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Biffbarf
February, 2025

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Any pro's wear knee braces while skiing?

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Ryan_St33zeee
Posts: 106 - Karma: 15

Ive always wondered this because I've twisted my knee a few times while skiing and pros ski much bigger jumps and land much harder.

15 years ago
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Hansel.
Posts: 4583 - Karma: 112
most of the nimbus guys do.
15 years ago
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,889
I would assume most pros who've torn ACLs do.
15 years ago
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joly.sp
Posts: 2305 - Karma: 585

battersby, vanular, leigh will, martini prolly will.

anyone whos done acls

15 years ago
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PC.
Posts: 1105 - Karma: 18
Who could forget Edollo?
15 years ago
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Fischer-Addicted
Posts: 1064 - Karma: 30
ALL of the big mountain freeride skiers do.

Seth

Pep

Sage

I know for a fact they all do. It's not a bad choice to invest in one either. If you've ever tried one they give you a hell of a lot of support.
15 years ago
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
Anyone on here use one? May be investing in some to hopefully preserve my knee's as long as I can.
15 years ago
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james44
Posts: 3323 - Karma: 578
i bet most pros have some thing on their knees when they ski, i use one cuase if i dont  my knee gets soo tight and painful at the end of the day. i just have a cheap $30 one from the pharmacy but it does wonders
15 years ago
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Evan.M
Posts: 218 - Karma: 1,241
i got one.. definatly worth the money
15 years ago
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the-big-lepowski
Posts: 1212 - Karma: 541
hahaha, really asking this? you know that once they've got the sponsorship contract written up, they no longer have to deal with the injuries of mere mortals. guaranteed perfect bodies for life with invincible ACLs, MCLs, PCLs and rock hard cartilage to boot.

I've got my donjoy defiance OA on the entire day, which makes me really grateful that its comfortable. even so, I could do without it.
15 years ago
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NoBigDeal
Posts: 2790 - Karma: 629
good one..
15 years ago
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juanborlando
Posts: 3598 - Karma: 2,539
i know of people that havent blown their knees and still wear braces just to prevent anything from happening. they swear by them and say its saved their knees a couple of times, but i dont know if id want to get dependent on one
15 years ago
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JsNeagle
Posts: 1406 - Karma: 1,577
I tore my ACL, and had a US Ski Team/ Women's US Soccer surgeon do my surgery.  His favorite response when I asked about whether I need to wear a knee brace was, "No, that's why you're having surgery"
15 years ago
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Vinci
Posts: 701 - Karma: 1,472
there are no knee braces which really can support your ACL, let alone "replacing" it
still... I also use one, it just gives me self confidence and that's worth 30$
15 years ago
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j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
I have heard from a lot of doctors and different athletes that if you NEED a brace you shouldnt be skiing on your knee. You should have re-habbed enough to build all of your stength back and then some, and your knee should be stronger than ever.
15 years ago
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,389
I know a ton of people that do, and a ton of people that don't.

I personally do, and I probably will for as long as I ski. I'll probably eventually upgrade from DonJoy to the Asterisk for skiing and biking.
15 years ago
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,389
basically, after tearing an ACL I know that's nothing I want to ever have to deal with again. If a brace will prevent that or even help to prevent that, then it's worth every cent.
15 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31073 - Karma: 29,599
i use one most of the time, and i'd consider myself to be quite professional
15 years ago
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teleak
Posts: 2251 - Karma: 105
because it wouldn't be cool unless all pros do it
15 years ago
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B-Har406
Posts: 2484 - Karma: 6
This. Never want to go through that whole process again. It's really no big deal, just throw it on in the morning. I hardly even notice mine any more.
15 years ago
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Ickis
Posts: 376 - Karma: 119
both EP and Benchetler do
15 years ago
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snowhite
Posts: 62 - Karma: 19
I have had two knee surgeries in the past year on the same knee. One last summer, I skied this winter and screwed it up. Had my second surgery am recovered fine, but I will always ski with a brace now. My doctor said I don't need to because I built up my strength, but after going through it twice, I don't want to risk it. So I ski with a brace. 
15 years ago
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SteezeBall
Posts: 350 - Karma: 12
Anyone know anything about the Asterisk brace? Im lookin to get some but I dont know if their worth the hefty pricetag.
15 years ago
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Thats a great idea, I'm definitely doing that this year
15 years ago
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WillParry
Posts: 208 - Karma: 12
Tim Durtschi wears double knee braces
15 years ago
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Malcolm
Posts: 15953 - Karma: 9,500
ive never fucked up my knees but now i feel like getting some braces
15 years ago
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CTD
Posts: 6302 - Karma: 357
look at the NFL.

everyone wears them. they seem like overkill till you go through rehab, for months and months and months. if you can afford them, they are a wise investment, and they really arent much of a hassle. granted, id rather not wear um, but they really help. prolly a bit unecessarily for park, but for bigger jumps or drops, they are a life saver.
15 years ago
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Kangbang
Posts: 14211 - Karma: 423
i got them for both my knees. i ski way better with them
15 years ago
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LIL-WAT
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 146
somebodys trying to hard.....
15 years ago
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SAronson
Posts: 514 - Karma: 62
  Just so you guys know they cost about 2Gs per knee
15 years ago
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gingersteeze270
Posts: 358 - Karma: 784
yeaa i tore acl and meniscus in august ang got one of thoes custom knee braces from the insurance people and skied this whole season. just got the sergury about a month ago but the knee brace helps alot for sure
15 years ago
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finnajon5
Posts: 583 - Karma: 51
pretty sure cassabon does
15 years ago
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Bryan*
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 115
i am going to have to wear a shoulder brace i think
15 years ago
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*TURBONERD*
Posts: 15094 - Karma: 9,275
good one jamie
15 years ago
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VANULAR
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 5,131
i wear two CTI custom braces for protection. Like someone said earlier if you NEED a brace you shouldnt be skiing.... i wear mine usually only when im filming or going really big for PROTECTION, not for stability in my knees. I skied without out them a lot this past season and love it soo much. it feels so free to ski without 2 braces. I noticed however that No Europeans where them after ACL surgery, so it's definitely a north american thing. i would say if you havent hurt your knees then dont bother. Just train really hard pre season with lunges, squats, bike running, ect for acl tear prevention.



15 years ago
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jca
Posts: 4172 - Karma: 6,316
they're super uncomfortable and don't really work.
15 years ago
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wintersway
Posts: 5115 - Karma: 128
Pollard, Pep, and Benchetler from Nimbus, and i think Nyman as well
15 years ago
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skyabamba
Posts: 1144 - Karma: 10
yup, they are sponsored buy CTI knee braces. check them out. I myself have 2 fucked up knees and no health insurance, so I don't even know how bad the damage is, therefore I am definatly going to need a couple of nice braces until I can get looked at for surgery and whatnot..... not sure which ones to get! CTIs look great and seem like they would work (if they work for the nimbus crew, they will work for me right?) but the asterisk ones look like they have so much more support/protection! and then there's the donjoys which i hear alot of good things about......no freaking clue. but I do know that I can't ski what so ever this season unless i get some.
14 years ago
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HamFaceGirl
Posts: 5242 - Karma: 2,684
Alright so I didnt really read the op but what I know is if your knee doesn't hurt or need a brace, don't wear one. If you wear one just because its safer (which really unless your going to get a super expensive one will not prevent you from hurting your knee. I mean, If your going to blow your knee out, one of those cheaper one at stores are not going to hold your knee in place so it doesn't) Also, if you wear one without a doctors recommendation or you have to, your knee gets dependent on that, and over time you will have to wear one full time because your knee needs that support.
Sparknotes: if your knee doesn't hurt then don't wear one and if you do, it will fuck you over in the long run. Trust me, my dads a doctor and we had a talk about wearing one and he told me all what I just wrote.
14 years ago
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The_Oakley_Kid
Posts: 3128 - Karma: 179
if you've torn your ACL, id definitely recommend one. I torn mine 3 seasons ago and thank god I wear one every time I go skiing, too many instability issues to risk that again. That being said I don't wear one on my good knee. Although it might make sense to wear one for preventative measures, doctors advise that its not a good idea because it can actually cause knee injuries instead.
14 years ago
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ReetsAdeets
Posts: 1531 - Karma: 611
How exactly would you become dependent on a knee brace?
14 years ago
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DutchhGutss
Posts: 896 - Karma: 124
Deff gunna need one i had a bad injury on my right knee and prolly will rock one all season
14 years ago
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Nurgle
Posts: 1249 - Karma: 15
i wear one because i have 2 torn meniscus
14 years ago
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9240 - Karma: 5,630
if you look in all the nimbus videos, you can usually see shots of them putting braces on. robo-knee.
14 years ago
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LivinOuttaBounZ
Posts: 949 - Karma: 382
I have used both left and right Asterisk knee braces. And I love them. I started using them while ski diving and swooping because of the chance for forward moving impact. I never used them while skiing but I'm pretty sure that this is the brand I've seen Pollard use in the past. I just had a few knee surgeries this summer and will start using my Asterick Cell knee brace on my right knee to limit twisting while I get strong again.
14 years ago
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Alkyy
Posts: 2839 - Karma: 149
Dub donjoys here.  2 torn acls with surgery, im not risking it again.  I know its not fool proof and i could deffanatly ride without it but their ACL guarntee makes me feel good...The one day I rode without my first brace was amazing, its so nice not having it on once your so used to always having it.
14 years ago
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Mr.DarthVader
Posts: 1322 - Karma: 556
you should where a knee brace even if you haven't had knee surgery
14 years ago
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Jooky
Posts: 1239 - Karma: 37
Basically your knee comes accustomed to having the extra support so it gets lazy. The small muscles that are used for stability get weak because they have the brace to help them. Then, when you don't wear a brace, your knee is less strong and more prone to accident.

I think there are a few takeaways here though:

1. A knee brace is NOT going to keep you from getting injured. If you fall in a way that would toast your ACL, its gonna happen with our without a brace.
2. There can be a strong psychological tie to knee braces after someone has spent a long time in one during recovery.
3. As Vanular said, impact protection is a valuable asset of a knee brace.
4. Bottom line, train train train, doesn't matter if you're injured or just in the off season. Do it, as you get older, you'll appreciate it more and more.

Thats it from this old guy.
14 years ago
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reverendwrong
Posts: 3145 - Karma: 142
well I just use those neoprene sleeve knee braces for the tendinitis in my right knee.
14 years ago
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,851
wait, so this is a new style trend?

I mean Vanular has said he wears on and one can infer Martini will wear one.

I've never had issues with my ACL, but I'm going to get one today and maybe I'll be the new thug!
14 years ago
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,299
I guess I will be wearing one, recovery and missing an entire summer because of acl injuries sucks. What are some good braces though. I was fit for this one, a breg fusion. I stopped wearing it for now, but I haven't been doing anything risky like soccer or skateboarding. I'm just approaching my 6 months after surgery. Nearly all of my physical activity has been longboarding to class or the gym.
14 years ago
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