I have recently dislocated my knee cap 😯 6 weeks ago.

My question is can anyone recommend a knee brace/support for returning to sport mainly biking and running??

Friend of mine went hre and was most pleased with the outcome – http://www.bodyfactor.com/knee.htm

ouch nice price on those – but I guess they work.

I’ll speak to my physio tomorrow.

Thanks for the info CaptainFlashheart

troy lee do a blingo one i think.
i think it’s what has kept the brendog racing all year.

She got it for skiing first and bikes second. Seems to have been money well spent looking at her speed on snow!

I recommend a knee brace/support

I pulled something in my knee recently and bought a neoprene Vulkan support for about £20 for riding. Worked perfectly and you don’t even know it’s there. They do a few different types.

I started to dislocate my knee when I fell off my bike years ago and bought the cheap neoprene jobs and as it still dislocated I bought a slightly better one, but they never worked.

I finally splashed out and bought a custom Donjoy brace and haven’t had a problem since. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing and my knee certainly wouldn’t be in such a wrecked state now if I’d bought the Donjoy in the first place.

They are also guaranteed for life, after 2 years use, I just got a brand new one a couple of months ago when the frame started to crack due to a rock / knee brace interface.

I’ve had to do a lot of experimentation with knee braces for walking and cycling. Having had my right knee cartiliges removed 30 years ago I used to get a lot of problems walking and cycling.

The best I found were the Mueller HG80 braces which are specifically designed for aactive sports use and are not neoprene, so not too hot or bulky. They are not cheap, but I use mine twice a week and they generally last around a year

They do an actual hinged brace which I use for walking as it provides extra and rotational support, but the perfect one for cycling is THIS ONE. It provides enough support for me for 7 hour rides, including steep, rocky 1000m descents, but is still thin enough to fit under my knee pads. Importantly, because of the way the straps work it also stays in place

thanks 100mphplus + CaptainMainwaring I’ll definitely look into both of those options.

Yes I want to get the right one I don’t want to be this inactive again if I can help it

Get proper advice from a professional. the use of supports is often contraindicated.

the use of supports is often contraindicated

In what circumstances? Occasionally in rare circumstances possibly, but not “often”.

It may be ideal to consult a specialist, but from personal experience the only way of getting worthwhile advice is to see a knee surgeon and even then he will need an x-ray or MRI scan to work from. Fine if you have private medical insurance, can afford £400-£500 or can wait 6 months to possibly get in on the NHS.

A physio ( with interest in the right area) or prosthetic technician might well be able to give good advice. they are often contraindicated as they can cause problems and can lead to permanent weaknesses.

Still – its your choice. get proper professional advice or risk wrecking your knees.

I’ve got to disagree with TJ. You might get long term weakness by wearing a brace permanently, but not if it’s only worn during exercise. A physio would be having a complete guess at the problem unless advised by a knee specialist following a consultation, and is just as likely to guess wrong.

99% of the time a support will help and I can’t think of what circumstances would contraindicate it. I’ve been living, and coping, with knee problems for 34 years. What’s your experience?

OP, if you disclocated your kneecap you should be able to get some advice from the specialist who treated you. Worth noting that one of the Mueller supports is specifically for helping with kneecap discplacement

Whats MY experience – I am a medical professional. I know enough to know that consulting the professionals is the right thing to do.

Your issues may not be the same as the OP, You are an expert on your knee not on knees in general.

A technician or physio would not have to guess – unless you consider any diagnosis a guess.

TJ, I already said that I agree that consulting a professional is ideally the way to go, but also pointed out the issues with that.

My problems are not the same as the OP, but having dealt with wear, instability, arthritis, and fluid in my knee I have a reasonable perspective to give an informed opinion, in the same way that you give your opinions on a lot of things.

Yes, I would consider that any diagnosis of a knee problem by anyone without seeing a scan of the knee would be a guess – possibly an educated guess, but a guess all the same.

But my main point, that you ignore, is your comment about wearing a brace “often” being contraindicated. Only in rare, exceptional circumstances can I understand a knee brace being a problem, and that in the absence of expert medical advice therefore you are dramatically more likely to help a knee problem than exacerbate it by wearing one.

I am still under the care of an Orthopaedic soft tissue consultant and I am currently having physio provided by my health insurance. I will ask my physio this afternoon.

My question was advise on a support that would assist me in preventing my knee cap dislocating in future if possible, I would ultimately aim to exercise without anything but I don’t want to risk that yet.

I would only wear the brace during said exercise as an insurance not all the time

Have a look at vivomed.com They seem to have a sports range for all probs.

CaptainMainwaring – Member

Yes, I would consider that any diagnosis of a knee problem by anyone without seeing a scan of the knee would be a guess – possibly an educated guess, but a guess all the same.

touching faith in the interpretation of an MRI. Misplaced but touching. any diagnosis with or without an MRI is an informed opinion. MRIs still need interpretation.

But my main point, that you ignore, is your comment about wearing a brace “often” being contraindicated. Only in rare, exceptional circumstances can I understand a knee brace being a problem, and that in the absence of expert medical advice therefore you are dramatically more likely to help a knee problem than exacerbate it by wearing one.

What basis do you have to make this claim? I was repeating what medical professionals – experts in the field have told me.

Get real professional advice. Don’t buy stuff off websites. Don’t use any sort of knee brace without professional advice