Knee braces? Yes or No?

Great question. For motocross I'd argue they're just as important as a helmet or boots. A knee injury will cost you $30K in medical bills, 1 yr recovery, and you're knees will never be the same again, or $600 for a set of braces. They won't prevent every injury but if you reduce the chances by any percentage it seems worth it. I took the $30K route but that included a free set of braces. When my wife started riding I chose the $600 route for her.
 
Tommy is going thru that right now.
Tommy Meiers
December 12, 2014 at 6:14pm ·
Alright so here it is. Just got back from the doctor and I do have to get knee surgery I have a torn acl and a lateral meniscus also a fractured knee and ankle. It's gonna be a long road to recovery but with support of everyone I should be back on the bike in no time. Thanks to everyone for the support! I go in first thing Monday for surgery

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Besides the protection from major injury, I noticed a major reduction in knee soreness the days following riding. I'll never ride without them based on that fact.
 
day181 said:
Great question. For motocross I'd argue they're just as important as a helmet or boots. A knee injury will cost you $30K in medical bills, 1 yr recovery, and you're knees will never be the same again, or $600 for a set of braces. They won't prevent every injury but if you reduce the chances by any percentage it seems worth it. I took the $30K route but that included a free set of braces. When my wife started riding I chose the $600 route for her.
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Never wore kneebraces for 17 years. My knees felt like garbage at 17 racing every weekend. Got a pair. That was 10 years ago already. Now my knees never felt better and I won't ride without them. There were days I couldn't lift my knee up passed my waist from getting twisted during racing. I think they work pretty well, you might be more at risk to breaking your femur. But theres not study that suggests it, but it has been brought up in opinion.
 
Anyone have experience with knee braces for kids? I personally never wore them (Back in the day they cost more then the bike and I was cheap) Now that I have a little one riding I do want to get a pair for him. Problem is the kid is growing like a weed and I don't want to dump a grand into a pair and have him grow out of them in 3 months. Any adjustability for growth?
 
No.

Alot less likely to die from a tore up knee as apposed to a broken femur catching the femoral artery in which you would bleed out right there where you wadded.

They can rebuild knees today. They cant give you good fix for a severed femoral artery.

A doctor told me not to use them unless I had to have them.
 
Maybe Georgie is the one that knows better but I believe the femur is the largest bone in the body. A knee brace is designed to prevent lateral movement and distribute the load to both upper and lower parts of the leg. I assume the upper leg is stronger then the lower so if something would break as a result of the knee brace, wouldn't it be the lower bones? Saying the knee brace broke the femur is a huge assumption. Right?
 
Meister said:
No.

Alot less likely to die from a tore up knee as apposed to a broken femur catching the femoral artery in which you would bleed out right there where you wadded.

They can rebuild knees today. They cant give you good fix for a severed femoral artery.

A doctor told me not to use them unless I had to have them.
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How do you like those apples?? Tear up a knee or DIE. This is definitely a different approach when thinking of the subject, but valid.
 
I've seen them break above and below.. The femur is the largest bone and a few buddies have told me how bad it hurts. Ya never know but I'm still stickin' to my theory.. It could happen even without but id rather not increase the odds..Till I absolutely need braces, I'm going to continue to use my axo knee pads..

If you need them, run them. If you don't, then I'd pass.. I wouldn't use them just cause..
 
I like Turtles. ;)

Golden Rule #1 If you choose to ride, you assume any and all risks.

Golden Rule #2 Any protective gear you choose to wear is a personal choice.

Like many of us, we have seen many injuries over the years or have been injured. This is a dangerous sport. But, working the tracks over the years has made me eye witness to many injuries. Many femur, knee, shoulder, tib/fib, ankle, wrists and so on.

I am sure any broken bone or torn soft tissue is painful...some a higher degree than others and also depends on the individual rider. A bone is usually much easier to fix than soft tissue.

My personal choice is to wear knee braces, more than anything they stabilize the knee after all the pounding they take. Every femur brake that I have known of personally have not resulted in lacerating the femoral artery...but the femoral artery is always the MAJOR concern. A femur break usually doesn't cause any long term problems unless its the head of the bone that connects to hip...a JOINT.

I have witnessed knee injuries (a JOINT) cause long term pain and instability. Total knee raplacements are not usually done until old age. Any injury that is sustained by the rider has the best medical technology available now a days then we have ever seen.

Just like neck braces, you can slice the pie a thousand different ways...eithe way, you will be always playing the odds.

You best protective gear...being smart by making good decisions in bike prep and when your on the course.

You will crash...it's not a matter of if, but when.

Can't believe this is relevant...I find this saying extremely annoying from the movie The Hunger Games...perhaps because of the woman saying it...but may the odds ever be in your favor.

Again...no matter what, everytime you go ride or race, you are rolling the dice no matter how much protective gear you are or aren't wearing.
 
ck1racerx said:
Maybe Georgie is the one that knows better but I believe the femur is the largest bone in the body. A knee brace is designed to prevent lateral movement and distribute the load to both upper and lower parts of the leg. I assume the upper leg is stronger then the lower so if something would break as a result of the knee brace, wouldn't it be the lower bones? Saying the knee brace broke the femur is a huge assumption. Right?
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Depends on which direction the load is going. Is it going down to the tib/fib or is going up?

Also was the knee brace properly fitting ? Or was it sloppy loose. Or too tight?

My opinion is the Femur will break first. Your foot usually gets caught. This would provide a lot of leverage(like a breaker bar to a nut) to snap the femur like a twig. But maybe not. I'd need to test that theory. Myth busters anyone ?


Tib and fib will most likely snap after your knee hyper extends and the brace forces pressure on the tibia. But I think hyper extension with knee braces is basically minimized because the brace will lock you out. Which in turn would displace stress on the femur. So that leads me back to the femur taking the brunt of the load. Thankfully it's the strongest bone in your body and take some serious punishment.

As for kids: there femurs are like rubber kinda. All their bones are like rubber. And their knees are solid. I probably woukdnt do a full on knee brace on the kid until he starts having severely sore knees and has to walk up steps backwards. Like I had to at one point. . .
 
Well there's too many variables with that one. Gotta take into consideration age, length width and bone density lol.

Now you're asking questions only the almighty sturd can answer.
 
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