Knee Braces for Offensive Lineman

[Turbine]

I seem to remember hearing or reading (I can't find the reference) that when Jessie Newman was recruited by UL he was promised knee braces.

Now I have no way of knowing if knee braces would have prevented or diminished his injury Saturday, why I don't even know the severity of his injury. It might just be a sprain, and I hope that is all it is.

However I found this study done in 1997-98 and it seems to show a huge prevention factor when wearing knee braces.

reveals the economic impact of knee injury and subsequent care to offensive linemen. The actual costs of the 1997 season include two surgical reconstructions of anterior cruciate ligaments totaling $45,795. The cost of care for knee injuries in 1998 fell to $1,630, due primarily to the lack of surgical cases. The cost to provide custom fitted prophylactic knee braces to offensive linemen for this project totaled $16,200 (30 braces at $540 each). Though a significant expenditure (the prefabricated braces had cost $75 each), the staff felt the investment was very prudent-especially in terms of injury prevention, quality of life for student athletes, and further prevention of time lost from activity.

Conclusion
This review of the literature provides evidence of the protective aspects of prophylactic knee braces to capsular structures of the knee. Likewise, functional knee braces are found to effectively control forces of the tibia, which can produce stresses and possibly injure the capsular and/or anterior cruciate ligaments. Regarding the choice of braces, clinicians have felt that custom braces are associated with improved fit and result in less brace migration. Regardless, the chosen brace should be one that can withstand the forces of the activity, especially those selected for contact activity. At this time, I feel it is prudent to recommend bracing for prophylaxis, and this is being done at many institutions with growing popularity.


A comprehensive study of all divisions of football regarding the prophylactic nature of knee bracing needs to be undertaken. The study should track injuries relative to all brace types for prophylaxis-including the lateral protective knee guards and functional knee braces. Many institutions embrace prophylactic concepts, and further information is needed to determine the cost-to-benefit ratio for brace use. If protective knee braces are selected, the different benefits afforded by custom-fitted versus the "off-the-shelf" brace styles need to be assessed.

D. Rod Walters, DA, ATC, is assistant athletic director for sports medicine at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Published in Biomechanics
Link broken

[RedCajun]

Dr. Porche has always been against offensive linemen wearing knee braces. I think his belief is that the knees become accustomed to the support and get weaker or less flexible. Hopefully he will start allowing players to wear them that are vulnerable to knee injuries

[TheFan]

Dr. Porche has always been against offensive linemen wearing knee braces. I think his belief is that the knees become accustomed to the support and get weaker or less flexible. Hopefully he will start allowing players to wear them that are vulnerable to knee injuries

UL does not have the money to buy knee braces for every lineman. And, Dr. Porche is getting to old in his theories.

[cajundad70]

Thanks Turbine for your research on knee braces. I think it is a real eye opener and should be looked into. It is my understanding that most of the teams in the Sunbelt provide knee braces for their lineman.

If we want to play with the big boys we need to have the same tools they have to help us compete. Not only that, we need to provide for our team good protective equipment to reduce long term injuries.

Some will say we can't afford it. Well, we can't afford to loose players from injuries that might have been prevented or reduced to a smaller scale, if all it took was something as simple as a knee brace. How many hundred of thousands of dollars are we getting to play teams like Kansas State, LSU, University of Texas etc...... If the equpment is needed and helps to reduce the severtiy of injuries ,lets find a way to afford it.

[TheFan]

Thanks Turbine for your research on knee braces. I think it is a real eye opener and should be looked into. It is my understanding that most of the teams in the Sunbelt provide knee braces for their lineman.

If we want to play with the big boys we need to have the same tools they have to help us compete. Not only that, we need to provide for our team good protective equipment to reduce long term injuries.

Some will say we can't afford it. Well, we can't afford to loose players from injuries that might have been prevented or reduced to a smaller scale, if all it took was something as simple as a knee brace. How many hundred of thousands of dollars are we getting to play teams like Kansas State, LSU, University of Texas etc...... If the equpment is needed and helps to reduce the severtiy of injuries ,lets find a way to afford it.

We need the knee braces for our lineman like every other BIG school in the country. I would have to look into it but I think Don Joy makes the knee braces for all of the schools.

[CajunRebel]

I was watching Ohio State's pratice this morning on ESPN and I noticed that every single lineman was wearing knee braces. I had never seen that before.

Perhaps the knee braces are one of many things that Nelson had to say "no" to. I wouldn't want that job.

[cjr3888]

I had to wear a bledsoe graphite knee brace back when i played because of a torn acl. They work miracles but it costs $700.

[ragincajun31]

the validity of pug's (porche) theories on knee braces is outdated by a half of a century.........i'm sure we have all been watching the espn college football practices these last few weeks....i had the pleasure of watching tennessee/ohio state and ALL the offensive linemen had braces......even tennessee's quarterbacks had braces on their upfield-drive leg........my guess is that we just don't have the money........the programs i've mentioned have a superior athletic budget than us.......it's the little things like $700 knee braces that unfortunately seperate us from 4-7 to a 7-4 season......if we can stay healthy this year guys, we can turn it around..........

born a proud texan.....but more proud to bleed RAGIN CAJUN RED

[mickzat]

Its a shame I have to ask this question. We held a fund raiser to raise money to buy bullet proof vests for the police in my home town.

Would it be legal (NCAA) to raise money for knee braces?

[lxa656]

UL does not have the money to buy knee braces for every lineman. And, Dr. Porche is getting to old in his theories.

I have to respectfully disagree with that statement. My high school was able to provide every lineman with knee braces. They are very cheap nowadays.

[shof]

I have no clue what our operating budget is for football; but I would hope that they at least have this in the budget. Too easy for a guy to just get rolled on and bam, there goes his season. Watch virtually ANY major D-1A football game and just count the number of linemen that are wearing the braces. Ditto for NFL. Its becoming odd that teams do not use these protective devices nowadays. Surely our staff doesn't think it is a worthless investment :confused: I'd be shocked if Jesse doesn't have one on when he returns. Just my 2 cents.
Shof

[cajundad70]

Well guys I don't know if you know this but we have another lineman out with a knee injury. Zach Leger sprained his left knee in yesterday's scrimmage on the third to last play. Looks like the last few plays of the scrimmages are bad luck. Same thing happened to Jesse Newman.
Now we have the Canandian Bacon(Jesse Newman) and the Cajun Bacon(Zach Leger) out for a few games. Not only these guys but Will Chance and Brandon Cox have had knee injuries in the last couple of weeks.
Personally, I will do everything in my power to speak to the powers that be to try and get knee braces for our lineman. If I could afford it I would purchase some for all the lineman. This is something I can not pull off alone but I will purchase some for my son (Zach Leger). I encourage all parents to get involved and try and get UL to purchase knee braces and if that doesn't work then buy your kid what he needs.