..., mit dem ich mein Knie schütze, ...

This is normal German subordinate-clause word order.

The same thing happens later in the sentence:

• wenn ich ruhig bleibe

Since wenn also introduces a subordinate clause, bleibe goes to the end too.

Because schützen takes a direct object, and direct objects are usually in the accusative.

So:

• ich schütze wen oder was? → mein Knie

That makes it accusative:

• mein Knie = accusative singular neuter

If it were dative, you would expect a verb or preposition that requires dative, but schützen does not.

Right—this is not a literal sit.

In German, sitzen is often used for how something fits, rests, or stays in place on the body or on an object.

So here:

• Der Verband sitzt besser means something like:
  • The bandage fits better
  • The bandage stays in place better
  • The bandage sits better

You also hear this with clothes or accessories:

• Das Hemd sitzt gut. = The shirt fits well.
• Die Brille sitzt locker. = The glasses sit loosely.

Because ruhig bleiben means to stay still, remain calm, or keep still.

So:

• ich bin ruhig = I am calm / quiet
• ich bleibe ruhig = I stay calm / remain still

In this sentence, bleibe suggests maintaining a state, not just describing it. That fits the idea better:

• The bandage fits better when I stay still.

Using bin would sound more like a general description of your state, while bleiben emphasizes remaining that way.

It can suggest both, but in this sentence it most naturally means still or not moving much.

Because the sentence is about a bandage fitting better, the idea is probably:

• when I keep still
• when I don’t move around

But ruhig often overlaps with:

• calm
• quiet
• still

So the exact nuance depends on context.

Because it is a relative clause, and German separates relative clauses with commas.

So:

• Der Verband, mit dem ich mein Knie schütze, sitzt besser, wenn ich ruhig bleibe.

There are actually two subordinate clauses here:

1. mit dem ich mein Knie schütze → relative clause
2. wenn ich ruhig bleibe → wenn clause

Both are set off with commas in standard German.

Yes. That is a perfectly correct sentence:

• Der Verband sitzt besser, wenn ich ruhig bleibe.

The relative clause mit dem ich mein Knie schütze just adds extra information specifying which bandage is meant.

So the full sentence is like:

• The bandage, which I use to protect my knee, fits better when I stay still.

Without that clause, the sentence is simpler but still complete.

Yes, it is natural and correct.

German often expresses this kind of idea very literally:

• the bandage with which I protect my knee

In everyday English, we would often say:

• the bandage I use to protect my knee

German can also sometimes use mit dem ich ... where English prefers that I use to ....

So although the structure may feel more formal or literal to an English speaker, it is normal German.

Yes. Verband can have several meanings depending on context, for example:

• bandage / dressing
• association / federation / organization

In this sentence, because it is about protecting a knee and sitting better, it clearly means bandage or support bandage.

This is a good reminder that German nouns often have meanings that only become clear from context.

The main clause is:

• Der Verband sitzt besser.

Then two subordinate pieces are added:

1. mit dem ich mein Knie schütze

   • a relative clause describing Der Verband

2. wenn ich ruhig bleibe

   • a when clause explaining under what condition the bandage fits better

So the structure is:

• [Main clause subject] Der Verband
• [relative clause] mit dem ich mein Knie schütze
• [main verb] sitzt
• [adverb] besser
• [subordinate clause] wenn ich ruhig bleibe

That is why the sentence may feel long, but its core is actually quite simple:

• Der Verband sitzt besser.