Why I Will NEVER Wear These On My Dirt Bike Again

[@AdventureDaily]

Been getting a lot of comments assuming I am telling people not to wear knee braces. I am not a medical professional and everything I say in this video is just based on my experiences. They make braces for a reason and at the end of the day you just have to make an educated decision on what you are going to wear. This video was not intended to scare anyone away from wearing braces, it just goes to show that regardless of how much you protect your body things can still happen and if you are scared to get hurt then you shouldn't be on two wheels.

[@jorgem.sanchezgonzalez5903]

So, if you have a fall and have the bad luck of having your helmet bend in in a way which ie. Breaks your cheek bone and a few teeth (but probably has prevented of virtually exploding) and that it has happened to other people as well, would you say you will change it for a bicycle helmet from then on? Just curious…

[@htm8250]

I have always believed that those knee pads are designed for people who have serious knee stability problems, a knee pad designed for walking calmly. Using this type of protection, as our friend has seen is DANGEROUS, it is better to use "bauerfeind" knee pads that will give you the necessary reinforcement in the joint but without restricting movement and then put on an anti-impact knee pad, greetings from Spain.

[@machupikachu1085]

Great video! I had a vertical fracture with blown out ACL as well - so i feel your pain. I couldn't walk for a year lol! You may want to try this: for off road riding, I use those velco type medical knee braces with the aluminum on the sides, and then just put the knee guards on top. It seems to be a good compromise. Let me know what you think. Cheers!

[@BasedRanger]

​@@machupikachu1085 By "aluminum on the sides," do you mean a hinged brace?

[@machupikachu1085]

@@BasedRanger indeed. They have worked well for off roading thus far.

[@kirillpovarintsev277]

If you think that traumatic hyperextension or lateral flexion (which your brace protects you from) is a good way to "absorb the impact", it's probably something to reconsider. In fact, a traumatic hyperextension itself is a common cause of a tibial plateau fracture! With fully extended leg a coaxial impact won't necessarily cause too much of a joint bending force anyway, but if your knee were to go into hyperextension after the initial coaxial impact, the result would probably still be TPF, plus more ligaments involved. I rarely leave comments on youtube, but in this case I personally think it's a dangerous advice you are giving. Again, the main point of disagreement is not the merits/demerits of a knee brace (though it seems to be a no brainer for me in MX application), but the strategy of absorbing an impact with hyperextension. I have a couple of ACL reconstructions under the belt myself, and currently nursing a fresh fibula + tibial plateau fracture, just in case anyone is wondering what's my sports injury background :D

[@jackjohnson291]

I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s offering advice, just sharing what _he’s_ doing.

[@kirillpovarintsev277]

@@jackjohnson291 you are right technically. But you know how the internet works unfortunately - personal opinion expressed on a popular channel does have an influencing power. It's not his fault though.

[@greexa]

The lower fender was supposed to burst from the impact, it was designed for that, but the leg burst. The conclusion suggests itself.

[@jomacba]

I couldn't agree more. Most knee brace designs have an ability to adjust the lockout position as well. I've been lucky enough to not have any significant knee injuries, but I've had my fair share of neck and shoulder injuries. One of which was a stage 3 separation of my AC joint. To be honest, it's a joint that will never fully recover, and had the clavicle broken instead, I would likely have better use of my left arm today. I'd honestly be careful what you wish for, because the grass isn't alway greener. I respect the opinion, but I won't be riding without knee braces myself.

[@welovecheshirecats4557]

Yeah, ill take a bone break over a snapped ligament any day.

[@Pinionaire]

Not only do knee braces protect from hyper extension but I've noticed they also form a cage around the knee that protects it from lateral forces. Like the bike landing on it or impacting a rock. See, what happens with these braces is all the force of impact gets dispersed to different parts of the leg rather than all on one point. Sure maybe it can cause a different type of injury, but lord, i would hate to imagine how my knees would be without my braces. But you do you man.

[@TheOriginalBillyYO]

I agree.. I’m keeping them on

[@adventuresinparadise1522]

Agreed! Had my bike land on my leg on rocky terrain. Knee brace took the whole impact. I got up and continued to ride and was just fine. That’s happened more than once over the years. Thankful I had them on!

[@mint_au]

Plus they try to stop side to side movement like if your leg is elevated and the bike lands on it. it wont stop it from moving sideways but is way better then having no support and 100 plus kilos going crunch sideways on your knee and clearly tearing ligaments and fracturing something or potentially a huge break fi it hits it the wrong way. with my knee braces i have the lockout set so my leg cant fully extend so only way it can flex is the regular way which is the way it should be set unlike the guy in the video who says it locks out when his leg is fully flexed which is terrible.

[@whitetrashgarage8110]

Yep, that is what tore my knee up. Hitting a tree, I basically wrapped around it. It was all lateral movement that caused the damage. Being Canadian, I'm now afraid to walk on slippery surfaces without my brace... So I'm trapped 6 months of the year lol

[@NeroontheGoon]

“Yahooism”, a disease young riders suffer from where they think that structural assistance makes them a better rider. Being competitive and lacking talent is a recipe for underachievement.

[@davechavis4275]

ive had the same injury, not wearing braces as have lots of others . braces are a great piece of equipment. learning to not ride above your skill level is great tool to learn.

[@jackmcandle6955]

I’m 65now and just had my other total knee reconstruction both now I’m pretty sure it was from riding moto trails from age 14to well into my 40’s maybe it was from poor suspension but anyways I don’t believe motorcycles were part of creators design scope so the risk we take is on us

[@ddrowdy7666]

@@jackmcandle6955 God rides dude, pretty sure he has passed me a couple times out on the trail.

[@bigskyproducers]

@@ddrowdy7666 amen

[@kc117mx]

Correlation does not equal causation. I am a 50+ Expert, and have been riding for 40+ years. I tore my right ACL completely in half along with meniscus damage while racing in the mid-90s. I have wore knee braces since then. The ACL replacement surgery was difficult, but I endured and worked hard through therapy. I was riding again after three months and racing again by the time I was released from therapy - around the fourth month. I have used CTI2 braces and Asterisks, which I wore out, and now PODs with excellent results. I will not go back to standard knee pads. While I am currently not racing, I ride hard in the desert, mountains, and woods, and I am sure the braces have saved my knees on numerous occasions, as well as catching all of those cactus thorns. Every person has their own experiences and opinions, but I won't go back. Bones heal, ligaments have to be replaced.

[@williamfoster4268]

Correlation does not equal causation. See how that works?

[@熊咏秋]

I ruptured my ACL a few months ago while riding bike. My friend told me that knee braces can prevent this problem, but after watching this video, I started to wonder, if the knee braces only limit the knee angle but do not absorb the impact force, does that means the impact force is just transferred to other places, and will it be possible that the ACL problems turned into a tibia fracture, just like the video.

[@bizzidy]

I see tibial plateau fractures in the operating room often and none of them occurred because the patient was wearing a knee brace. Injuries happen in all sorts of scenarios from hiking to soccer to basketball to falling off a curb. I’m gonna continue wearing knee braces because ligament injuries occur with a lot less force than bone fractures and in my medical opinion are more likely than a bone fracture. Tough break you had but it’s all part of the risk of riding dirt bikes.

[@laryangel4082]

W

[@SD1Airsoft]

I just tore a ligament 5 weeks ago (no surgery required) and it's still painful if I don't change positions often. Pain is going down slowly though.

[@dirtymotovation]

This^ , well said. Im a nurse and i side with you.

[@bizzidy]

Was riding last weekend and my buddy tore his MCL. No knee braces. May have been avoided with the braces. One of his first rides of the season and now he’s off the bike for at least 6 wks. That’s a huge bummer.

[@karenh3389]

I had a tibial plateau fracture but not from riding my dirtbike. I got a CTI brace with a patella cup after my surgery which gave me the confidence to ride. This type of fracture can happen in various situations...any knee protection is not necessarily going to protect you from any injury....it just makes some injuries less likely. FYI the CTI brace that I purchased was awesome for side-to-side motion protection. However, if I was to ever seriously have another crash with the CTI knee brace on, my tibial shaft, femur, or hip would break. So, wear any brace you want. None of them will protect you from injury....but they will protect you from some injuries

[@tritondrift]

Hey Bro, i am 4 months post Tibial Plateau breakage on my left knee. Actually 4 days after this video cam out. My story goes, i just popped out for a quick ride one afternoon and didnt bother bracing up, just wearing my steel toe work boots also. Lost it around a corner, stuck my leg out as you do and away she went. The forks of the bike came down and inverted my knee and dislocated it. Turns out our knees only meant to bend one way. The doctor said it was a mixture between straight on force up my leg, a twist and then the weight of the bike. Busted all my ligaments in my knee, damaged nerves and broke the artery. I had to have amajor surgery to save my leg as there was no blood flow to my foot for many hours. My foot is still numb and doesnt move though i can walk around with a brace holding my foot up. I think if i was wearing knee braces, I would not have dislocated my knee and tore the artery. However, maybe the force would have had to go somewhere so a proper brake of the lower leg or Femur may have been the outcome. Dislocation isnt good either, busting everything in the knee is inevitable when this occurs. I think i will still wear a brace when i get back on. I need that knee to stay together. Any way mate, thats my story. Great video, enjoy. Troy

[@markjacobs3956]

I remember this same argument back in the 70s 80s and 90s about helmets causing more problems than they help. Broken necks from them etc. I never stopped wearing a helmet because of the one in 100,000 possible broken necks. Ride your ride and you do you.

[@foil666]

I was thinking pretty much the same thing. If you fixate on how something can lead to a negative outcome you often discard all the positives involved in any sort of protection. I'm actually a bit fearful that some people will use this as "proof" that braces are something that not only doesn't work, but causes even worse problems.

[@markjacobs3956]

@@foil666 Totally agree. At age 60 I snow ski with the same knee braces that I ride with. Maybe when they get older they may think differently

[@zip1233]

Lol there's some boomer in a local Facebook group that swears that helmets are more dangerous because it can break your neck lol, people will say whatever they need to justify their crazy positions.

[@SerratedPVP]

True this is always an argument, contrarians usually start it.

[@RealSuburbanCowboy]

I had the same injury and I was NOT wearing knee braces. I think it is all just luck. Some good, some bad. As someone who had the same injury, I know what you went through for your recovery. The fact that you finished the race is unbelievable. That is honestly the most bad-ass thing I have ever heard. I ended up getting a Helicopter ride to the hospital which I am certain you would have preferred to the bumpy car ride. Props to you dude. That injury sucks and my knee will never be 100% again, but it is good enough to ride. FYI, at that time, I too was in the best shape of my life. Oh well.

[@laryangel4082]

Y

[@RealSuburbanCowboy]

@@laryangel4082 Y Heli ride? Remote riding area, no roads nearby. I didn't call the Heli. the rescue team did.

[@MOTO_DOSE]

Same tib fib plateau break with internal fixation here 6 months post surgery. I'm on my feet 10 hours a day at work no to minimal limp and still ride but I hurt at times.

[@ytctbik]

I had the same injury in 2020, no knee brace - and no idea when I actually did it (no crash, just the bike overbalancing at walking pace a few times on rutted lanes). Felt a bit stiff, told the lads to carry on without me when we got to a proper road and I rode about 20 miles home. Got home, put the foot of the broken leg down to get off the bike and couldn't hold the weight - fell over on my driveway, but managed to pick myself and the bike up and put it in the garage. Got similar metalwork in there now. Before the incident I'd been considering knee braces, afterwards was kicking myself for not getting them. Now I'm a bit easier with myself knowing they aren't a magic bullet and I may well have had the same injury even if I had been wearing them. Three years on, I can walk, ride and cycle, a bit stiff, but about to have the metalwork removed as it's uncomfortable.

[@RickGreen_McNutt]

I wear Mobius knee braces and truly feel that they've saved my knees multiple times. I'd 'tweaked' my knee a few times before getting them, but never had any injuries since getting them. Everything I've read/been told is that bones heal up quickly and when they're healed, they're as good as they were originally, however, tendons and ligaments never properly heal, and take a long time to heal. I don't understand how the knee brace made the 'pogo' any worse? If your knee bends the wrong way (as it's more likely to without the braces), then you'd have had potentially a lot more (but maybe different) damage? I agree that knee braces aren't going to save you from any and all crashes/injuries, but I personally feel that they are well worth wearing, and that your injury was an outlier. Everybody needs to make their own choices about protection.

[@fuellerr]

100% right Ligaments are never the same after injury or surgery

[@benlondon8467]

100%,

[@catmanflorida2839]

I wear the Mobius also, have them set, so no full extension. I like the full wrap around design. Im wondering if his accident would of been different if he had those instead. ??? So now he is completely against any type of knee protection.

[@moonzy11]

100%. As a matter of fact, the Mobius allows you to lock flexion out in a few different degrees of flexion.....theoretically by locking you out from full extension, you could potentially lower your possibility of a fracture like this. This is one of the reasons I wear mobius as well. They are also the best knee guards out there IMHO

[@DmitriyAdv]

I also wear Mobius and 100% agree with this. Ive fractured my tibial plateau before and had an ACL tear. Both suck. Plateau sucks worse, but IMO it’s a little bit harder to do that than to damage ligaments, especially if you’re doing a lot of slower technical riding. My tibia actually broke from hitting my knee into a tree in precisely the knee guards he’s describing. I actually feel that if I was wearing my current Mobius braces I would have possibly walked away from that injury as they have much better impact protection than most knee guards.

[@SubPar_MX]

I do physical therapy and have had a major knee injury as well (patellar tendon rupture) and I would say from my experience and research it all depends on which direction the force was exerted on the knee and which position it was in. Do you remember if you were sitting or standing when your foot slipped off the peg? If standing, it’s unlikely that you were going to avoid a plateau fracture unless somehow you bent your knee more before contacting the ground. If sitting, there’s a chance you could have escaped with less severe injury (PCL and other soft tissue damage). Don’t listen to people who talk about how bones heal better, the tibial plateau supports half of the body’s weight on a very small surface and if that isn’t right it changes everything. If you had blown out all ligaments, you would’ve had a much more complex rehab as far as stability goes, but much less pain. Something to weigh when deciding on braces. Hope this helps!

[@熊咏秋]

I ruptured my ACL a few months ago while riding bike. My friend told me that knee braces can prevent this problem, but after watching this video, I started to wonder, if the knee braces only limit the knee angle but do not absorb the impact force, does that means the impact force is just transferred to other places, and will it be possible that the ACL problems turned into a tibia fracture, just like the video.

[@cooganbeggs4942]

I’m the most padded, braced, and protected guy on a bike. Ive had so many injuries over the years and am just now 12 months into recovery from a fractured shoulder that came with multiple ligament tears, nerve damage and god knows what else. The reality is you likely never know how bad an injury could have been if you weren’t wearing protective gear. Based on the location of your break I fail to see how the braces could have contributed to your injury. Maybe if you had snapped your femur above the brace you could argue it was the brace but no brace is going to stop what happened to your tib 🤷‍♂️ All that aside though my take on it is this …you NEVER want to be the guy that tries to convince others not to wear protective gear because you never know what the consequences could be for others or your own karma. Just look at Ryan Hughes. He banged on for years telling anyone and everyone not to wear neck braces and what happened? He broke his f#$king neck!

[@fallinginthed33p]

Different kind of gear, instead of not wearing gear. I'm more an ADV kind of person so I use knee pads integrated into pants. I was thinking of getting knee braces for rougher trails but now I'm not so sure.

[@TheGarettShowTV]

@@fallinginthed33p Same here, I own an adv bike and a 300L. I bought a Leatt z frame with leatt knee brace pants. I like the comfort and stability it gives to my knees. Chasis is not too rigid and I can do long walks. I sold it and now I'm thinking to upgrade to X frames, but after watching this video, I am also not sure how to proceed.

[@TheGarettShowTV]

@Hilts thanks for your comment. I bought the leatt x frames anyway.

[@supermalevitality8532]

As with anything, knee braces are a trade off. You protect your ligaments and tendons, but are more vulnerable to breaking your long bones.

[@MacawAviculture]

So sorry this happened! I have practiced sports chiropractic for 40+ years, and worked with many different knee injuries, and after moving to a remote desert area of CO in 2004, I left 750cc and 1000cc sportbikes forever. My current bike is a 2023 KTM 350 EXC-F. I use Klim Baja pants in all riding situations. I hope your rehab from the injury was successful and you are still enjoying your off-road adventures! Thank you for sharing your injury and your solution to prevent future similar injures!

[@1001CP]

Yepz, I am a sponsored rider, a competitor of LEATT with years of protective gear development in industries plus motorcycles ( and I even have a LEATT helmet- so NOT a gear snob). I have MANY years of experience with braces/guards I have torn my ACLs, broke my tib right above my mx boot on a hard dab on a rock slab that really had that pinch hurt for a long time-a compression fracture-and the SUC. Knee braces are awesome for the right reasons but I also prefer knee guards as they do let your leg/joint flex more naturally but any riding is risky and we try to manage that. What happened to you could have happened to anyone AND if your leg had been on just a bit more of an angle almost any way the brace would have helped greatly. Thank you for sharing your story and sorry about any uninformed hate directed your way as you faced a long recoup. I went on a trip with my wife right after mine as I thought it was just a compression ouch. We walked all over beautiful Boston until I pretty much stopped in the middle of the park and said I give up. My bone doc said you did what?? I told her Im an old guy that hurts everywhere anyway and she got me fixed- but it takes a while to heal. Im getting back to riding again and have different types of guards depending on what terrain I expect. Hinged/full length for those FUN days in mud/rocks/hills for max protection to multi strap full length fixed guards for trail riding and then the slip on type for comfort and low speed type practice and fun. Not that they can not cross into each others terrain- just have enough pad between you and the type of earth you try to stick a knee in or limb or kicked up rock does not leave a mark on your shin bone. A really great video my friend and it came across to me that you advised to wear what is good for that person and expected terrain. I advise people to try their guards before use, Slowly kneel onto uneven ground feeling the padding- then keep dropping faster on to rougher material to see how good the protection is for you You should not feel anything really. The guard should give you a bit of suspension above the ground. Some you can feel exactly what is on the other side of the plastic- you may want to try others. Thank you allowing my old two cents from decades of riding off road, Keep the great content and info my friend and I cant wait for the next. Stay safe out there my friend !!

[@irishflyer6377]

I think this is a difficult subject because every fall is different. I’ve broken 7 bones and damaged 2 ligaments over multiple accidents. This has included complex joints like knee and shoulder. I’ve had ligament break away bone instead of snapping itself (like you describe) this is far easier to heal than ripped ligament (which I’ve had fixed with surgery and carbon fibre strips). In my view best to worst is broken bones, ripped ligament and damaged nerves. No matter how much protection we have on we can still do serious damage and I agrees that sometimes we suffer worse because of transferring the impact to another location BUT I think overall knee braces help more than harm. In the end we each decide and live with the outcome. Thank you for the video.

[@senditadv007]

Just going by what you have explained at the point of injury (POI) it would seem to me that the brace most likely had nothing to do with your injury, that is to say you most likely would have received the injury with or without it. When you say 'my foot slipped off the peg' with forward momentum and the bike all sorts of loose (in the video). I assume your boot made contact with the ground and most likely gripped a bit. Forward bike momentum + Foot on ground + Axial loading (sharp/extreme downward weight force) will fracture a tibial plateau relatively easily. Braces do not protect you from extreme axial loading of your knee and tibia, nothing does! 30+ years rider & rider instructor and Intensive Care Paramedic.

[@sujaymallesh]

I tore MCL 6 months back with the Knee brace on Leatt by the way got away without a surgery... When my leg started streatching i could feel the barce stopping it from streatching more if i didnt had the braces on 100% it would have been worse... just gave a break for 2 weeks and started riding with brace on still have mild pain feel it when i do streaching... I completly support wearing knee brace

[@richardconnoly]

There is great wisdom in the words to: "Never belittle anyone on a topic that they never had the opportunity to learn." However, these words of wisdom are very difficult to practice as there is always someone chirping off and telling you that you are doing everything wrong on a topic they never took the opportunity to learn (anything) about. Good video, keep up the good work!

[@chadmills5400]

@AdventureDaily I can tell you what broke your knee, it was not the knee brace because the knee brace elastic bands allow the brace to pull forward if needed as well as break when needed. I recently broke my knee too; I broke the same spot as you plus the middle knuckle. A draft horse kicked me just below the knee while I was sitting on an e-bike with the affected leg positioned on the peg. Therefore, a relative equal amount of force is needed to break your knee. I am 5'9.5" and was 152lbs at the time. According to your x-ray and the knee brace it appears you broke the inside lip of the upper leg bone/knee joint. I believe what happened when your bike started bucking and you lost your footing is that when you landed your inside knee bone clipped the bike frame at the same time the bike bucked again causing a break, or when you planted your foot on the ground when you missed the foot peg then the bike frame bucked sideways into said planted foot/knee. This would relatively be equivalent to being kicked by a small draft horse, a Percheron Haflinger to be specific. Or you are taking protein supplements which weaken your bones. Or you have cancer.

[@robd9819]

Completely agree! About six years ago I was wearing Pods knee braces and when I went down my tibia plateau snapped completely, and through the skin. Also broke my tibia and fibula in several other places. Eight days in the hospital, a couple surgeries for a rod and plate, a blood transfusion and then wheelchair bound for months.. It took 8 months and endless rehab to recover and I still have some numbness in my foot. I'm 100% convinced this was a result of the knee braces. I always thought I was invincible wearing braces, but boy I was mistaken!

[@olliechristopher467]

It was not the brace. Without the brace your injury more than likely would have been worse.

[@robd9819]

@@olliechristopher467 That's a stupid and ignorant reply considering that you weren't there and have no idea what type of fall I had and how brace played it's part in destroying my leg.

[@olliechristopher467]

@@robd9819 " I always thought I was invincible wearing braces" This is why you were injured. It was not the braces fault. That's as ignorant as someone claiming full wrap hand guards broke their wrist going over the bars. Motorcycling is a dangerous sport. It's the rider, not the protective gear that is responsible for injuries. When you swing a leg over the bike it's the chance you take.....

[@Pinionaire]

The only way you can say 100% is if you tested the same accident without a brace. You have no idea what could have really happened had the brace not been in place.

[@robd9819]

@@Pinionaire The orthopedic surgeon examined the brace and based on the injury he felt pretty certain the brace caused the fractures.

[@hamilrammer]

I’ve ran the Leatt Dual axis knee guards for years and love them. Keep up the good work sir!!

[@BaconsBrokenBits]

I would have to say, not a doctor in any way, that it's not the braces' fault. Hear me out. Just about 6 months ago, I broke my radial plateau (wrist) in a head on collision in my truck. No brace, just the force of my body going into the steering wheel by way of my arm. Perhaps the study that you mentioned didn't/couldn't take into account the added "recklessness" (used loosely), that riders took on as braces are only to try and save ligaments, meniscus and tendons, not bones. Also, something to consider is that when physically bracing for impacts, it is much worse on your body, hence drunk drivers coming away from major accidents with only minor scrapes and bruises. Just something to consider.

[@willghormley221]

Thanks for this video! I"m 64 and returning to motorcycles after 30 years raising eight kids. Because I enjoy exploring back roads, lumber and mine roads and trails, I got the KLR650 Adventure. I've been trying to figure out what the best knee protection would be. I was a Paratrooper and had a complete knee replacement after running on an injured knee for over thirty years. Worse than that, I was riding my bicycle and a lady on her cell phone took me out. My back was broken at the L-1. My pelvis was cracked. My left femur was shattered into eight pieces with three inches completely missing (needed three reconstructive surgeries, two different sets of titanium hardware, and bone grafts). My left forearm was broken in three places. My left shoulder dislocated. And on top of a concussion, I had all manner of road rash! I wasn't supposed to ever walk again without a walker or cane. But after over two years of physical therapy I can jog four miles in less than an hour, and ride a motorcycle! Needless to say, protecting myself and my knees specifically, it a top priority. I never want to be that busted up again! Your video has kept me from making a YUGE mistake! Also, I see you've posted a video on ADV Boots. Perfect! I'll be watching that next. I ride in combat boots. Where I go I may have to hike back out if things go sideways. I can't imagine the "protection" you get from ADV Boots make it a good hiking boot. I'll be very interested to see what you had to say about ADV Boots. Thanks again for posting this video!

[@motoxposse]

I’ve been running cti2’s for twenty years I started using them after a knee injury and I’ve never had a complain, but these are custom built 2300$ carbon fiber braces ( not some off the shelve one size fits most) A few years ago I did break my leg but nothing would have stopped that my foot caught a embankment and twisted my foot backwards it broke my leg bellow the knee brace right above my ankle. Here’s the thing knee braces will only protect hypertension and lateral impact, they will not help twisting or compression. I suspect your injury and the knee brace is coincidental you took a hard compression to the knee by straight legging into the ground and I’m sure that’s the reason for your injury. Think about it have you ever took a step and miss judged the ground ( say stepped in a hole) and the compression jar you get to your knee or back, it hurts and it’s not uncommon for the knee to swell after such a jar, know do what you done and that force is multiplied by 100’s of pound per square inch.

[@jemirandav]

I clearly remember the videos about the race and your injury, it worried me very much. It's good to see you now, still enthusiast and fine. As always, I wish. you all the best.

[@tomcrnkovich1661]

Wow...your video popped up right as I'm making this decision myself...I'm 43, been riding for a long time...took 10 years off of dirt bikes after injuring my right knee in 2007, got my left in 2021: 2007 - EVS knee brace (lower level version) - Tib/Fib Plateau and spiral fracture, plate and 9 screws very similar to your injury. 6 months before I could walk again without crutches. Took 10 years or so off of dirt bikes after that, rode street bikes in the interim Started riding and racing again in 2017...bought Pod K4 knee braces 2021 - 15 seconds in to a 24 hour endurance race, rear wheel spun up, caught myself with my left knee and POP...ACL avulsion fracture (like yours) and ANOTHER (minor) tib/fib plateau break! So I've gotten BOTH of my knees on the tib/fib with braces and the ACL on one side. I"m strongly considering trying pads only again for the first time in decades. It's a little scary, as I've damaged both knees and there definitely is a little security blanky feel to those braces...but after two major knee injuries with the braces I think I'm going to try again without them. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the video, I quite literally have felt your pain.

[@kimnenninger7226]

Thank you!!! I am old and I just a dirt bike. I too purchased some knee guards. I couldn't get them adjusted properly so I never got around to wearing them. You may have saved my riding fun.

[@gersonhay984]

I had the same break On a WR 500. When you go down you go down . The leg is traped underneath when you land hard it breaks. I had 5 screws with 4 breaks. You are right about the guards. Make it as light as possible. Then you might tuck and roll. Get away from the monster. At least I didn't break my knee cap. Keep riding,

[@ja-p]

I broke my tibia and fibula in the 1970’s during an enduro race…back then there was almost no protective gear in existence, regardless i always felt lucky because it could have been worse (ie: hit that big oak tree that was only 2 feet from me when i fell, or my leg go through the rear wheel, etc…) my point is that any injuries are bad and you tried to prevent it by wearing protective equipment, however those piece of equipment cannot prevent an injury for all scenarios that happen in a blink of an eye… although that i really sympathize with you, console yourself that you did the best you could, it could have been worse, like breaking your spine . Thanks for your video, it is teaching us that using safety equipment is not necessary full proof and gives us a false sense of security as you pointed out. I am glad that you are still riding and so am I 😎

[@marktarascio4766]

I was 25 years old at the time and was racing 1/4 & 1/2 semi- pro FlatTrack. I was going about 80 miles an hour into a turn sideways put my foot down and hit a rock . I felt my foot hit me in the left side of my back. I had the same injury that you had .I took 3 years to heal enough to ride again I can say that I feel your pain man take care !

[@martinfoster5163]

Love your content, mate. I'm 59 years old and do 95% off-road riding on grassy mountain slopes littered with embedded rocks. Never racing. I'm happy NOT to have knee braces. I think they are overkill but I do wear Leatt dual-axis knee guards. My only complaint with them is that the bottom edge digs into my shin. I'm willing to modify my gear so I'll try some extra foam in that area. I also wear a Leatt 5.5 body protector which I need to fix - the chest "impact" foam is in the wrong place - my stomach. I also have a Leatt 7.5 v22 helmet which is perfect. I'm not a 100% Leatt fan boy by any means - I've got other stuff from Fox, Fly Racing and RST - but I do like Leatt's PPE but need to modify it occasionally to be perfect for me.

[@Brian-k8t]

Sorry older video but man...injuries suck! Glad you're healing up good. I switched to the Leatt guards almost 2 years ago and love'm. Watch those rivets on the pivot joints. Like a helmet, after any tumble check the equipment. I have broken a couple pivot points (rivet, washer) but came out injury free. I replaced the guards and same thing happened in an enduro race few months later (again no injury). At $100 a pair, totally worth it🤙 Hope you didn't get "forever" turned-off to racing.

[@minibikemafia]

I have always just worn helmet and boots, and gloves. Crash a LOT....Started when I was 3, and am 48.....I was always a crasher. I wear minimal gear, and have only ever broken som fingers and my tail bone twice...maybe 3 times....I have become a Ryno follower as of late. I never realized all of the points he makes on minimal gear, but makes sense now. When you crash, you have to become flexible...like water. Ninja rolls...if something can't bend, it will break. Man, fell for you on your injury. Good to see you have recovered!✊

[@Motoklik]

Used knee cups or pads all my life riding and destroyed my tibial plateau in 2019. Washed the front turning left, and as the bike went down my left foot planted in the ground, and the handlebar landed on the end of my femur above the knee, driving the femur into the tibial plateau. The knee cup I was wearing left the top of the knee completely exposed when my leg was bent, so there was no protection when the handlebar hit it. Now, I have decided to wear knee braces instead. As you say in your video, it is probably just bad luck, but I have decided that I prefer the added constraint of the knee brace, rather than the knee cup.

[@keithclyde733]

I am 64 and still race. In fact the Baha 1000. I use to have knee pain after riding, but not anymore. I have the Pod carbon braces and I give them 5 stars . I can hammer the woops much harder with no pain afterwards. 4 time Baha 1000 Finisher.

[@bricenoalejandro]

I also had a TPF seven years ago and not wearing knee braces. Not really sure if wearing them would have actually help as in my case it was a side impact that broke my tibia. Hey, kuddos to you for finishing a raise after that! Impressive. Hope you are back to 100%, I agree it's also the worse fracture I have experienced and the recovery takes years to gain back confidence, that if you are lucky to get full range of motion after. Keep on riding

[@dirtbike-adventures]

Thanks for sharing. Glad you're still riding. My 35+ years of dirtbikes have been sprinkled with broken bones and torn ligaments. Ignore all the internet experts. Only you are responsible for yourself and others that hear your opinion are also free to make their own decisions... no matter the outcome. Freedom really is the ultimate expression of personal responsibility. If you find yourself in Utah let's ride

[@gophop]

Idk, man. I'm on my 2nd knee injury. Both with braces on. Slow highside down the hill, 10ft down, pole-vaulting over my extended leg. Crushed the meniscus. I'm fairly certain my knee would've been snapped in half from that tumble without the brace. I was 10mi out. The brace kept my leg together pretty well and I rode out without issues, though in pain. Wasn't able to walk once the brace was off. 2nd get off a few weeks ago somewhat similar. The outer side of my knee is sore and bruised. I can only assume it's from the knee trying to break out laterally, running into the hinge of the brace, which kept the knee from buckling and all of the ligaments intact. Everyone takes life in their own hands when on a moto. I'll continue to do so with braces on. P.S. If I rode MX and sent triples on a regular, I might consider the dangers of snapping the femur because of the brace. But I only ride enduro. Tumbling downhill or trapping my leg between boulders/trees is not only more likely but happens often.

[@tylermadl2088]

Bruising with swelling a big sign of torn acl/pcl. As far as I was told might get it checked if you can

[@gophop]

@@tylermadl2088 yeah, it was the ACL.

[@CHUNKYNUGGET666]

Wearing my downhill knee guards, I predicted this issue and you cemented it, cheers👍

[@oldretireddude]

Ok, I have no expertise on this. Just a question/observation. In professional motorcycle races, it seems that when I see riders walking around, suited up, they have sort of an ape-like stance. Their legs are not straight. Your demo of the brace appeared to be pretty straight. Any chance, that if your leg had been unable to straighten out, would your leg have buckled instead of pogo-sticking, as you put it, in the straight position?

[@danicooke346]

Maybe a knee brace that always kept a slight bend in the knee would be the best of both worlds? That way you would get protection for acl injuries, whilst still allowing the knee to do its job and let the leg flex to absorb impacts. I don’t ride dirt bikes so I don’t know if that would be bad…

[@rikk989]

Super helpful and apprecaite the information on your the braces and your accicident. Glad you have recovered.

[@wcbessinger]

Something to keep in mind, so thanks for that. Definitely a lot of variables at play and to consider here. Personally, I think knee braces are way overkill for casual trail riding and knee pads will do just fine; as far as semi hard to hard enduro is concerned I'd probably go with the brace instead. Dunno... kind of hard to gage sometimes. I think psychology definitely plays a role in the choice you end up making as well, probably negatively too since you can become too lax as far as being mindful of what you do with your legs while pelting through the woods is concerned, because, you know, I'm braced up like Megatron, so what could possibly go wrong! In my personal experience there isn't much of a leap from confidence to carelessness, so you have to be careful to keep yourself mindful of what you do on the bike, tons of protection or not. Hell, maybe ride like you would when you don't have any protection, despite being armoured to the gills, but then again that probably swings the pendulum too far to the other side. Find a balance between protection and your mental state perhaps? Haha... Anyway... thanks for the info. Take care.

[@scrapmanindustries]

There were studies of college hockey players and a big debate about face masks. They called it the gladiator effect where people with a mask would put them selves in riskier situations then if they did not have a mask. Example, harder checks, stopping shots, ect.

[@jimblessinger]

I have the exact same X-Ray. 2" of bone was vacuumed out and replaced with bone putty. Mine was because I didn't wear a brace. That was at age 50 (Desert Racer). I was bed ridden for 6 months and 1.5 years later I had the bug again and after research, knee brace would be the only way to ride again. I've been riding since and I'm 68 years old.

[@MichaelAbramo]

Thankfully, I have not had a knee or leg injury. I used to ride with POD K4 braces but eventually moved to the Leatt 3DF Knee+Shin guard. I admit that decision was partially influenced by Ryan Hughes. I believe one of the most important things any rider can do to keep their legs and knees safe is to keep their feet on the pegs at all times. No leg out. So I diligently practice keeping my feet on the pegs in all scenarios and it ultimately is not only safer but faster and you save energy. This is not a comment on your injury, just a general message to anyone who might read this comment. I ride enduro pretty much exclusively and I race 24+ events per year. Feet on the pegs!

[@colbyprince9409]

I'm brand new and trying to understand.. so if you get "squirrely" like he did, rather than put your foot out, you should just try and weight the outside peg and counter steer and hope for the best, and potentially land on your hip and side?

[@MichaelAbramo]

@@colbyprince9409 It's difficult to analyze his crash because of the limited footage and viewing angle but basically yes. Counter steer, grip with your knees even tighter than you were to stabilize your body, and throttle it out. Again, we can't really get a good look at his crash from his footage and I don't really want to try to dissect his crash or what caused his injury. I am not a medical expert. And like he said, his foot slipped off the peg and didn't intentionally put his leg out. Check out AJ Catanzaro's videos on riding with your feet always on the pegs.

[@kirkul1]

Thank you for sharing the info, i started smiling right away when u said that u will be wearing LEATT DUAL AXXIS, because i bought the same one a few months ago

[@RDTengineered]

Knee brace wearing guy. Before I had knee braces I twisted my knee and had lateral force enough to cause issue walking at the event and for a few days. I was about to race my ISDE qualifiers so I ended up with EDGE knee braces(lower tier sub company of cti) to band-aid my injury. I tested with the braces and spent a few days adjusting and thinking of the what ifs. I ended up setting the hypertension lockout aggressively early. I found that if the brace was set to allow my knee very close lockout that during a ride small brace shifts and/or the misalignment of putting it on would end up letting my knee lock. On top of that when the knee locked out and then if the brace hinge was not perfectly aligned to the knees hinge point it was harder than normal to initiate bending. This didn't happen all the time only when tolerances of putting it on and it's movement when riding stacked up just wrong. I found that having the brace limit early kept this from happening. I qualified and raced ISDE with them no issues there. I did my worst injury while wearing braces and they did contribute to the location of the injury. I got hit midair at a motocross and came down under the frame of a bike. The frame tube was on top of my boot on top of the brace on my lower leg just before the end of the brace. Snapped my tibia and fibula. Maybe it would not have snapped without brace, maybe my knee would have been screwed. I didn't have to have the bones set. Just had to wait to heal...a long time. Would have tib-fib broken than a mangled knee. I would while hearted agree that a brace could make a specific crash worse. I would further say that settings and mounting misalignment or shifts during riding does make a larger range of crashes worse. Definitely a catch 22. Can a good brace setup save a knee. I would say yes. Are there more chances for equipment failure when adding a brace to your equipment, yes. All that said. I don't think I would ever use a single sided brace. Doesn't pass my engineering background.

[@64maxpower]

Glad to hear someone validate what i feel. Except it tragic that you got hurt badly

[@ricardofabia]

I think what caused the fracture was the fact that the brace allowed you into full extension. If the brace had a limiter and provided a continuous slight bend at the knee your fracture probably wouldn't have occurred. That said depending on the force your foot hit the ground you could have sustained either the same or other injuries. My point being, I don't think the brace "caused" the injury, and in fact it may have prevented a more complex injury, but its setup probably could have been better to offer more protection. I believe that it still provides more stability than not having it, especially against lateral and twisting forces. A lot of assumptions I know, "could, should, would" doesn't solve the problem. I just hope that your healing continues and you're back there enjoying yourself soon.

[@arcoshpl]

I had the same idea with the limiter. A lag that is completely stretched out is very fragile. Should a brace be setup Thet it's limit the knee to be streched up to 90%?

[@ricardofabia]

@Adam K Something like that. When you're standing on the pegs you should keep a small bend anyway.

[@BFAMOTO]

Braces or standard pads…either way there is no substitute for leg muscle strength, joint flexibility, and proper stretching before rides. I think it’s important to be realistic about your physical state/condition (especially as we age) and ride accordingly…regardless of the type of protective gear chosen. We ask too much of the gear and often overlook the reality of our own bodies. I run both Leatt Dual Axis standard pads and Asterisk Carbon Cell braces. For me, I like to have options to choose from depending on how I am feeling and type of riding.

[@joeschmid6028]

I'm Glad you're doing better - I wonder if slamming your foot down with a Single Hinge Brace transmitted a Freak Pressure Spike to one side of your leg ? I run dual hinges braces - I love Rails on each side of my legs, along with catchers cups for my knee caps. I won't ride without them... It seems to me Dual Hinge braces absorb all Hits more evenly and uniformly up & down your leg. I looked at those Knee guards you mentioned, they have a little more Give. I would still pay more for dual rail braces and Not Tighten them down to much - I've heard of guys with Tight Fitting knee braces snapping leg bones - My braces are securely cinched down with a little "Give"- For elbows I run soft elbow guards with hard cups inside - I had to cut out a foam panel on top to allow blood flow... Keep Riding Dude - Its better to break bones than to tear soft tissue of any Kind -

[@hanselito2416]

Hopefully a full recovery by now. Thank you for the product review

[@kawboy250F]

Sympathy for your injuries, it's probably something you will manage the rest of your life 20 years later mine still has bad days. That said can't blame knee braces for that injury, maybe that particular brace, as I dnt like the design only having one hinge. My first knee injury was w no braces and required 7.5 hours of surgery to repair shredded ACL torn mcl partially torn pcl broken cartilage. 2nd and 3rd occurred w braces partially torn mcl. I've caught my foot/leg in positions many times im confident would have resulted in injury without them. I won't do any serious riding without them. I also set the hyper-extension stops to max so I'm well from going full straight leg.

[@amyandreleblanc3673]

I also broke my Tibia plateau. I was riding a CRF450 but no knee protection. I think the injury depends on the type and direction of impact. I don't think my injury would be different even if I would have been wearing a knee brace. Thanks for the videos. Keep'em coming.👍

[@gianniiacopini9864]

I'm sorry for the whole thing. I had a similar injury (the x-ray looks exactly like mine with all the screws/bracket..) I did brokethrough my tibial plateau by slipping my foot down the peg. I don't know man: I had normal knee protectors and I didn't broke any ligament; I broke meniscus and I cracked my femour on the side, instead. 2 surgerys with the 2nd for meniscus, to "clean" the knee and remove the hardware. I was 49 and it wasn't easy.

[@technoking8386]

Braces are for after loss of stability due to a knee injury and not as a preventative measure as far as I know. Also, people naturally can have normal hyperextension up to 15 degrees at the knee.

[@tjmumu]

Appreciated for you sharing the painful story. You will be back to track in no time, and be stronger. Cheers

[@toodanderson351]

My father had a head on collision with another rider on a desert trail. Both 450s in 5th gear. He had on a similar style hinged carbon evs brace. The other bike hit his knee and the left side of the engine, completely caving in the head and cylinder. The other bikes front wheel lost every single spoke. He had a hairline fracture in the top of the tibia and a ruptured acl. Without the brace, he would have lost the leg. Although there still can be injuries, they always can be much worse without the best protection. There is a reason that these braces are used by all the pros.

[@derekmachfx]

I use the Leatt Dual Axis knee pads, and love them. Very comfortable to wear out all day, and they don't move around on you.

[@rimshot223]

I would say keeping your braces adjusted to keep the knee from going to full extension would help this. If your knee is allowed to go to the lock position this would have happened with, or without a brace. If it’s kept from full extension it probably would have bent to absorb the impact which would have kept the fracture from occurring. Just my 2 cents. I’ll keep wearing my mobius braces. They have saved me too many times.

[@Sergeant898]

I agree. I'm betting he doesn't know how to properly set up the braces and is looking for something to blame. The knee should not be able to lock straight without significant resistance. MX racers have a knee bend when cornering in ruts for a reason.

[@mint_au]

Exactly mate, it makes no sense to have it setup like the way he did. I have mine so my knee is unable to fully extend even when I try and kick like a ball or something, feels awkward to walk around but rather that than be like this muppet who doesn't know how to setup his knee braces correctly then blame the knee braces even though, "he spent hours adjusting them" yeah right mate, if you spent the time to adjust them properly and read up about them you wouldn't have had that bad of an injury.

[@twosencefromcleveland6084]

@@mint_au You made a good comment, but why be so insulting to the guy. It's not helpful to anyone and karma can be cruel...

[@mx75david12]

I own the same knee braces that were worn during this injury so I'm interested about this type of knee injury. What was not very clear to me with this clip was how the knee braces were instrumental to cause or increase the injury. Hope you have a complete recovery!

[@calsportsclub]

because as he said he had it set so his own knee could fully extend to max and the brace was set to stop there, Thats the mistake and should be set to stop just before full extension - oops.

[@ahsnap9103]

I started wearing braces after a traumatic hyperextension plateau tibia break with bone graft and plates and screws. The burned bone from grinding will never leave your memory. 🔥 It's up to each rider to choose the protection according to their needs and beliefs because of difference of opinion with proof on both sides. imo Story usually is injury would have happened no matter if you had braces or not.

[@jamesmartens7273]

Broke my tibia plateau on my bike, too. Surgery X-rays looks almost identical to yours. 8 screws and plate. Can’t say for sure my knee brace was or was not responsible, but the rehab was intense. Glad you’re doing better. Confidence definitely comes back with time.

[@Traillesstaken]

had the same break in my left leg, do to a tractor accident I walk with a limp now and I am always in pain, The Dr. said that I can not run anymore. I have tried several things to help with the jolts example leaping jumping off the steps etc etc., Even when I am at stop lights and my left leg is down I can feel my left leg shaking as I try an steady the bike. 2010 Ultra limited, that I hardly ride now due to the weight of the bike. they are a night and day difference in my left an right leg, I honestly dont think I could ever do enduro riding, and def no motocross stuff, I recently got a KLR 650 that i plan to ride offroad but nothing like single track or anything like that, for me it is just simple dirt roads the kind you would take your grandmother down in a station wagon dirt roads. lol . I hope you are back to top shelf and dont have the trouble out of your leg as me.

[@oldmanjimbomiller1713]

I got a TPF in Sept of 2020. Same deal. Greatest year of my life. 59 at the time. Riding like crazy. Bounced off a tree and fell off my 500 at 15 miles an hour and hyper-extended it all the way. I have a pic of the bottom of my hyper-extended legs', boot sole from my gopro on my chin. 2.5 years of recovery so far. healing from a partially de laminated artery, nerve damage and plate and pins my knee, it sux. 12 weeks on crutches at age 60 is no fun. Then it flared up arthritis in my good knee. I bought braces and wear them whenever I ride. But the flexibility in that knee is not good and it can be painful to ride much. It has pushed me into DS now. It is going to be hard to give up the woods, but it is what i should do. But probably wont completely. I will still wear the braces.

[@nashedpotatoes7687]

Coming from someone who tore all 4 legiments completely I would have absolutely preferred that I would have broke my femur. 6 years later I struggle every day with my knee, having issues with the popping out, dislocating on a pretty regular basis. I’m currently 21, the injury happened when I was 16. I’ve had the ACL repaired since that surgery and I am now on the waiting list to get another surgery done on the same knee. I honestly think in your case you were very unlucky. In my case my legiments gave out rather than breaking anything (I wasn’t wearing knee braces) I get bone pain sucks, I’ve broken many bones in my life. But severe legiment damage absolutely sucks. My knee will never ever be what it was, and with all the internal damage and wear because of the injury I’ll need a replacement by the time I’m 40. I don’t know if braces would have made my situation any better, but I wear them now because my knee physically can’t do strenuous activities without them.

[@beverlyboys73]

I blew my knee out just getting up from kneeling down. After surgery and rehab, I picked up the same type of knee braces. I wore them for the first few months back riding. Now I feel like it's overkill with more potential for injury. I am most likely gonna leave them in the gear bag from now on. Thank you for your video.

[@connorallen5150]

Hey man, feel how you will about knee braces, but I think I'm going to invest in a pair once im recovered from similar injuries as you. I pogo'ed my leg just like you two months ago. Tibial spine fracture, fibula fracture, and miniscus tear. I was wearing zero knee protection at the time, and that has led me to have the opposite thoughts as you. Would I have been okay if I just put on my braces? Who knows, but I think I'll wear them from now on.

[@itjobhunter]

I ride in the rocks, in the Rockies, and wear Mobius X8's. I wear them everywhere else I ride as well, and have no idea when/if they have "saved my knees", but I use my body offensively (because I'm a poor rider! LOL!), and often shoulder and knee check rocks/trees/etc; and the Mobius braces give me SO much more physical protection from all aspects of hard enduro riding! They might be adding to my aggression though, do to less fear of injury, so guards can affect the rider psychology - and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. Either way, I need the full impact/injury protection that a brace offers, and understand that any prosthetic is by default, shifting some mechanical burden onto other body parts around the supported joint. Knee braces are no exception. Ride on brother!!

[@marciocampos7360]

As an old timer it always surprised my the usage of knee braces for riders with perfect knees! Knee protection is good but braces only if prescribed by a doctor and even with that I am not convinced…

[@marciocampos7360]

The original were CTI knee braces…

[@SquidWithGear]

Silly video. I'm not sure you quite understand how a knee works and what a knee brace does.

[@PopeJohnPwnII2]

I’ve torn all 4 ligaments in a knee, damaged the cartridge etc, it’s been 8 years since that accident and my knee is nowhere near what it was. Still don’t have flexion, still constant pain, and it was 3 surgeries total to put it back together. 1. I doubt your injury was cause by the brace, they happen lots without the brace. 2. Without the brace your knee could’ve ended up significantly worse than it was. FYI tearing all 4 ligaments is a longer recovery time than a tibial plateau fracture, so be careful what you wish for.

[@MXKID34]

Knee braces for any type of motocross riding are a bad thing. They do 2 things well, stop hypertension and landing on your knees. These have been a debate for years (see Ryan Hughes vid on knee braces and kneck braces). I stopped using them for SX/MX many years back, and I've been one of the lucky ones to have not destroyed my knees. Broke both of my femurs, though. Stick with knee pads, I've been using the Pastrana 199's and love them. Take care and glad to hear you're still riding, braaaaaaap

[@Ballantin]

Late comment.I am not a medical expert and this is just my opinion, based in my own experience and what doctors have told me about this topic. Knee braces are not for healthy knees. They are supposed to help people that already have some short of knee problem or injury, like torn ACL. And not all the braces are the same and can be used for all injuries. You probably protected your ACL (that did not need extra protection) at the expense of your bone. I do wear a knee brace because without it there are certain movements that I simply cannot do or will result in a re-injured knee almost certainly.

[@tarrevizsla9543]

Your X-rays could be mine from a while back. I find it ironic that I was thinking knee braces/pads might have helped me. I was in a low speed wobble that threw me off the bike and I landed on the pavement on my right knee and shattered my tibular plateu in to, I think, 9 pieces (thankfully no tendon injury). At the same time the handle bars snapped back and cracked my left wrist. So a walkee with a shelf on it since my wrist was non-load bearing. I dont know if knee pads would have helped and my situation was not the same as yours but the outcome seems very close. Also your big bone comment is on point.

[@MattKritzstein]

Nice job on how you addressed Leatt as a company, didn't try to soil their name or say their product failed. Not the typical social media/soap box, KZbin approach. I do not own any Leatt gear personally, but thought that was decent of you to not bash them for trying to make products to help keep us safer.

[@roystewart4482]

Very sorry to hear about your accident, this type of surgery you will like feel some effects for the rest of your life. Off-road riding comes with a fairly high degree of risk for injury especially if you throw competition into the loop. There are also numereoud videos on KZbin where leg braces, neck braces have saved people from very serious injury. I wear full body armour and still know there is a risk of injury. In my senior years, I don’t engage in competitons or try to keep up with younger folks or have them try to “egg me on: - I play at my own game and have lots of fun, I realize this is not for everyone. Keep riding!!

[@beetlecrushe]

I broke mine while having no knee protection, funny thing was it never hurt! I do wear knee guards and have had several similar offs to the one that broke my tibia plateau, the guards have saved further injury. I tend to agree that the braces may be too rigid and transfer forces that a knee guard does not.

[@mtscott]

You did well to finish the race with that break. Adrenalin must have been pumping through the body! That injury might have happened with or without a brace. Was it a pile-driver into the ground with a straight leg? The brace is not 100% locked to the leg so there is always some play before protection kicks in. Knee pad: helps for direct knee impact. Falls, trees etc. Brace: side and hyper extension support and direct knee impact. Basically it’s a knee pad with side support. Brace should theoretically be better than a pad. I only use pads as my riding is not that aggressive.

[@vadimosipov6461]

Ouch... I just got the Leatt X-Frame, not a cheap purchase. Coming out of same Leatt knee pad/guard that you showed last, thought that it would be an improvement... Now you've got me thinking.

[@pepejuan781]

😬🙄🤔🤔

[@tristanvanovermeeren3492]

I had the same brace, quality of leatt is very bad …. Aluminium screws (with blue locktite) damage the thread that hold the brace in one piece on the side and they say the carbon part will break when they under allot of stress. Try Mobius x8 , like it very much. Not as heavy as leatt braces and less parts that will give up on you.

[@jonmyers1697]

If you wear the braces again adjust them so you can’t lock your leg straight. Make sure there’s a very slight bend in it. That way if you jam your leg like you did it will bend and not transfer all the energy into your knee. I had a tibial plateau fracture also but mine happened from a side ways bend.

[@moto2103]

I went through a tibial plateau fracture this year also wearing POD braces. I’ve had a lot of conversations with sports focused knee specialist, different knee surgeons and I can confidently say with a better understanding of how the knee joint is SUPPOSE to function I disagree with this. Your knee is suppose to move in a straight motion from 0 degrees to 120 of flexion and extension. The brace keeps it from involuntarily side to side movements which the knee is not designed to do. A TP fracture happens mostly from a straight down impact that causes your femur to impact your tibia and the weaker of the two breaks. Usually from having your knee straight instead of bent. No piece of equipment can prevent a TP fracture, but you can help by keeping you knees bent when possible. Even after going through the same injury (along with an MCL tear) I’m still wearing knee braces. That’s just my choice though. I would talk to a knee specialist and make your own decisions!

[@infidelmat]

I'm all about guard type impact protection, but no bracing. The load has to go somewhere, and when leverage is involved things get spooky and unpredictable. The neck braces have the same issue in redistributing load into a different catastrophic injury that the body may never normally experience. Of course the industry studies and testing will bias to better than nothing, but when the high level riders start dropping their use because they see the anecdotal evidence all the time.

[@Johnhealey-]

I did a similar injury. Flipped my KTM( same model as yours ) at walking speed. Came off the back and landed on both feet and did the ACL and Tibia Fib . Rode out for an hour. Knee blew up. Hurt like a bitch once the adrenaline wore off. Cost 30k plus rehab to fix. 2 years on its still shit. No knee braces. Was going to buy a pair of expensive ones the week before the injury.

[@codymitchell6238]

My orthopedic surgeon did not recommend knee braces. Said when things go bad, they go real bad. Including broken femur which can be fatal. So I decided not to wear them.

[@5801160052086]

LOL, i broke both tibia and fibula just below my knee, by hitting my leg with my fist. Im a paraplegic after huge offroad bike racing accident 35 years ago. So i was now getting into my car, leg got stuck in the process, so i just kept pounding it with my fist. The following day i went to hospital and had it all plated up

[@MrKontekst]

Riding only with braces, some good quality ones like CTi's. They save a lot of time on PT after surgeries. But every rider picks his equipment so wear anything you feel safe and comfortable.

[@DuncanJimmy]

Thanks for warning us of the hazards. Everything has pros and cons, so it's good to know well-researched gear can avoid some serious injuries down the road. Great to hear you're fighting fit again.

[@jfratis9081]

The dual axis have probably fallen apart by now. The straps stretch out to incredible lengths in a short amount of time. I found that they stay strapped on better if you take the plastic buckle part off and simply wrap the strap around your leg the required 10 times and tuck the velcro end under against your sock. The hinge also breaks. i did a low speed flop practicing sandy corners and barely landed on my knee and its been sore for 2 weeks. I also have a permanent mark on the inside of my right knee from where the sweat-hardened hinge pad is grinding on my skin. ive ordered the z frames. at least the straps are replaceable.

[@phillismable6303]

I did the same Tibia Platue injury in Thialand, my ACL was destroyed and didn't have braces on, ended up with 6 breaks and 12 adhesions. 4 operatons later and I'm all good again.

[@simDIY1981]

Feel your pain buddy. Thanks for the video and being honest. Wish you the best!! Have 3 bolts in my ankle and a broken fibula. After 9 days off touring in dense heat, not eating and resting enough and enjoying the life I ended up In a ditch. At a slow 25km/h because I was daydreaming... The bike of 270kg straight on the leg and done. I am 42 and always been an athlete and never broken anything. This injury is changing how am thinking about all this.

[@tysonheater7506]

I had a similar experience, only the exact opposite of yours. I ride track, and I was using the Leatt knee guards you just got and dabbed my foot in a corner without failing and tore my ACL, miniscus fractured the Tib/ Femur plateau and stained some other ligaments. I did a lot of research and decided on the POD K4. Since they are poly and not carbon, they have more flex and give a little more. I was always anti knee brace, and now I wear them every ride. 😅

[@mikaeljonsson2078]

Against lateral knee damage, braces seem to make sense. I've tried that type of damage once, and it sucked. Not as much shearing of important bones in the knee joint, but still.. It took me a full year to recover, even though I was in fairly good shape before it happened. However, making braces too rigid, is perhaps stupid. The leg can flex a little in all directions, so maybe it's better to think "force distribution", to not concentrate the impact force to one single point.

[@N8z14]

Had the exact same braces as you. Never had a knee injury but due to many other injuries wanted to go above and beyond and protect my knees. I went from never having a knee issue to getting knee sprains. Dumped the bike 2 times. Never landed on my knee but first time ended up. With a minor mcl sprain. Second time laid over on the right side and high speed. Never hit my knee but ended up with a sprain on my right patella tendon. Switched to knee guards. I'll never wear them again. I think the issue is no matter what you do, do to skin and muscle your legs will always slightly twist in the brace and your knee joint doesn't move naturally due to following the range of motion of the brace. Just my 2 cents. I've got amazing knee braces in new condition for sale now.

[@dicksonfranssen]

It was the Honda CT70 that kept me watching. As kids we wore nothing more more than helmets and gloves, Hand protectors on the bars weren't even invented yet. How am I still alive? Now I want back in and my wife is all for it but when a new Shoei is more than a cheap TV you know times have changed. My body is an orthopedic mess so for me it's a kidney belt, leathers, skateboard wrist protectors and boots. Knee braces go towards our mortgage. That guy holding up the trophy for third place in D class cross country will be me. My first real "injury" was my mom beating me on the helmet with a wooden spoon for staying out late on my 125 enduro. Thanks for the well done research.

[@RideFishHunt]

I wear KTM 3 strap knee guards. I have had them for probably over 10 years. I never even wanted knee braces. I have known about them, but I never even looked into them. Glad I didn't. Hopefully your knee gets back to normal.

[@edwardvanwormer6993]

Ryan Hughes has multiple videos about the issues with knee and neck braces.He makes a great case I'm glad to hear you are doing better.

[@welovecheshirecats4557]

All surgeons will say it's better to break bones rather than ligaments. I think its something like only 30% of ligament surgery work and the rest never restore the ligament to its original state. Bones generally heal stronger than before the break. We all think our injury is the worst as we are the ones dealing with it. Ive snapped both doing snowboarding and motocross and my bones are stronger than ever, my ligaments still give me issues almost daily 10 years later. Im not telling anyone to wear them but i literally have to give up motocross due to ligament damage.