Adventure riding knee protection: pads, guards or braces?︱Cross Training Adventure

http://crosstrainingenduro.com Adventure riding knee protection: pads, guards or braces? How much knee protection do you need for adventure and dual sport riding? The answer will vary for everyone. The options? No knee protection at all. Knee pads. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. These are usually sewn into riding pants. Knee guards. Then finally... knee braces. We will look at the pros and cons of each. But first? Ensure you have have some knee protection! If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. Knee guards. These don't move around and provide much better protection, especially if they are long enough to provide shin protection as well. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. But don't be fooled by fancy looking knee guards. Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. Viewers often ask me if they should use knee guards or pay much more for knee braces. Torn ligament. Personally, I think knee pads sewn into your riding pants are the minimum requirement. But these don't always protect you. They can move around. When your leg is flexed or straight they might not cover your knee. Next? The answer will be different for everyone. Are you a sedate rider who mainly stays on roads and the occasional dirt road? Knee guards will probably be fine. Our ligaments and muscles get weaker with age so the risk of knee injury increases. Comfort is a very important factor. Knee braces are much less effective with loose straps. But tight straps can be uncomfortable especially in the sitting position. Custom knee braces can reduce this. I use the CTi custom braces which are very expensive but you barely notice them. See our video comparing knee guards and knee braces. What are the most common knee injuries Generally they won't actually provide more protection. Also beware of knee guards that claim to be knee braces. EVS are the worst offenders with these glorified knee guards. Any proper knee brace has four heavy duty straps to prevent hperextension of the knee. If there is only one upper strap then it's not a knee brace. Next? Knee braces are the best protection. They are extremely good at preventing hyperextension of the knee. And they can significantly reduce the chances of injury with side impacts and twisting. ? This research for off-road riders found that ACL injuries are the most common. Knee braces can halve the rate of injury. Body positioning. Develop your balance skills so you are less likely to put a foot down in rough terrain. Practice figure eights with full lock turns. Motorbike setup. Ensure your footpegs have plenty of grip. For taller riders, stock footpegs can sometimes be too small. I use the Fastway adventure footpegs which provide a huge platform for my big feet. But if you are an aggressive rider or you enjoy riding rough terrain then you may prefer knee braces. Age is important. Next is damage to the meniscus. Again, knee braces roughly halve the rate of injury. Third? The MCL and braces are 80% effective here. Interested in buying some knee braces? See our video about how to choose the best braces. What else can we do to reduce knee injuries? Some riders will extend their inside leg for aggressive cornering. Don't slide your boot along the ground. Keep your boot in the air to help stabilise the motorbike. Tall or short riders? Get the ergonomics of your motorbike sorted. See our relevant videos. Last year I was on a one week off-road tour. On the first morning a rider fell off at walking speed when his front wheel hit a rock. No knee protection. Fractured tibial plateau and knee surgery the next day. $7000 down the drain. A set of $30 knee guards would have prevented this. Second case? A brand new dirt rider asked me to show him some local trails, but he shows up without knee guards. I suggest this is quite risky but he says lets go ahead. 100 metres in, he crashes on this easy track, he hurts his knee and has to limp back home. In rough terrain, you should have knees slightly bent, ready to absorb impacts. Don't ride with completely straightened legs. And finally... fitness. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles and ligaments which can make a huge difference with preventing smaller knee injuries. Obesity also places extra stress on the knees. Lose that weight! For more tips, see our video about reducing knee injuries. I'm really keen to hear about your experiences. Any knee injuries? What sort of knee protection did you have? What are you using now? Let us know in the comments. So the Cross Training Adventure focus is just get out there and have fun on two wheels.

Our enduro channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrossTrainingEnduroSkills
Our trials channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MOTOTRIALSTRAININGTECHNIQUES
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#dualsportbikes

Видео Adventure riding knee protection: pads, guards or braces?︱Cross Training Adventure канала Cross Training Adventure