[reeftool]

A quick check through some stuff and I think she is using DonJoy braces. They aren't cheap but if you don't need carbon fiber and aircraft grade alumunium they are a little more affordable. She is still competing in the top levels of Superpipe at age 34 so they do the job.
DonJoy Knee Braces, Ankle Braces and Supports - BetterBraces.com

[daacon]

Knees - arg about 2 years ago mine starting swelling - to make a long story short there was nothing specifically found as to the cause however what the good Dr. recommended to me:

1. Quit Basketball - court sports are the worst. I was still a weekend athlete playing once a week - I don't anymore.

2. I purchased a good Elliptical machine. Was on it religiously for about 4 months , 5 - 6 days a week. This IMHO made the most dramatic improvement for me. I am not as dedicated as I once was so to me it seemed to make a long term difference.

YMMV and I am not a doctor (but I worked in a hospital for several years ha ha) but my knees while still somewhat sore in certain positions (at the 3/4 point in a full squat) for day to day , walking, Still play slow-pitch running, cycling use they are fine.

[Wheatfield]

It sounds like this might be the sort of thing I could use. (Sounds horrible, but transferring some weight and keeping things in alignment sounds like just the thing)

Is it one of these?

BD - Canada: Tensor™ Knee Support

Right at the bottom of that page is:
Tensor™ PlusTensor Knee Brace with side stabilizers.
They aren't all that expensive, and you can expect to have to fix the seams that hold the bands in place if you bend you knees a lot, but they work surprisingly well.

[Ratmagiclady]

Thanks, Wheatfield. Looks about my speed. It seems there's a good chance they carry that brand at the Place Of Great Evil, so I may head over that way in a little bit.

In my pokings around, I did notice it's quite possible to spend hundreds or even thousands on these sorts of things. (Robo-RML! ) I don't think I'm in that kind of market, nor am I going to be doing competitive ski jumping or anything any time soon. We've been keeping an eye out for an elliptical machine, though, this could also be helpful, particularly when the weather isn't cooperating.

Edit: Well, they didn't have Tensor brand. I decided to try the nearest facsimile: something by a company called Mueller. They appear to have flattened round springs in there instead of strips of metal, but otherwise appear to be along the same basic idea. The price was certainly right: I was reluctant to try anything fancier for fear I'd end up with something *too* strong, and thus counterproductive. A quality upgrade might be in order if I come to rely on these things: they don't seem quite the same, one to the other.

---

Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 10-01-2009 at 12:52 PM.

[mel]

I've torn two ACLs and I've had one remade. My other one is still MIA. I play indoor soccer religiously (gave up outdoor after the 2nd ACL went bye by) and play 2-3 games as goalkeeper every week. Granted keeping isn't so tough on the lateral movement as running the field but still. On my reconstructed knee I wear a pull-on brace with hinged metal supports on the sides. On my torn knee I wear an elastic brace with those plastic stabilizers under a pull-on neoprene brace with hinged metal bars. It kind of does the job. The reconstructed knee has held on. The torn knee will slip sideways if I forget to focus on keeping my knee over my foot when kicking with my reconstructed leg but for the most part I can play. To me that's what counts.

The biggest bummer about the set-up is that the braces are open patella and my knees get all skinned up on the turf. Kneepads won't fit over all the metal and neoprene.

[Ratmagiclady]

I've torn two ACLs and I've had one remade. My other one is still MIA. I play indoor soccer religiously (gave up outdoor after the 2nd ACL went bye by) and play 2-3 games as goalkeeper every week. Granted keeping isn't so tough on the lateral movement as running the field but still. On my reconstructed knee I wear a pull-on brace with hinged metal supports on the sides. On my torn knee I wear an elastic brace with those plastic stabilizers under a pull-on neoprene brace with hinged metal bars. It kind of does the job. The reconstructed knee has held on. The torn knee will slip sideways if I forget to focus on keeping my knee over my foot when kicking with my reconstructed leg but for the most part I can play. To me that's what counts.

The biggest bummer about the set-up is that the braces are open patella and my knees get all skinned up on the turf. Kneepads won't fit over all the metal and neoprene.

Hee. I could use some kneepads in these things. I did see in my pokings around last night that some similar devices seem to incorporate them. They're somewhat pricey but seem reasonable enough compared to what a lot of sporting things cost. I could probably use that for both shooting and other things I tend to kneel to do, (If I have to kneel to do one bit of work or another, I do tend to bruise: see, what I need is pads for *contractors* more than athletes, here. )

My hope is, though, that if these things work, I can get the rest of me strong enough to get some exercise in. We'll see about any running around if that works.

I've been trying these for a few hours, and it seems a lot less painful to stand still, anyway. I'll switch them around later and see if the apparent unevenness is me or just cheap manufacture.

[mel]

Hee. I could use some kneepads in these things. I did see in my pokings around last night that some similar devices seem to incorporate them. They're somewhat pricey but seem reasonable enough compared to what a lot of sporting things cost. I could probably use that for both shooting and other things I tend to kneel to do, (If I have to kneel to do one bit of work or another, I do tend to bruise: see, what I need is pads for *contractors* more than athletes, here. )

My hope is, though, that if these things work, I can get the rest of me strong enough to get some exercise in. We'll see about any running around if that works.

I've been trying these for a few hours, and it seems a lot less painful to stand still, anyway. I'll switch them around later and see if the apparent unevenness is me or just cheap manufacture.

They really do provide some support. They won't fix knees but they make them not work so hard to do the basic things. One thing that is important with knees is strengthing the surrounding muscles, especially the hamstrings. Simple hamstring curls are beneficial and you don't need any special equipment for those.

I recently invested in a mini-trampoline and a coworker gave me her spare copy of the Urban Rebounder workout thing. But even without the workout thingy, just bouncing on that thing (bouncing, not jumping) I can feel the muscles around my knee working like they don't in regular life. The program was developed by a martial artist that had a devastating knee injury so I hear.

We'll see how it goes for getting some strength back in my torn knee. I really don't want to go through the ordeal of reconstruction again.

[Ratmagiclady]

They really do provide some support. They won't fix knees but they make them not work so hard to do the basic things. One thing that is important with knees is strengthing the surrounding muscles, especially the hamstrings. Simple hamstring curls are beneficial and you don't need any special equipment for those.

I recently invested in a mini-trampoline and a coworker gave me her spare copy of the Urban Rebounder workout thing. But even without the workout thingy, just bouncing on that thing (bouncing, not jumping) I can feel the muscles around my knee working like they don't in regular life. The program was developed by a martial artist that had a devastating knee injury so I hear.

We'll see how it goes for getting some strength back in my torn knee. I really don't want to go through the ordeal of reconstruction again.

Yeah, there are proper exercises to be doing. If these will let me continue to be bipedal long enough that the rest of me can get stronger, it'll be of use. Everything hurts, but it's the knees that end up making me call it quits.

Further addendum: Boing, boing. It's hard to be sure, as I'm actually really feeling good today, but normally I'd be in ouch-land by now. Promising.

[flippedgazelle]

My knee sleeve is by Mueller, and it's survived a couple of years of abuse, which includes several hundred half-court basketball games.

Hoping for a very positive update from you...

[Ratmagiclady]

My knee sleeve is by Mueller, and it's survived a couple of years of abuse, which includes several hundred half-court basketball games.

Hoping for a very positive update from you...

I guess I should take these things off. It's promising. Very promising.

[thazooo]

From alternative medicine.
Do a search on these---Chiang huo 13 and Drynaria 12
These are Chinese Herbal Formulas dealing with Arthritis, which I have in the same areas, Knees and such.
These aren't an instant cure, but in about a month I had noticeable changes. Less swelling and a lot less inflammation. Less stiffness during cold weather. I still wear the knee brace when in the swamps but I 'Don't Pay ' for my trips out there with pain and swelling like I use too.

[Ratmagiclady]

From alternative medicine.
Do a search on these---Chiang huo 13 and Drynaria 12
These are Chinese Herbal Formulas dealing with Arthritis, which I have in the same areas, Knees and such.
These aren't an instant cure, but in about a month I had noticeable changes. Less swelling and a lot less inflammation. Less stiffness during cold weather. I still wear the knee brace when in the swamps but I 'Don't Pay ' for my trips out there with pain and swelling like I use too.

Interesting. Don't know too much about Chinese medicine. One thing's become pretty clear after waking up not-stiff, is that these knee muscles really need strengthening. I'll have to work up to doing my exercises more.

[Ratmagiclady]

So, pretty outstanding results from these kneebraces so far. Don't think I've gotten this much done in a day in months.

So, pretty outstanding results from these kneebraces so far. Don't think I've gotten this much done in a day in months.

Happy that's working out for you.

[Ratmagiclady]

Happy that's working out for you.

Yeah, it's not bad. Getting warning-pains after having had them off for a few hours, but got through the day well within my tolerances, and that makes all the difference. When you've had too much, you've had too much and everything that hurts gets hard to bear. Should have tried this a long time ago.

Guess the real test will be what shape I'm in in the morning.