The Benefits Of Knee Bracing In Water Sports
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries account for approximately 40% of all sporting injuries. Extremely painful, they can put you out of action for many months and involve reconstructive surgery and prolonged rest. Wearing an ACL brace prevents an injury from occurring and should be regarded as a sensible precaution.
Many sports people fail to take into account the ramifications of being unable to undertake their favourite sport for weeks or months due to injury. Dealing with ACL injuries is such a painful and lengthy affair that anyone involved in sports that impact heavily upon the knee joints should consider using an ACL brace as a preventative measure.
Many ski professionals recognise the important benefits of using a knee brace for skiing, and water-sports enthusiasts could benefit from taking similar preventative measures. Using a knee brace for skiing ensures that the structures of the knee are not compromised during twists, turns and jumps. Wake boarders and kite surfers subject their knee joints to similar strains and stresses.
Using a knee brace for skiing not only helps to support previously damaged tissues and structures in the knee, but also acts as a preventative measure, holding the knee firmly in place. The more extreme the pressure that the knee undergoes, the greater the likelihood of injury, and water-sports enthusiasts who enjoy wake boarding and kite surfing could benefit from following the example set by their skiing counterparts.
Knee anatomy
The ACL structures are designed by nature to hold the knee firmly in place, connecting bones together in such a way that they can bend and support the body's weight. Too much twisting pressure can cause the tough ligaments to stretch and tear, which compromises the position of the bones and creates not just pain but instability. The knee is not designed to undergo rotational movements, yet strapping your feet into place and then jumping, twisting and subjecting them to the associated pressures that these movements involve can cause massive trauma. That's why so many people now choose to use a knee brace for skiing to prevent such injuries.
Wearing a knee brace in extreme sports
With wake boarding and kite surfing increasing in popularity and also involving even greater demands on the body as new twists, turns and jumps are introduced, it makes sense to consider the impact of these sports on the knees. Wearing a well-fitting ACL brace provides additional support to the ligaments and prevents the knee from undergoing rotational movements - this acts as a strong preventative measure.
Even if you've already suffered the pain of an ACL injury, you don't have to give up your favourite sport. Many keen winter-sports enthusiasts have discovered that using a knee brace for skiing allows them to enjoy their sport once again without risking the chance of their knee giving way. An ACL injury compromises the strength and supportive elements of the ligaments, but wearing a knee brace can help to strengthen the joint to prevent weakness and the risk of another injury.
If you love water sports but are concerned about the risk of knee injuries, or if you have experienced ACL injury in the past, it makes perfect sense to take steps to protect yourself from pain and injury. Then you can enjoy your sport without the worry about the impact that ACL injury could have on your life and future sporting prospects.
About the Author
Dave Regis discusses the use of orthotics for the management of knee injuries, reviewing injury rehabilitation through exercise and the use of bracing and supports, specifically in that of a knee brace for skiing http://www.ctikneebraces.co.uk/my-sport
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