acl knee braces

What brace did you get after ACL surgery for riding. What brace do you recommend or braces to stay away from.

They gave me a Don Joy. I have been ridding with it for just over a year now and have had absolutely no problems with it. It does hinder my knee from bending all the way so some tricks were a little more difficult to grab and such but the thing is freaking bullet proof. I haven't even replaced the pads or straps on it and I usually ride about 3 times a week and at least 2 sets every trip so that is a lot of use and it still works just as good as the day I got it. I also hear that CTI products are the way to go cause they are more comfortable and don't hinder movement at all. The Don Joy I have is made of some kind of metal and sometimes I bash my hand on it so that would be another plus to going CTI.

Bledso, is the brace that I am going to. Derek Conway rocks the one I'm getting I forget the name of it. The cti is OK but it promots tibia injurys, trust me I know. The brace doesn't hold the tibia in place in a big impact. the bledso changed shape as your knee bends thus protecting the whole leg.
Hopefully Derek or his dad will chime in.

I've had three blown ACLs...the knee gone twice got the Donjoy brace in '00. I quit wearing the custom Donjoy due to slippage and then blew that knee again. Worn the CTI since 2005 and has saved me many times since. Plus, you can send it off to be refurbished as needed and it's like new upon return! Very comfortable knee brace and all I know that use it feel the same way regarding the comfort and support provided.

http://www.ossur.com/?PageID=4145

Hi Kat, I was actually having this discussion on the weekend. Do you know anyone that's actually injured their knee whilst wearing a rigid brace? Were all your injuries when you weren't wearing a brace? I guess they really do work...

I have a cti2 and it is great - would never ride without it now!

Alice - my injuries were all when I wasn't wearing a brace. I actually dislocated my knee this year while wearing the CTI landing out in the flats on a tantrum stiff legged, but.....didn't tear anything. Even the orthopedic doc (who isn't a fan of braces) was amazed!

I have 3 friends that wear the same brace, none of which has sustained a ligament injury while wearing it. I even witnessed one hitting a channel marker (buoy) while landing a back roll. Looked like a blown knee for sure, but...CTi saved the day!

PS My comments reference the CUSTOM braces...not off the shelf.

Kat are you back from vaca yet!? :-p

also look into a breg knee braces.

my insurance hooked me up with a townsend design knee brace...they had a rep come out to my house and trace my knee and take about five measurements of my leg...i have not rode since my surgery but i wear it every time i snowboard and it is super comfy and really supportive..no slippage at all

Derek Conway's Bledsoe brace is great. It saved him on a TS7 this year, where he over-rotated and came down wrong. The CTI brace that he used to have, in his opinion, would not have done the job. Much better product, IMO. Mike Todd is the west side rep. Contact me for his info.

After my knee tear (98) I was fitted for the CTi. The took a cast of my knee and it worked wonders on the water and in the snow and for running and playing college soccer. I no longer have to wear it but would get another if I tear my knee again.

I was wearing a Townsend Design when I tore my ACL, and meniscus on a toe 5 in the flats. I have been wearing a CTI ever since and haven't one a single problem.

In fact, while wearing the CTI,last summer while throwing a crow, I landed in the flats and heard a pop. I thought that I tore my knee again. When I met with my ortho, he asked me if I was wearing a brace. I told him yes and he said,"It's a damn good thing that you were wearing it. I want you to wear it all the time, it saved your knee." He was pretty amazed. That was all I needed to hear. I ALWAYS were it now, and don't ride without it.

As Kat mentioned, the best part is that you can send it back to get to get referbished and its just like new.

I tore my ACL back in march, and never opted to have surgery. I went immediatley into physical therapy extensively. I now wear a CTI brace on my right knee when I ride. I have been able to ride back at close to 100% now, thanks to the brace. Will never ride without it again, and have been looking into potentially getting one for my left knee. The risk is just too great, an acl can be destroyed on even the easiest of tricks. A brace is a no brainer if its possible to obtain one.
Alex

Im wearing a Breg and i personally love it. I didnt check your profile, but if your still growing, do not get a custom fitted one, because that is too much money for you too grow right back out of it.

I disagree, Alex. My Don Joy Defiance Brace was the cause of my 2nd ACL tear. Had I not had the brace on, I would not have torn the ACL again.

For what its worth, I did ride the CTI2 for one year after my 2nd knee surgery and it was a very good, supportive brace. I was much more happy with the CTI2 than I was the Don Joy.

McFly

So would most of you recommend wearing a brace to avoid an ACL injury? I havent had any knee or leg injuries yet but after reading this thread im very worried!

Randell Harris wears two as a preventative measure. It's smart if you can afford it.

How about a knee sleeve? Do any of you wear those? The knee braces are so much money

i used to wear a neoprene sleeve on my right knee. Just gave me a little bit more ease of mind that everything was being held together just a LITTLE better. Definitely wouldn't have saved the knee in a real tweaker though.

For what it is worth I Also am running the CTI 2. I love it. I run about 2mi a day (trying to get my muscle mass back after tearing my ACL/MCL and Meniscus)My doc said it was much better brace than the Don Joy for "extreme" sports. I have experienced 0 slippage and I barely even know it is there. The company has been great to work with so far. Sent people to my home to measure me up and drop off the brace. Fits like a slipper. Don''t even feel it there. I"ll take my Dr's advice as he is the was the Chicago Bulls Dr. and did Jordan's knee along with several other Bulls players and is now currently the Olympic Basketball Team Dr.

He also is not a big supporter of wearing the brace for ever. He explained that you should only wear it for about a year from date of sugery(case dependent) Some peopel need more time to rehab then others and some peopel just don't rehab. The reason is your muscle mass especially in your quad just doesn't get back to normal for about a yr+ and you quad is a direct link to your acl so when your quad is weak you acl takes a brunt of the strain. He said after that year or so it is more of a security blanket and a mental thing than actually an injury deterrent if that makes sense. I acn't say that what approach I will take when my year is up. All depends on how it feels with and without it. I know of peopel who rock it for life and know of a couple who play pro football and hockey that ditched it so guess it has alot to do wit htraining more or less.



I have had a couple buddies who have worn donjoys, but they seem to agree that they are constantly adjusting it in the water to keep it tight and in place. That is not the case when they are snowboarding tho, but it just doesn't seem to like the water. My dr also said that CTI is a little ahead in the technology and development with the brace then Donjoy. Not that the Donjoy isn't effective, the CTI just has a few more perks. After comparing my buddies to mine it was def noticeable

(Message edited by xstarrider on December 23, 2007)

Maggie - I am now back from "vaca" if that's what you call non-stop quality time with the family! We are riding Sun - Tue....let me know if you want to join us.

Hi, just wondering if anyone can tell me which model Bledsoe brace Derek Conway is using, possibly Al or tommyc. I had a look on the website but they have more than one custom model brace (I'm just assuming he has a custom fit brace). Also if anyone can tell me what the retail price is it would be very appreciated.

I will second what swatguy says. I too wear a CTI2. My doctor agreed with what yours said regarding muscle mass etc. but he mentioned that the newest studies show that a full allograph (cadaver, longest graft time) can take up to two years for complete grafting to the bone. I plan on wearing mine for that long as a result.

Allen,

Any idea how much the Bledsoe braces run?

Here is the link to the Bledsoe site with some info on their products.

http://www.bledsoebrace.com/home.asp

IMO, they look like decent braces. That said, I have had no issues with my CTi2.

i also ride motocross and i know someone who had to have the cti2 surgically removed from his leg. lol

don joy 3 is the way i would go

Not a clue I'm tryin to get mine for free

I wear the DonJoy Defiance III brace on both my knees and absolutely love them. The new defiance III has an antimigration strap that helps prevent it from slipping down. I would recommend using DonJoy. A lot of doctors prescribe them for football players so you know they are bullet proof. I also have 3 other friends that ride DonJoy and love them. I don't think either one is better than the other, I think it just which company your doctor has the best relationship with. In my case it was DonJoy and haven't had any problems what so ever. Most of your doctors probably have no clue how good they are.

i think you can only get the don joy III by Rx if im correct..