Looking for opinions on Knee Braces

[420skirider]

Hey all, I'm looking for others input on the knee braces marketed to Dirt Bikers. My knee is killing me and it's kept me off my TE for a few weeks now. My doctor says it's a problem with the backside of my kneecap also known as Runner's Knee. All I know is when I ride for a couple hours my knee hurts for a couple weeks afterwards. I see a lot of the braces seem to focus on ACL and Ligament issues. Anyone have a similar condition to Runner's knee? And if so, have you found a brace that helps alleviate/prevent the pain while riding?

 

[robertaccio]

I can tell you I wear Asterisk Cell (red/blk) both sides...I have my left knee ported and polished with stretched and partial ACL tear. I have not had pain issues even while in my soccer playing days, and never have knee pain from riding. SO for me the Asterisk thing is a precautionary measure of protection... they have been very good in the 5 or so years I have used them and they are priced well for the quality you get.
http://www.asteriskbrace.com/

best of luck, R

 

[HuskyT]

Hey all, I'm looking for others input on the knee braces marketed to Dirt Bikers. My knee is killing me and it's kept me off my TE for a few weeks now. My doctor says it's a problem with the backside of my kneecap also known as Runner's Knee. All I know is when I ride for a couple hours my knee hurts for a couple weeks afterwards. I see a lot of the braces seem to focus on ACL and Ligament issues. Anyone have a similar condition to Runner's knee? And if so, have you found a brace that helps alleviate/prevent the pain while riding?

I pounded my kneecap into my Femur when I was 20. Went down / got launched onto the freeway on my Interceptor ( Honda) Spent 5 months on crutches while it healed.... the backside of my Kneecap was toast.....still is....I fought it for a couple of years with the pain you are describing..... the best thing for me was a Doctor that refused to put me under the scope and knee strengthening excercises.....of mild to moderate duration.... over time my knee has built up in strength to where it does not bother much or nothing that a couple of 800MG Ibuprofins won't take care of before a race.....

So my take on this is that you strengthen the knee first and use the brace to protect it, not to cure the problem......get your local Doctor involved as a lot of knee braces can be covered by your medical insurance....

The more you ride and excercise , the stronger your knee and legs will be.

T

 

[BentAero]

Since my injury just happened, I'm still in the healing mode. It'll be a long time b4 I get to try out my brace, a DonJoy Fource Point http://www.dme-direct.com/donjoy-fource-point-brace-fourcepoint-force/

Not to take you away from this nice board, but I'd pose your question on TT in the Health & Fitness forum, ask Dr. Mark.

 

[420skirider]

Thanks, I think I'll try that too. Usually when I tell a doctor that I ride Dirt Bikes they advise me to find something "safer" to do.

 

[Louge]

+1 on Asterisk and Dr. Mark.

 

[Bagman]

Thanks, I think I'll try that too. Usually when I tell a doctor that I ride Dirt Bikes they advise me to find something "safer" to do.

That's because they see so many motocycle injuries. I use a CTI brace & love it. I had to show my doctor an advertisement & locate the business, but they do a good job. I have no pain but I have no ACL either.I use them for protection & confidence that it won't happen again when I hit a tree sideways

 

[dfeckel]

There has been some conjecture that knee braces, while saving the knee joint in accidents that would otherwise have injured the knee, may contribute to fracture of the leg bones instead. The theory is that in a major leg-bender that without the guard, the weak point is the knee joint, which gets torn and injured when the lower leg is forced beyond its safe range of motion. However, with the brace on, the knee's safe range of motion is preserved, but the leg is still moving. As a result, the leg bones, either above or below the brace, can break. You would see breaks right at the uppermost or lowermost brace strap.

I think Dr. Mark has an ongoing study of this possible phenomenon. It seems to make sense, but there are no hard facts at this point. However, I can speak as a first-hand witness to a broken leg by a participant at a recent S. Jersey enduro. He had braces on, and his leg break was right at the lower straps of his brace. Would he have simply injured his knee rather than getting a tib-fib fracture if he had no braces? Food for thought. I'm anxious to see Dr. Mark's conclusions after his study.

All that being said, I think someone with normal knees might not want to wear braces. If you have a history of knee injury and minor tweaks can result in further damage, it might make sense to wear braces.

 

[420skirider]

Hearing good things about the Asterisk braces. I think I'll start with them . After I'm feeling better of course.

 

[Mike Kay]

Asterisk.

Its a bit bulky, and takes getting used to. But its the only way to go IMHO. I have bad soccer knees too, but with these braces i never have knee issues after long multi-day rides.

High sided a 400 lb rally bike at 80mph, bike landed on top of me, and we both skidded along for a long long time. The asterisk braces took the hit, and carried the weight. The footpeg went thru me, lots of broken this and that. Knees fine. I've only ridden once in the last 9 years without Asterisk braces on, and that was a local track 2 weeks ago. I felt naked, and rode very very slow.

Asterisk.

 

[tadgh]

All that being said, I think someone with normal knees might not want to wear braces. If you have a history of knee injury and minor tweaks can result in further damage, it might make sense to wear braces.

+1
a couple of bike mags had the same conclusion as this, that braces were really no good until you have an injury to protect.

but if you are looking for good ones..my (injured) friends all seem to have cti braces

 

[Bagman]

There has been some conjecture that knee braces, while saving the knee joint in accidents that would otherwise have injured the knee, may contribute to fracture of the leg bones instead. The theory is that in a major leg-bender that without the guard, the weak point is the knee joint, which gets torn and injured when the lower leg is forced beyond its safe range of motion. However, with the brace on, the knee's safe range of motion is preserved, but the leg is still moving. As a result, the leg bones, either above or below the brace, can break. You would see breaks right at the uppermost or lowermost brace strap.

I think Dr. Mark has an ongoing study of this possible phenomenon. It seems to make sense, but there are no hard facts at this point. However, I can speak as a first-hand witness to a broken leg by a participant at a recent S. Jersey enduro. He had braces on, and his leg break was right at the lower straps of his brace. Would he have simply injured his knee rather than getting a tib-fib fracture if he had no braces? Food for thought. I'm anxious to see Dr. Mark's conclusions after his study.

All that being said, I think someone with normal knees might not want to wear braces. If you have a history of knee injury and minor tweaks can result in further damage, it might make sense to wear braces.

Well, there goes my confidence As complex as the knee is I think I would rather have a bone break if I had a choice. So let's see, ride w/o a brace until you break something, then wear a brace Really, I rode for years with just small knee pads, then as the protection got better, I bought better protection. The knee pads I had on when I damaged my knee protected everything well except for a side impact at the knee. [which was what happened]. Back in the day I didn't wear goggles until I got whacked in the eye. I didn't use bark bark busters until I kept breaking levers & hurt my hand. See a pattern here I would wear knee braces or at a minimum a very good set of knee pads with full protection.

 

[dfeckel]

One of the arguments against breaking a bone versus tearing up your knee is that there is a very real (albeit small) chance of DEATH from a femur fracture which severs your femoral artery. I agree that recovery from a simple break can be quicker and more complete than from a bad knee injury, but a bad break can kill you. Personally, I'll probably wait until I've injured my knees before I use braces.

 

[Bagman]

One of the arguments against breaking a bone versus tearing up your knee is that there is a very real (albeit small) chance of DEATH from a femur fracture which severs your femoral artery. I agree that recovery from a simple break can be quicker and more complete than from a bad knee injury, but a bad break can kill you. Personally, I'll probably wait until I've injured my knees before I use braces.

Well, hopefully you won't hurt them. I rode 34 years w/o messing my knee up. I would suggest knee pads though. The more protection the better.