Tennis knee brace recommendations

Dartagnan64

Dartagnan64

G.O.A.T.
My wife recently hyperextended her knee and strained her MCL. She's previously had an ACL tear in that same knee. She's got an old Donnay knee brace from that time period 15 years ago, but its bulky and very warm.

I'm interested in finding her a lighter brace to play tennis with that will provide some modest support and help prevent hyperextension. She will be good about her knee rehab to strengthen quads, hamstrings,gluts or so she's promised.

Anyone found a nice light reasonably supportive knee brace that works well for them?
 
I've used Futuro knee braces in the past. They have a gel ring where the kneecap is. They provide decent support for typical chondromalacia and you can toss them in the washing machine when they get smelly. That said I don't think that they're prevent hyperextension - they are just designed to align the kneecap and provide a little cushioning (great for floor exercises). The braces that prevent hyperextension are a lot more sophisticated.
 
Well KT tape may not be what I'm looking for after all. Doesn't seem quite supportive enough.

And I don't need a knee brace for patellar issues although I'll check Futuro and see if they have some designed for MCL stability.

Thanks for all the responses so far.
 
Futuro does have a knee stabilizer brace that looks pretty much bang on what I was thinking about. Thanks for the advice movdqa :).

Now to find a place that sells them in Vancouver.
 
Dartagnan64 said:
Well KT tape may not be what I'm looking for after all. Doesn't seem quite supportive enough.

And I don't need a knee brace for patellar issues although I'll check Futuro and see if they have some designed for MCL stability.

Thanks for all the responses so far.
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It's much more supportive than you may think, but then again I don't know the extent of your wife's injury. I've used it for various issues and have positive results. Most recently with Tennis Elbow.
 
Doc Hollidae said:
It's much more supportive than you may think, but then again I don't know the extent of your wife's injury. I've used it for various issues and have positive results. Most recently with Tennis Elbow.
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It provides a different type of support/stability than a knee brace. I've had very positive results with shine splints, but more modest results for my knee issue and almost no effect for my shoulder issue. It undoubtedly depends on the nature of the problem and how the tape is applied.
 
Tyler-James said:
FYI: Here's the research on Kinesio Tape: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22124445

Basically, it's a more expensive version of athletic wrap that's being marked up through pseudo-science.
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Not really an expensive version of regular athletic tape per se since its function is not meant to be the same as regular athletic tape.

Some of the possible benefit could be the added feedback path or an improved proprioception effect (as suggested by this NCBI abstract). The link did indicate that there did appear to be SOME improvement in strength, ROM and proprioception with K Tape. There may also be an added placebo effect to these minor improvements.
 
The Donjoy Playmaker ACL brace is the one I suspect that your wife used those years ago and is still probably the most reasonably priced hinged stability brace available. I still use mine from time to time and while I agree it is bulky and gets very hot (and smelly as well!) it allows the user to set by means of little metal inserts the amount of extension it allows the knee joint to reach. Also, you can customise the position of the four straps to deal with ACL issues, PCL issues or collateral ligament issues. Donjoy do make a great range of knee braces but they can be very expensive.
 
Dartagnan64 said:
Futuro does have a knee stabilizer brace that looks pretty much bang on what I was thinking about. Thanks for the advice movdqa :).

Now to find a place that sells them in Vancouver.
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If hyperextension is an issue, do your research on the Futuro before grabbing it. Of course, you didn't say she has PCL issues, so it may work for her. Most Futuro knee braces typically don't help with hyperextension due to PCL injury, and in my experience it can almost promote it (if the PCL is weak or non-existent after a previous rupture). The DonJoy braces, while bulky, heavy, uncomfortable, etc., may be a better option as they're built different ways to support the injured ligament(s). You may want to check with a doctor for a brace recommendation specific to her injury. The Futuro braces I believe do help with MCL long with ACL though, so it just may work :)
 
She has no PCL issues. Just MCL/meniscus. The Donjon brace is probably the better overall brace. But just like the best camera being the one you carry with you, the best brace is the one you'll wear. If my wife won't put on the DonJoy brace because its a pain to wear, it's useless sitting in a closet. That's why I'm just looking for a comfortable light brace. One of the biggest advantages of braces is the mindfulness they invoke. IF you are wearing a brace, you are more likely to pay attention to your knee and how its moving.
 
@Dartagnan64 well you got that right, those DonJoy braces are freaking huge, heavy, and annoying with their constant sliding out of place. With no PCL issues, Futuro gets my vote. Walgreens brand makes one that is similar as well which is very similar to its name brand counterpart.
 
Dartagnan64 said:
My wife recently hyperextended her knee and strained her MCL. She's previously had an ACL tear in that same knee. She's got an old Donnay knee brace from that time period 15 years ago, but its bulky and very warm.

I'm interested in finding her a lighter brace to play tennis with that will provide some modest support and help prevent hyperextension. She will be good about her knee rehab to strengthen quads, hamstrings,gluts or so she's promised.

Anyone found a nice light reasonably supportive knee brace that works well for them?
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At you sure it's an mcl strain? Did you have an MRI? There's a small muscle in the back of the knee called the plantaris muscle . Read up on it. The muscle belly is right in the back of the knee and it has a tendon that runs down the back of the leg through the calf muscles. It's a common injury in tennis players over the age of 40. Oddly it's a muscle that's not even present in about 10% of the population. Seems like the plantaris muscle is being evolved out of humans, but it hurts like hell if you tear it or pull it.
 
I have four braces and bands. For light to heavy duty:

1. Muller runner's knee band. This is a single band that goes beneath the patella. It improves tracking of the patella and helps with runners knee.
2. Cho Pat dual action bands. It has one band below and one above the patella over the quadriceps tendon. My PT recommended it for chondromallacia.
3. McDavid ligament brace. I bought it after I recovered from a torn meniscus and downgraded from no 4 below. This one has six fasteners around the knee and side reinforcements.
4. A knee brace with hinged mental bars on the side. This is what my doctor gave me from the torn meniscus.

From your description, it seems the no 3 or similar level of protection is what your wife needs. good luck!
 
QuadCam said:
At you sure it's an mcl strain? Did you have an MRI? There's a small muscle in the back of the knee called the plantaris muscle . Read up on it. The muscle belly is right in the back of the knee and it has a tendon that runs down the back of the leg through the calf muscles. It's a common injury in tennis players over the age of 40. Oddly it's a muscle that's not even present in about 10% of the population. Seems like the plantaris muscle is being evolved out of humans, but it hurts like hell if you tear it or pull it.
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No I'm not sure its an MCL strain but its just a grade 1 thing so an MRI will likely be useless. But judging from her tender point, it's right over the MCL. It could also be a meniscus issue. I'd expect if it was a plantaris tear the pain and tender point would be different location more posteriorly. It never "hurt like hell". Just a little sore and swollen for a few days and now she feels fine and can run on it and skate without discomfort.
 
Ended up picking up a BauerFiend brace at a local pharmacy near where I work. Just got the light Genu Train brace and she really likes it. Fits under her hockey gear and is a breathabel fabric so it's not as hot as her old DonJoy.

We'll see how she does. Thanks for everyone's input.
 
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