Comfortable Knee Braces?

[Topper]

Anyone had 2 knee reconstructions on the same knee?

I have torn the ACL in my left knee along with damaging the lateral miniscus and have some carlilage damage. I do have private health care for extras but not hospital cover.

Now, i could sign up for hospital cover and have the reco done in 12 months and not have to pay for it, but that would put the time frame of me walking/running comfortably to around 18 months. So im thinking of just paying outright for the reco now and being able to walk/run in around 6 months.

My doctor has advised that because i dont have hospital cover that i have an arthroscope to clean up the damage and remove the ACL so that my knee is more manageable for the next 12 months when i can claim the reco on hospital cover. The arthroscope will cost me $3,500 from my own pocket, but being my second reconstruction on the same knee (1st in 2001) my doctor was unable to give me a qoute on the reco cause he said it would be more complicated second time around and more difficult.

So my question to anyone who reads this who has had 2 knee reco's, Do you know how much roughly the second operation costs?

Im trying to weigh up the $3,500 + 18 months recovery vs the $? + 6 months recovery.....

If the unknown price isnt too much more than $3,500 then i think cutting 12 months off the recovery will be well worth the extra money.

Thanks, i would really appreciate some help with the price

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Please help.

I have recently torn my ACL, lateral miniscus and cartilage. I will not be having the reco surgery for 12 months time because i didnt have hospital insurance when i suffered the injury. So im wondering if anyone has details of a knee brace that can be worn daily for a few months that is very comfortable and doesnt get annoying wearing it day after day yet still offers a fair amount of support.

Price isnt an issue and i would prefer it to be strapless so its an easy pull on pull off type of brace.

Cheers

Have the reco because you won't find anything comfortable when your knee hasn't been done.

 

[Stinga]

Well considering you've done so much damage there's not a lot of braces you can get that will support you properly without being a bit bulky and with some sort of straps.

I did mine last year and for the month before surgery and month after i had to wear a pretty solid hinged knee brace that at first prevented an hyperextension due to the ACL being snapped. Then after the surgery it provided support while the knee was a bit weak.

Mine cost about $200 but it was a plastic/metal/foam combo brace with valcro straps. I've heard of others that are more carbon fibre and are lighter as well as being less bulky. These are around the $800 mark i think.

But you will definitely need a hinged knee brace, up to you what you want in terms of supprt to your overall leg. Watch the thingh muscle and hamstring just melt away over the next couple of months!!

 

[Topper]

Thanks Stinga

Yeah i remember from my first reco the leg wasted away pretty rapidly. Im planning on doing alot of leg exercises i,e swimming, cycling and basic leg stretching to build the muscels up around the knee to make up for the instability of not having an intact ACL and the brace will just be more of a psychological thing for me. Im looking for one that i can wear daily for up to possibly a few months, so comfort is the key really.

However the last day or 2 ive started to think i'll just fork out the cash and pay outright for the reco instead of waiting the 12 months for hospital cover to kick in, hmm decisions..........

Meanwhile i'll keep looking for braces i suppose (from somewhere other than a chemist) Theres a few that look o.k at braceshop.com in the elastic option. Im weighing up whether to get the Bauerfiend Genutrain A3 knee brace. I think i prob will get it.

Cheers buddy