| mgmdx |
I am a fairly active person. I usually do a lot of active sports such as biking, skiing, etc. but since April '04 (for about 8 months now), I have been unfortunate enough to have to deal with knee problems and have not been able to participate in many activities that I like. :crying:
I started training for a triathlon in February '04. Everything was going great and I was on my way to doing my first triathlon in the spring '04, but it was not to be. :headshake Somehow, I hurt my left knee while running. After limping around for several weeks I reluctantly went to see the doctor. It took them a while to diagnose the problem (xrays did not show anything so they tried conservative treatment first: pain medicine, physical therapy, cortisone shot) but nothing helped so they did an MRI scan and determined that I had a torn meniscus and needed knee surgery.
I eventually had knee surgery in July '04 and was on my way to recovery, but I guess I needed a new challenge so in Sept '04 with my knee still weak after surgery I slipped, fell down the stairs and fractured a femur bone close to the knee that I had surgery on. :broken: Now, after being on crutches and in a leg brace for almost 2 months I am putting weight on my leg again. Although I do not need crutches anymore, I am supposed to wear the leg brace for approximately 4 more weeks.
Since my left leg has been out of action for such a long time, the muscles in that leg have atrophied. Now that I can bend my knee again, I am starting to exercise to rebuild my leg muscles. I also started to bike again :claphead:, and although I will likely miss most of the ski season, I am hoping that I could build enough strength in my leg to provide sufficient support for my knee (with the assistance of a good brace) to at least do some skiing by late February or early March '05.
The full-leg brace that I currently use is very uncomfortable for exercising :3:, and I am looking for recommendations for a knee brace that's designed for active sports. I did some research on the web and came across several models made for active sports, including skiing, by a company called DonJoy. There are 2 specific models that I am interested in, the Armor and the Defiance.
Does anyone have any experience with any of these (or any other) active knee support braces? Any recommendations are appreciated. |
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| TheWorm |
I had a DonJoy years ago after tearing my ACL (which was preceded by shredding my meniscus in a seperate accident). I was in a cast or on crutches for several months after surgery...I was at Cal at the time and looked like Popeye with enormous arms from crutching my way around the hilly campus.
The DonJoy braces are outstanding (I don't know which particular model I had, but the Playmaker and 4titude resemble it) but IIRC is was specifically fitted for me (and insurance paid for it). It's a hearty brace, and I played tennis, football, baseball, and did some skiing with it. It was quite bulky, however, and was tough to pull clothing over it. I imagine they've been slimmed down since then.
My advice is to talk to your orthopedic doc or physical therapist to get a recommendation and prescription for custom fitting. |
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| mgmdx |
Thanks for your reply, Worm. I do plan to talk to my orthopedic surgeon to get a prescription. I just wanted to do some research upfront, in case he presents me with several options that may be available, or in the unlikely event that it is not covered by insurance and I have to pay for the brace out-of-pocket.
So, how long did you have to use the brace for active sports after you got rid of the crutches and the cast was taken off. Are we talking years or months before you no longer needed the support of a knee brace? Although I do understand that this will depend on the type of injury sustained (as well as vary from individual to individual), I am just trying to get a general idea of how long I will have to rely on the brace. |
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| TheWorm |
Unfortunately, I still have to use it for active sports today...pretty much anything that requires lateral movement with abrupt changes of direction (e.g. tennis) or torquing (skiing) requires the brace. Though tennis and skiing are the 2 sports I abandoned as they were what I was playing when shredding my knee to begin with.
Biking, running, walking, golfing is no problem.
The "repairs" they had 20 yrs ago for torn ACLs weren't as good as the ones they have now, which wouldn't require the brace for more than a year, based on my observations.
The Donjoy, despite its size, was never an impediment to movement. The only time it bugged me was when I wore it for ice hockey once. I'm not sure whether that was due to the motion that ice hockey requires, or because I had never even skated before :bonk: |
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| pp12345 |
| Do NOT use GII Orthotics knee braces. They are expensive and start tearing within weeks. Worst is that their support is not nearly as good as other brands and tend to retain moisture causing great discomfort. Some are so bulky that they do not even fit in jeans. |
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| Sinecure |
This looks like an old post so I don't know if it will help you, but I've had a lot of experience with knee braces for skiing and other sports. Donjoy, Breg, CTi and others. By far, CTi makes the best ones I've ever used. My first knee injury was in 1986. My latest injury was two years ago. I've had 3 arthroscopies and countless Dr. visits.
If you are going to get a good brace for active sports, look at Innovation Sports' CTi brace. Great fit, holds up incredibly well (I still have the one I got in '86), great service and pretty comfortable. Get a custom made one so it really fits you. Make your insurance company pay for part of it by getting a prescription for it. |
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