Knee braces

[JapanFootball]

In American sports, knee braces are a common thing. Years ago that Shaun Rehn came out sporting a fairly large brace. The rules of the AFL list any braces not approved by the governing body as prohibited items. I understand that because of the elevated risk to the head compared to other sports, protective equipment is not encouraged.

We have a player with a knee brace who is trying to get approval from our league to use it during games. He has a stretched ACL and has been told that if he wants to continue playing sports such as Australian football he should wear a knee brace. He has returned to the club this year with a Breg Fusion knee brace.

http://www.breg.com/knee-bracing/ligament/fusion.html

The league already told him before he purchased it that it probably wouldn't be acceptable, but I have had a look at it and it doesn't look dangerous at all. The metal looking part is just like hard plastic. I remember seeing some people in lower leagues in Australia who wore similar braces and were able to wrap the hard plastic in foam.

Do any of you know of any players at any level who wear hard knee braces or any other forms of support during games or leagues that allow them? With the amount of serious knee injuries in our game, should we be introducing knee braces as the norm?

 

[Mitchell Madness]

velvet Lloyd wore an arm brace which ended josh thier goods promising career

the same brace which had to be modified to comply with afl rules for Shane Crawford....

 

[Tassieboy]

Alwyn Davey's arm guard caused some havoc recently.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Didn't Josh Thurgood have his career basically destroyed by Lloyd's arm brace when Lloyd coat-hangered him?

 

[Perry Pie]

I played in London with a guy who wore a brace. (a long time ago) Was more like neoprene straps with a side support like the example shown in the above link. No eternal hard stuff at all and one ever complained. Wish I had done the same later when I had a problem.

I dont see that a well chosen knee brace being a big problem - note that it has to be the right one that cannot be used as a weapon. Arm braces and arm guards are a different matter for two reasons. Generally an arm problem is not as limiting as leg problem, and an arm brace/protection can be used too easily as a weapon.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Thurgood's career was limited by his lack of ability.

Alwyn Davey's arm guard was literally a piece of foam.

 

[Tasmaniac]

Thurgood's career was limited by his lack of ability.

Alwyn Davey's arm guard was literally a piece of foam.

Josh Thurgood actually had heaps of ability. Athleticism, skills & courage.

UInfortuantely he had a body made out of wire, not really suitable for footy.

I remember Lloyd had to apply for special permission to wear his brace/arm cast., coming back from an injury.

Got his permission.

Went at Thurgood with a raised forearm in a contest

Bang!

Hey presto, cheek fracture.

 

[JapanFootball]

Anyone got a photo of Rehn's knee brace?

 

[Belnakor]

what about Chris Mainwairings knee brace for his comeback game? that was huge, and he had to get special league approval

 

[Slattery_20]

velvet Lloyd wore an arm brace which ended josh thier goods promising career

the same brace which had to be modified to comply with afl rules for Shane Crawford....

So many lies.
I'm sure Lloyd had his after Crawford. I know Crawford wore one in that exact game. Crawford returned round 1 and I think wore it then; Lloyd returned in round 3.
Thurgood had the best part of 2 more years on the main list AFTER this 'career ending' hit, then another year on the rookie list. Lloyd had nothing to do with his career petering out.
Don't let the facts get in the way of a good lynching, though.

The (hard) arm-guards shouldn't have ever been allowed, the AFL - eventually - got it right. Hard knee guards shouldn't be allowed either.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Josh Thurgood actually had heaps of ability. Athleticism, skills & courage.

UInfortuantely he had a body made out of wire, not really suitable for footy.

I remember Lloyd had to apply for special permission to wear his brace/arm cast., coming back from an injury.

Got his permission.

Went at Thurgood with a raised forearm in a contest

Bang!

Hey presto, cheek fracture.

Honestly.......i don't think he'll ever leave my memory he stood out that much and was that unique haha.

Certainly had courage

 

[telsor]

The rule on this is a lot more concerned with the potential damage to other players, and the AFL is hardly alone in this.

Wearing a brace might benefit one player, but it puts every other player on the ground at increased risk of injury. However small that increase is, it's hard to justify.

 

[Slattery_20]

Honestly.......i don't think he'll ever leave my memory he stood out that much and was that unique haha.

Certainly had courage

I'm not sure where these skills & athleticism came into it.

He only ever played full-back, not quick enough to play on the forward pockets & not good enough to play further up. Crazy unit though.

 

[JapanFootball]

The rule on this is a lot more concerned with the potential damage to other players, and the AFL is hardly alone in this.

Wearing a brace might benefit one player, but it puts every other player on the ground at increased risk of injury. However small that increase is, it's hard to justify.

There are some knee braces which are made to seemingly protect the wearer from bomb blasts, but with a bit of foam and a sleeve, the one in question doesn't pose any added risk at all in my opinion. Given that Aussie Rules is possibly one of - if not the hardest sport on your knees, why are the AFL seemingly so against knee braces?

 

[SirJimi05]

Thurgood was a hack who wasn't good enough to make it. I love the way how Hawthorn supporters are trying to re-invent history.

On topic, the knee brace in that link looks very dangerous. Should not be allowed.

 

[telsor]

There are some knee braces which are made to seemingly protect the wearer from bomb blasts, but with a bit of foam and a sleeve, the one in question doesn't pose any added risk at all in my opinion. Given that Aussie Rules is possibly one of - if not the hardest sport on your knees, why are the AFL seemingly so against knee braces?

The whole point of braces is to add rigidity and structure...ie, hardness. extra hardness means more chance of injuring others.

I'd hope/expect that if the AFL received medical advice saying there was no possibility of increasing the risk of injury to the player wearing it or others, then they'd approve it.

 

[Black Diamond]

Does anybody Trent Hentschel from the Crows? He did his knee really badly around 2006 and missed at least a year.

I'm sure I saw SANFL footage of him running around in a knee brace. Not the AFL, but probably the highest level it has been used.

 

[stmookeyj]

Libba's knee brace in 1998 was almost half of his size. Looked like he was wearing a materess. Mind you he didn't need LARS to get back in 16 weeks......