Knee Braces - anyone using them for downhill?

Catalyst is a good off the shelf brace. I tore my MCL 2 yrs ago, and my insurance co. would only pay for one CTi, so run a Catalyst on my good knee.

For moto i run a knee brace all the time. but for downhill, i only run them if 1)the course is super gnarly, and/or 2) i am wearing moto pants. Even with the padding at the hinges, knee braces WILL mark up your top tube unless you wear pants.

trading aesthetics for protection, yes i know, sounds dumb. but some would argue that knee braces simply redirect impact forces to other vulnerable parts of the leg, and have not shown to be definitively protective at all. (but that's another can of worms)

i prob wear my brace 20-25% of the time while riding DH. the best way to protect against re-injury after an ACL (or other ligamentous) injury is 1)wait until it's fully healed 2)rehab/PT like hell 3)strengthen the muscles around the joint.

The Troy lee stuff is good. LAst September in Whistler I completely tore my ACL, MCL, LCL, Patella Tendon, fractured my tibia and dislocated my patella. I bought Troy Lee braces and wear it now having just spent 4 days in whistler 2 weekends ago and its worked great. Had a couple diggers and it protected me well enough.

A friend of mine is using Asterisk braces and is a happy bro about it. He had some quality issues at first, but the CS was really good and he got it fixed. His knees are fscked six ways around from a lot of moto (and, admittedly, being a stupid drunk...) but with the braces on he's pretty golden.

I have been using a CTI brace for the last few season and its great. If your insurance covers it I say get one. The CTI is made specifically for your leg (the cast your leg and get a mold to make the brace) So the fit is spectacular. I've had my ACL replaced and a bunch of meniscus removed so i wear it anytime i'm on the DH bike. It's really not that bulky or in the way.

The only thing I didn't like was the knee cap they sell with it. It was OK but not great. Instead of the cap I just wear my 661 knee pad under it with the side pads cut out.

here's a link to the CTI ad with the knee cap/pad on it. http://www.ossur.com/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=12669

eatmybabies said:

I have been using a CTI brace for the last few season and its great. If your insurance covers it I say get one. The CTI is made specifically for your leg (the cast your leg and get a mold to make the brace) So the fit is spectacular. I've had my ACL replaced and a bunch of meniscus removed so i wear it anytime i'm on the DH bike. It's really not that bulky or in the way.

The only thing I didn't like was the kneecap they sell with it. It was OK but not great. Instead of the cap I just wear my 661 knee pad under it with the side pads cut out.

here's a link to the CTI ad with the knee cap/pad on it. http://www.ossur.com/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=12669

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eatmybabies what type of 661 pads are you using? I have been wanting to do this with my CTI's, but don't want to shell out the money to ruin a pad that might not fit correctly. does it here with migration of the brace also?

As said I use CTI braces. I have bilateral reconstructs. They function very well with the MTB. There are OTS braces that are the same design as CTI, A*'s, TLD braces, Evo braces (they have an awesome patella protection system)are reasonably priced. The Donjoy braces that have the tapered medial cage are ok for MTB and their Fource pin tech feels more natural when walking then any of the others and lighter if carbon. I personal would not use Astris. They have about 5mm of lateral movement in the hinge and there are plenty of moto guys that have had repeated knee injuries using them.

Medical insurance will cover CTI and DJ, but be careful with Dr, most have DJ reps and they will try to pawn OTS carbon DJ's for custome and I don't they don't come with tapered medial cage.

My CTi works great. Sad to say one of the knee joint pads just broke off. Not sure how I can fix it. I've had it for more than a decade.

Drth Vadr said:

eatmybabies what type of 661 pads are you using? I have been wanting to do this with my CTI's, but don't want to shell out the money to ruin a pad that might not fit correctly. does it here with migration of the brace also?

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I have a set of kyle strait's 2009-10 era. the knee pad is the perfect size and shape to fit in the CTI and the side pads were easily removed.

their new Rage knee pad looks close but the knee pad is a slightly different shape, wider at the bottom.

Oh and no movement issues with the knee pad/brace and no sliding from the brace with the pad under it. I do where tights when I ride which also helps everything stay in place.

lachy_mtb said:

Thanks for the help guys. After more research ive found that a company called POD do a brave with a really good patella guard (it doesn't contact the knee and it moves as you move). I'm going to try and give these a go when I can.
Has anyone had an experience with the POD braces?

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No. I don't have any experience with them, but they are the same CTI design. They don't look as well built as the EVO Axis or A*'s Bionic and dam near $500 bucks per. Your money, but either way your knees will thank you.

blackohio said:

The Troy lee stuff is good. LAst September in Whistler I completely tore my ACL, MCL, LCL, Patella Tendon, fractured my tibia and dislocated my patella. I bought Troy Lee braces and wear it now having just spent 4 days in whistler 2 weekends ago and its worked great. Had a couple diggers and it protected me well enough.

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the stairs at sushi village got ya tho.

I have a bregg custom fit brace for my right knee.... Acl is removed and both meniscus repaired .... Both badly torn. The brace fits nice and comfortable but it catches on the saddle when ever my leg presses against it.... Cornering..etc. I don't use it for this reason as I fear it would cause an accident. I don't blame the brace as most I've seen would have the same issue.

Biffff said:

The brace fits nice and comfortable but it catches on the saddle when ever my leg presses against it.... Cornering..etc. I don't use it for this reason as I fear it would cause an accident. I don't blame the brace as most I've seen would have the same issue.

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That is what makes the CTI so great, the brace is absent the medial cage portion on the thigh. I had the same issue with traditional sport knee braces until I called CTI and they found a prostetics fabricator in my area that accepted my insurance. Got my Dr to write a new script and I couldn't be happier....well, maybe if CTI had the Fource Point tech, but that's just knit picking.