KDXRIDER.NET

Ok follks...I need some recommendations. I will be back on the bike in a few weeks with the kids for the first time after a minor ACL tear and tibial plateau fracture with a massive bruise. I was non-weight bearing for almost two months before going back to work. The wife has said I have to wear knee braces in order to get back on the bike. Here is my dilemma. I went online to order the Asterisk knee brace and have discovered there are several new players on the market (Troy Lee Designs Catalyst, EVS Web and Pod MX). What would you'll go for? I don't know if I should go for the standard (Asterisk) or something new. Has anyone tried any of the above and/or have ideas?

I just recently bought the Asterisk Cell Knee brace after researching all of the other braces. I love this brace as it is very comfortable and very well designed. I didn't notice it at all while riding, except when my foot hit a stump and twisted and I felt the brace do it's job. I haven't had any knee injures and bought these for myself and my two boys. I thought it was worth the investment to help mitigate the risk of a knee injury. The asterisk have a boot tether that keeps the brace in alignment with the boot mitigating any ACL type of injury if your foot twists when hitting something. Pit Posse had a coupon for 20% for St Patties day with free shipping that help to offset the costs of the three pairs by about $360. They do their sales via email during holidays like St Patties so they might do it again for Easter.

Unless a doc reommends it, I would not wear one. It MIGHT protect your knee (there's really no data to back this up), but definitely puts your femur at risk. To my knowledge, nobody every died from a knee injury. A broken femur however.....

“No one’s died from a knee injury . . .”

How many have died from a femur injury due to a knee brace while riding/racing dirt bikes? Better yet, what is the chance of even having a femur break because of a knee brace in the first place?

Knee injuries are not only one of the most common dirt bike related injuries but – I’ll wager - FAR more likely than a femur break, especially one that was actually caused by a knee brace.

I really, really would like to know how many fatalities occurred due to femur fractures caused by knee braces.

The first time I read this was on Thumpertalk . . . Dr. Mark made this claim and in fact may have been the originator of this notion. Sometime later after polling TT members about knee injuries and whether they were wearing a knee brace he empirically determined that knee braces do indeed reduce knee injury occurrence and severity. He’s now backtracking on this suggestion. So there IS at least one set of data to back up the claim . . . by the doctor who at first said you shouldn't wear them!

So do the right thing and protect your knees with braces. I have since I tore an ACL a few years back. I won’t ride without them.

BTW I use some cheaper EVS braces that seem to work quite well (maybe not quite the maximum protection that the higher end braces offer). If I was smarter I’d break down and buy any of the three that you mention but I tend to sink my money on my 13 year old’s riding gear.

I hear you on the kids gear. I was debating on the Germ's for my boy; however, I think he is too small for them. When he is a little bigger he will have them. I guess if you grow up wearing all the protective gear you don't even think about wearing it all the time.

Jeb wrote:“No one’s died from a knee injury . . .”

How many have died from a femur injury due to a knee brace while riding/racing dirt bikes? Better yet, what is the chance of even having a femur break because of a knee brace in the first place?

Knee injuries are not only one of the most common dirt bike related injuries but – I’ll wager - FAR more likely than a femur break, especially one that was actually caused by a knee brace.

I really, really would like to know how many fatalities occurred due to femur fractures caused by knee braces.

The first time I read this was on thumperpud . . . Dr. Mark made this claim and in fact may have been the originator of this notion. Sometime later after polling TT members about knee injuries and whether they were wearing a knee brace he empirically determined that knee braces do indeed reduce knee injury occurrence and severity. He’s now backtracking on this suggestion. So there IS at least one set of data to back up the claim . . . by the doctor who at first said you shouldn't wear them!

So do the right thing and protect your knees with braces. I have since I tore an ACL a few years back. I won’t ride without them.

BTW I use some cheaper EVS braces that seem to work quite well (maybe not quite the maximum protection that the higher end braces offer). If I was smarter I’d break down and buy any of the three that you mention but I tend to sink my money on my 13 year old’s riding gear.

As you like. I have seen a child with a broken femur, and I'd rather not take that risk. If I ever have a knee injury and am subsequently advised by a physician to wear a brace on my knee, then I will do so. Until then a good knee guard is all I will wear. Same for my kids.

I do not know if there have ever been fatalities related to broken femurs caused by a knee brace. I DO know there have been fatalities related to broken femurs in general. It is a life threatening injury. A torn ACL is not.

While this may not be helpful to the OP's decision, it's just something that should be considered.

My right ACL is torn completely in half. Happened about 12 yrs ago playing paintball. I've been wearing a DonJoy brace ever since for sporting activites. But I really don't have a choice. It looks like this:
I'm planning to have surgery next winter to repair the ACL. Until then, I can't run, ride, or do much of anything beyond walk without the brace. I might even look into the braces mentioned in the first post after my surgery... especially if insurance helps out. No offense to juliend or anyone else, but I would have rather taken my chances with a broken leg.