DonJoy Knee Braces: A Review (and comparison to CTI)

luvtolean · 01-05-2004, 12:55 PM

After my second knee surgery I decided to look into better knee braces. I have a custom carbon fiber CTI II from my first surgery, and it left a lot to be desired. It was comfortable when I first put it on, but the design meant it moved around when I wore it. It didn't stabilize the knee very well. It snagged the rad shrouds all the time. Pretty shoddy for a $2k product.

I intended to get Asterisks, but a friend of mine says his have broke frequently, and he tore his miniscus playing paintball while wearing them. They're made of plastic. OK, time to look elsewhere...

I asked my therapist about it and he recommended DonJoy. He had a rep come down to size me for a custom brace. I told him the rep my main use was for dirt biking and he actually said their off the rackExtreme Action would be a better brace with the added impact guards.(Not to mention be a lot cheaper!) I got down to Hollister yesterday to ride for a couple of hours and came away impressed. They are very tough (powdercoated metal frame), fit well, and do not move at all, even my leg that's had the operations and is still somewhat atrophied! They also do not snag on the shroud junction because the impact guard wraps around the hinge cover.

I got perscriptions for both knees (ins pays most) so I don't know exactly what they'd cost but he said it'd be around $400 each. $800 is cheap compared to what I've been through. If you're looking for braces check them out.

ND4SPD · 01-05-2004, 1:13 PM

Hmm, with the problems I'm having, I might be looking into these. Do you wear them all the time, or only when you know you're gonna do stuff?

luvtolean · 01-05-2004, 1:23 PM

Only when I'm doing something that will involve airtime. Dirtbikes, wake/snow boarding....that's about it.

nedro · 01-05-2004, 2:37 PM

They only sell if you have a perscription. WTF! Do they think it'll become addicting? Do they think if it aint broke, don't protect it? I think it's really dumb to require a perscription for something not drug related.

ND4SPD · 01-05-2004, 2:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Only when I'm doing something that will involve airtime. Dirtbikes, wake/snow boarding....that's about it.

Do you think they'd be helpful at all during street/track riding, or would they be restrictive? Could they possibly help to protect you in the even of a crash? I know you didn't design/build it, but obviously have a better idea of this than we do.

luvtolean · 01-05-2004, 2:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nedro

They only sell if you have a perscription. WTF! Do they think it'll become addicting? Do they think if it aint broke, don't protect it? I think it's really dumb to require a perscription for something not drug related.

No. These are off the shelf. The perscription was only so my ins would pay. I know NH can get DonJoy, you could see if he can get this model if you really are interested.

luvtolean · 01-05-2004, 2:44 PM

I don't wear knee braces on a roadbike. I don't see the need, and they'd be pretty crappy under leathers I think.

nedro · 01-05-2004, 5:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

No. These are off the shelf. The perscription was only so my ins would pay. I know NH can get DonJoy, you could see if he can get this model if you really are interested.

Armor is sold by prescription only through qualified medical providers. Please see our distribution network for assistance. Go to our corporate site, click here.

This was under the knee braces. Is there another style that I didn't see?

luvtolean · 01-05-2004, 5:33 PM

Hmmm..just saw that, you're right.

We didn't know if I was going to get a perscription for my "good" knee and he told me that wasn't a problem, that I'd just have to pay for it.

I'll ask the guy next time I talk to him.

Jay · 01-06-2004, 12:32 AM

I dont know if this helps or not, but my girls doc. is supposed to be one of the leading doc's in the world for knee problems and when she asked him about knee braces, he scoffed and stated that no knee brace really works.

He said that a knee can place some kinda astronomical amount of psi pressure that a brace just can not help with, without keeping the knee from functioning properly.

That said, this was not for side-to-side motion, but rather for the braces that claim to help keep the knee caps in place.

oldgoat · 01-07-2004, 5:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay

I dont know if this helps or not, but my girls doc. is supposed to be one of the leading doc's in the world for knee problems and when she asked him about knee braces, he scoffed and stated that no knee brace really works.

He said that a knee can place some kinda astronomical amount of psi pressure that a brace just can not help with, without keeping the knee from functioning properly.

That said, this was not for side-to-side motion, but rather for the braces that claim to help keep the knee caps in place.

My doc said basicly the same thing, waste of money.Horizon is the group of Doc's. They take care of the pro sports team in Cleveland ,Ohio. So I guess they know what their talking about.

luvtolean · 01-07-2004, 5:45 PM

There are a lot of ways you can hurt a knee, and bracing isn't going to make you invincible. But, a brace does really well in controlling things like hyperextension and it also helps with side to side movement. Like I said above, I know people that have been hurt in braces, but I know for a fact they help stabilize the knee if you have problems like I do.