Knee Protection Equipment

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHMTSr1yMWE&feature=player_detailpage[/youtube]

I never had any trouble with me knees until I start snowboarding . Never skied. Before boarding I surfed and mountain biked often. In my 2nd season of boarding I blow-out my left knee .Its was taken a long time healing, so off the Doc who confirm to me that I got Osteo Arthritis. So the next season I would strap the knee and wear a elasticised knee guard. It seem to work for about a week until I blow out the right knee. I had a few days left so I keep off the knee and applied RICE for the next day and had a few cruisey runs on the last day. That night after driving home both knee were blown out. Over the lay-off between seasons I really research equipment that will protect the knees and still be able to board all day everyday. What I found, purchase and tested is the result above. This is what suits me the best and the CTI,s are uncomfortable to walk around in and expensive but beat any thing else out there. You should be boarding instead of walking around anyway. The Swivler might seem like a gimmick but if you have bad knees this does reduce the load on the knee. By the end of the day you notice this. Easy to click back into stance position while on the lift before disembarking by hooking your back foot over your board and clicking it back into stance position if you prefer. The Swivler is a must if you are going to wear a heavy brace on your front knee.

I can see how the swivler can reduce of strain through the day. My first days back after dislocating my knee it would have help extend the days riding for sure. Even now with my sore ankle it would stop the twisting that causes it pain while skating. The big q’s - will it affect performance of my board/binding while riding and what risk is there of it swivelling in a stack and causing more damage to my body?

I did much research into knee braces and spoke with many professionals (knee surgeons, physiotherapist’s, snowboards/skiers etc) - the general opinion of the medical community is that a $1,000 brace has the same benefit as a $100 brace (this was in reference to ACL injury). Riders that use braces talked up the benefit of the more expensive type. (In the expensive range Moto-X braces seem to be a little cheaper and more robust).
I ended up going for the brace, kept in stock, at the Australian Olympic Teams Physio’s, I’ve been riding with it since 5 days after destroying my ACL (I still had massive cartilage damage, strained Meniscus, cracked and bruised bones). It cost $110, made of neoprene, with metal hinges to support/restrict the motion that causes dislocation.
I believe it has allowed my leg to still work and build muscle that supports my knee. So much that now I wont be having a reconstruction in the near future. The only time I feel unstable on that leg is when I’ve reached exhaustion and the muscle supporting my knee gets weak, I get fluid build up and where the ACL should be attached is uncomfortable but I hear mixed opinions regarding knee reco’s.

Snowboards/skiers opinion;
I know Jono Brauer (who busted his knee at the Olympics) he is skiing again after the reco but has retired from competition - it is his 2nd (or 3rd) reco on that knee - uses the cheaper brace (I think) and it may be only during recovery.
Dave Kelly - over the hill, competitive boarder (one of Aust first pro-snowboarders) swears by his moto-X brace. Never had a reco, no ACL attached. Rides harder and faster than me (and may have more nuts loose than me).
Most of the others are committed snowbums with a minimum of 20 years riding each. Most all of which have had reco’s done and wear the more expensive braces designed for this sport - all of them have had at least 2 reco’s on the same knee. They all sit in the camp of no-regret regarding having the surgery a few teeter toward questioning the “not going down that avenue”, rarely do I get the advice don’t get the reco!
Marion; is an ex competitive freestyle skier in her later life who skies ever other day. No brace, no reco - every couple of years she has the cartilage cleaned up by her surgeon to reduce the pain it causes.
Another friend, Tim, is in his 20’s, not competitive but boards a lot - uses the (cheap) neoprene brace. It has sustained his knee for months of boarding at a time.

My opinion;
I am drawn to the more expensive brace (really want one) but after the last 12 months of using the cheap brace have found my knee to have improved enough that the brace is only necessary when riding (I ride hard 100% of the time) I go surfing brace off now (didn’t initially).
The compression nature of the neoprene is the most benefit as it keeps fluid build up to a minimum (something I can’t see the other braces achieving).
I am constantly aware of how strong/weak my knee is and can feel it. Every one that uses the expensive brace describe that they feel so confident they can ignore their injury (I don’t believe this is a good thing).

Cartilage damage is usually the cause of Arthritis (it’s the bones colliding without cushioning resulting in wear & tear = pain) and is the biggest argument for having surgery.

Knee braces help support the joint.
Expensive braces are designed to support skeletal structor, prevent twisting and generally act as a exterior knee joint so your knee can go on vacation.
Cheaper braces support muscle, cartilage, add compression and allow the knee to function as it should - with the addition of metal hinges will aid in preventing dislocation.
Niether will stop the motion that cause injury.

Generally the more expensive brace aids a huge amount mentally but the physical benefit is refuted by the medical profession.
(The cheap brace will help your mental disposition)