All-Star All About Acl Braces

I presume your doctor is recommending surgery? From my daughter's experience, you don't rehab a torn ACL, you support it to try to prevent further damage until surgery. She waited until summer to have the surgery but she was done with basketball. I don't remember exactly, but i think my daughter's brace was about $1,000. I'm sorry you have had this happen.

aggie1983 said:

I presume your doctor is recommending surgery? From my daughter's experience, you don't rehab a torn ACL, you support it to try to prevent further damage until surgery. She waited until summer to have the surgery but she was done with basketball. I don't remember exactly, but i think my daughter's brace was about $1,000. I'm sorry you have had this happen.

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Yeah Im getting surgery, I meant post surgery rehabing exercises lol.
1k? Greattt. Can you buy them used? lol

Eh ish happens

The problem with used is that you are measured and fitted for this type of brace - or at least my daughter was. But I am NO expert, my only experience is with my daughter and she really tore up her knee - ACL, MCL and meniscus. Which may mean her brace was more involved (and expensive maybe) than the norm. Sorry about my confusion earlier, but I actually knew a girl that was trying to avoid ACL surgery all together, couldn't, but managed to mess up her knee worse in the meantime. Good luck.

A real "functional acl brace" like a DonJoy does need to be fitted so you cannot use a used one. Also...when my daughter was first fitted for hers she still had not built up all the muscle back in her leg so after a few months her original brace no longer fit right and she needed to be refit. This was included in her cost (a free refit). Hers cost approx 1400.00 but most of that was covered by our insurance.

My CP tore her ACL a few years back, actually she tore both, but in different years. She got a specially measured DonJoy and only wore it for 2-3 weeks. My insurance paid for it, it was around $1,600.00. She changed to an adjustable hinged knee brace that was about $60.00 and use it for the cheerleading season.

moreoverthree said:

Yeah Im getting surgery, I meant post surgery rehabing exercises lol.
1k? Greattt. Can you buy them used? lol

Eh ish happens

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If you can get your doctor to prescribe it, your insurance should cover at least part of it. Since you're getting surgery, getting a brace is kind of necessary. My friend had to fight with his doctor to get a prescription for one since his is only partially torn and didn't require surgery.

moreoverthree said:

So I just tore my ACL and have been told I need to start budgeting for a brace since our insurance wont cover it.
So, a couple of questions for my fellow gimps on the board

How much did yours cost? Where did you get it? What style worked best for you? Any tips for rehabing an ACL and keeping it strong (Especially on twisting skills)?

And, WHERE CAN I GET ONE THIS FIERCE?!?!?!?!?!

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Tell your parents to look into using thier flexible spending account to cover your brace.

Please feel free to PM me. The "ACL" injury has been way to common in our industry. My gym has been working closely with a local Physical Therapy group to design a conditioning program to help prevent this injury. (I am working on a video that helps identify the weak muscles that need to be strengthened and the proper exercises to do) With that being said, I can put you in contact with our PT so that they can recommend the appropriate rehab work-out.

Before my surgery, my doctor prescribed me an "off the shelf" brace. it was like a small/medium/large size range if i can remember correctly. I used that while doing physical therapy before my surgery, and then after my surgery once I was out of the immobilizer. It was not functional at all for cheerleading, because it was huge, bulky, and heavy. I had to wear a sleeve underneath so it wouldn't slide, and a soft brace on my other knee to keep it from bruising when i cheered.

After my surgery, when the swelling was gone and my muscles were finally back to a normal size, I got a DonJoy. I met with a rep and he took molds of my leg and did measurements etc. Since it is custom made, it fits so well and isn't bulky. They also made it shorter for me (something commonly done for skiing) he also handed me a book of colors, and I wanted a pink one so badly but i knew my coaches would not be happy with a bright pink brace haha. I have a gold metallic one and it matched my uni and also didn't stand out too much on stage because its kind of close to flesh color.


I don't remember the exact cost, and I'm pretty sure my insurance covered most of it. But I will say it has been 5 years and I still use the brace when I work out. My knee is probably fine now, but I'm too scared to do anything without wearing it. so it was a good investment, in my opinion.

Ashley said:

If you can get your doctor to prescribe it, your insurance should cover at least part of it. Since you're getting surgery, getting a brace is kind of necessary. My friend had to fight with his doctor to get a prescription for one since his is only partially torn and didn't require surgery.

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Ill hafta do that. My insurance said they didn't cover braces, but it's through the hospital my dad works at so I imagine if it's prescribed they'll cover it. Thank you!

^^^ it's been almost 3 years since my daughter's surgery and she also continues to wear her brace during any strenuous activity: sports, hiking, etc. The extra support increases her comfort zone.

aggie1983 said:

^^^ it's been almost 3 years since my daughter's surgery and she also continues to wear her brace during any strenuous activity: sports, hiking, etc. The extra support increases her comfort zone.

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If you tear it once is retearing it more likely? ACEDAD

I tore my mcl acl and meniscuis 2 years ago from may. i paid 3,000 for my brace.

but insurance covered most of mine.