 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
Wondering if anyone can help. My wife is looking to get back into / restart skiing on our upcoming trip to Tignes later this month, she did about 3 - 4 days of a weeks introductory course about 4 years ago but "tweaked" her knee on the 3rd day which started giving her some jip. It's never really been serious enough for her to go to the doctors with but she gets the odd bit of pain every now again. Being the loving caring husband I am I'd like to try and find her a knee brace /support to help the "tweaking" re-occurring.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just my opinion, but unless you know what damage has beed caused, then it's pointless. A neoprene one might give her the confidence.
A tweak could be anything from ligament damage to cartilage/meniscus damage. A brace won't help the latter.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Go to a physio and understand what you are trying to protect, usually muscle build up is a good idea.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I did try to tell her about exercise / muscle build up etc., but think that ship has sailed as we go next Sunday. It was more the "placebo" effect I was looking for as I think it's as much to do with her confidence
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Can you elaborate more on when / how it hurts?
I had a medial mensicus cartilidge operation 2months before a (pre) booked skiing holiday. I was still in pain doing squats from that knee and the physio said it was being caused by the muscles on the knee cap firing at slightly different times from each other meaning my knee cap didn't move to where it should. The physio recommend this knee support http://bioskin.com/Patella-Stabilizer-Knee-Brace.html
She fitted one on me got me to try squats and I was able to do them pain free. I realise there isn't much time but I would have thought a private session with a local physio would be a good start. Best of luck.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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reded78, Having skied in a brace for a medial damage they are a pain in the ... As suggested get a tubi-grip bandage but make sure it is the right size, know the dimensions of the knee before going to buy or look it up on manufacturers website then you will have the best of a cross finger situation. Take it easy first day and make her do some warm ups before setting off, jogging on the spot, leg, arm swings etc. Stabby, skiddy short turns are the cripplers, so find something that is almost “flat green” to start, so some larger radii turns are possible to build confidence. Have you had the skis serviced? If so get a piece of emery cloth or sandpaper and from the tip run the cloth down for about 9 inches and back twice, this to make the outside edge catch scenario less likely. Have a good time but perhaps think of going to Hemel or your local slope to practice so that on your first day you are not re-educating muscle groups which could be toasty waiting to go.
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Ditto all the advice above, I tore an MCL last year - very painful. There are a huge range of knee braces on the market, some which you would have to sell your soul to puchase (donjoy at £700 !). However, I found a brace made by a Dutch firm called 'Push', using leaf spring system rather and hinge. Very comfortable and effective, got it mail order from physio supplies ( about £90 with next day delivery).
Hope this helps.
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I tore my ACL a few years back (rugby not skiing!) and since the op I have managed to ski for a few weeks. I use a "Mueller Triaxial Hinged" knee brace, picked up for about £40-50 and it's brilliant. It can be a bit of a pain to get "comfortable" on the first morning, but once you do you don't even notice it's there, and it's given me great support both on and off piste, and has meant I've got my confidence back as I trust the knee a little more! No problems at all and for £40 you can't go wrong!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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mholmes, glad you're back up and running/skiing. Not to p!ss on your chips, but I'm not sure how much use that brace would be in the event of a fall and twist. My surgeon and physio both advised against getting something "generic" like this one. Advice was to get a proper fitted one (CTi or Donjoy, basically) or not at all because a cheap one would give a false sense of security. I got a CTi (£450 including review & fitting by a physio, you can't buy one without a fitting), and aim to use it this season (14 days trouble free so far, 10 more to come) and next, then think about losing it so I dont rely on it.
Just my thoughts, best of luck with you and yours.
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I guess it's all down to the individual and the situation. I have a good amount of confidence in my knee (I have been doing plenty of running, cycling, etc on it no problemo), and I'm still fortunate enough to be the right side of 30 so I guess I have youth on my side a little too, so I am fairly happy to use such a generic support, as it is probably more psychological than anything, but I do see your point, especially as injuries affect individuals in different ways. Since the original post is only regarding "tweaking" such a support is probably suitable, but I'd suggest getting the knee checked out anyway, and more professional advice gained! Better safe than sorry, and half-way up an Alp is not really the place to discover knee damage! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My wife has used one of these http://www.thuasne.co.uk/details.asp?pge=5&idp=30 (or an older model) for years. You can buy them from loads of ski-shops or medi-centres in ski resorts, so theres a chance you can get one when you arrive at your resort.
It consists of two hinged plastic struts either side of the knee that allow normal bending, but prevent sideways flexing. She's had keyhole surgery for loose cartilege in both knees, and whether this provides a placebo effect or not, she can ski with confidence with it on.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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reded78, I've used this product for the past three years on a knee that has a dodgy ACL
http://www.ossur.co.uk/Products/kneebraces/kneesupports/bioskin_hinged_knee
Got it for about £70 on mailorder. It really makes the knee feel better supported (although was advised by my surgeon that there is no substitute for doing a proper job of building up the muscles before you go....he also recommended the Donjoy mentioned above)
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Hi guys - thanks for all the replies.
I think I could change the post thread title to support rather than brace - reading some of the posts above gives me the impression that my wifes issue was much less serious than some of the above. The original "tweak" also coincided with a severe turn in the weather in Alpe D'Huez, I'm obviously not inferring that her stopping lessons and the weather decline had anything to do with each other.......
My wife is not what you would call the sporting type, infrequent gym sessions are the order of the day rather than 2 - 3 times a week - kids getting in the way. Think I'll suggest to her to get a tubi-grip type thing and take it v.eaasy for the first few days.
Hope all of you above have recovered sufficiently to carry on skiing- I dread the day I do something similar to myself!!
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You know it makes sense.
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£9.99 from Aldi...tops!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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i wear this LP knee stabiliser.
http://www.return2fitness.co.uk/Supports_And_Braces/Knee_Supports/lpkneestab734
i have a very 'clicky' 'crunchy' knee which ends up painful at the end of the day.
I got the attached for a big day out (Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon) and it was my other knee hurting at the end of the day!
It provides more support than your usual slip-over neoprene affair, and there are several velcro straps that you can fasten in various directions for support and comfort.
disclaimer : this was not on the advice of doc or physio, but it seems to work for me!
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Poster: A snowHead
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i've just been using an Asterisk brace over the last weekend. Only you/your wife can decide whether the level of support these offer is necessary for her but I did find the quality of the product excellent. If you take the time to fit it properly, it feels very solid and does not slip at all.
www.asterisk.com
For background, I am probably quite a demanding user in that I ski off piste and tour a fair amount. It worked very nicely on a 1000m climb and some bootpacking. It was also confidence inspiring in mixed snow conditions, including some fairly intense bushwhacking. I am suffering from what I suspect is an issue with my meniscus which caused me to lose quite a bit of muscle mass, so the added support is welcome while I rebuild the muscle
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ian Kenvyn, I'm not sure where you get the figure of £700 for a Donjoy from! Mine was about £300 6yrs ago & I see it advertised for about £450 now. Its been worth its weight in gold as its out of storage again now this winter. sadly.
I have to agree with Dr John, about getting one fitted by your physio - mine was perfectly comfortable to ski in for a couple of years after my ACL rupture, & anticipate using it again whenever I ski in future following the MCL & medial lig damage this year.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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adam.b, I suggest that wrapping some sellotape around your knee and write "BRACE" on it, would be more useful.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Dr John, * and send you £50 by Paypal,
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Dr John, you jest but taping up my knee was an option to hold the patella in the right position and it was effective when done by the physio however I wasn't able / confident in achieving the same results myself so bought the other option of the patella stabiliser.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Folllowing my successful knee op (medial arthroscopy) I picked up a neoprene, ring type support from my sports shop and it worked well for me. So much so that it was the the last day of our ski hol before I realised I'd been wearing it on the wrong knee all week.
+1 for the 'placebo' effect.
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