Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Knee Brace

What knee braces are some of you guys wearing, particularly in the out doors going up and down hills? Hurt my left knee when a kid, and right now really the only physical problem I have, so it`s slowing me down. VA tells me they can`t replace, Xray tech. says bone on bone, and when it really hurts I take an Aleve. Helps the pain, but will not prevent me throwing the thing out when hunting or stream fishing.
Thanks

I use one that is velcro with the hinged rods so my knee can't buckle forward. Hot as hell in summer time but alot of support

I also keep a cheap compression style knee brace in my car in case it acts up at work, etc.

My Dr, recommended the one I use. Bauerfeind custom. You can get them at Amazon or brace company's for just under $100. They are sold by size and are excellent. I also use KT tape. Between the two, I have very little pain.

I used the simple elastic type for a few years before the knees got too bad,

Then I used a Mueller, available at some drug stores and WallyMart I think, with a bit more support.

But, once it got to bone on bone,, and the insurance quit paying for the Synvisc injections, and the cortisone shots were getting only 3 months relief I went with a replacement.

I don't understand why VA won't go for a replacement if you truly are bone on bone. It never gets better once it reaches that point, in my experience.

Per them, it is not service related. I hunt it again in basic. I should have reported the injury, but didn`t want to risk being set back a cycle. Bad call on my part.

I used one of the elastic sleeves, it doesn't do anything for bone on bone, but it adds stability. For true bone on bone you need an "unloading" brace which has to be prescribed I believe. I wore one for several months waiting for a good time window for an osteotomy. This thing was night and day! without it walking hurt and a 1/4 walk of flat ground with my wife put my in large pain and ice for the night. With it, I reffed several soccer games, survived a Med cruise and could walk/stand mostly pain free.

JOINT TEC Knee Sleeve-S My ortho surgeon recommended them.

www.vitalsalveo.com

ttag

If you are seeing an ortho I’d confirm if the bone to bone is in both load bearing compartments or just one. There are many different types of braces to relieve different symptoms. If the arthritis is uni-compartment rather than bi-compartment something like a “G2 Unloader” might buy some time.

Why won't your doc replace it?

Thanks guys for all the good info. Going to pursue this more in Feb. when I visit the VA for my checkup.

Aha, the old not service related angle.

Well, good luck with it all. But if it's bad now, maybe one of those unloading braces might get you by until it is time to replace it. I wish I could have lived without going that route, but it sure has helped being able to hunt mostly pain free, now it's more like "discomfort" at times.