UKC

Hello,

I've been taking my dad bouldering recently and I'm looking to get him a gift he can use to ease the discomfort he feels oftentimes

A bit of background, my dad used to be a frequent climber who after a number of unrelated injuries and... well... life. Gave up climbing. I've recently gotten him back into the gym, but he often feels anxious when dropping off of the wall due to instability in his knee. I don't have all the details in my head, but I know the ligaments that stabilize his knee are all but gone. 

He usually uses a hinged knee brace which I've encouraged him to try, but he complains its awfully bulky and would limit his ability to move his knee whilst climbing. 

My question to you all is, has anyone experienced climbing with a knee brace? And if so, which knee brace would you recommend to be comfortable whilst climbing but also provide some stability to the knee to give my dad the confidence to climb without worrying about falling? 

Thanks

How about ropes climbing? Every fall is a groundfall in bouldering.

In terms of good supports, I rate boxing handwraps. They're stretchy and have their own velcro. I always have one in my bag just  in case. Never used on a knee but they're great on ankles. 

I’ve got an issue with my right knee, I find it best to strap it up with KT tape. I also climb down whenever I can. I’ve tried a knee brace but also found that too bulky. The other things I do are 1) Use a theragun 2) stretching 3) lists of strength work on the knee .. all of the 3 with guidance from a sports physio. Good luck to your dad from another aged cripple 😀 How about paying for a physio sesh as a Xmas pressie?

Your Dad probably shouldn't be bouldering with a wrecked knee. I and quite a few others I know have destroyed a perfectly good knee bouldering (I had to have my ACL surgically replaced), and not from highball heights either.  Top-roping is a far better way to go.

For pity's sake leave the old codger alone. All he wants to do is watch Bargain Hunt in his cardigan and you're pushing him into a gym! Get him some driving gloves for his Rover.

I know a few older climbers who normally just don't fall. They've dropped standards and accepted the end of 'going for it' (reversing if uncertain) and always downclimb. UK bouldering gyms are amazing these days at lower grades....in the bigger places you could be looking at fifty or more easier problems (below 5.6 in US money). We met a 75 year old woman really enjoying climbing for the first time in Loughborough Climbing Station.

I climb with a knee brace but I shouldn't. My advice is don't. I'm an idiot. My knee is not getting better. Get on ropes if you can. 

I'm not used to seeing problems that easy in US gyms, but it's not as if I've been to a whole lot.  If Pops can downclimb, I guess he's good to go.  I'm probably biased, since after rupturing my ACL on a very modest jump-down (not an uncontrolled fall at all), I gave up bouldering for the various genres of indoor and outdoor roped climbing---I haven't bouldered for ten years, but still am still trad leading (rarely more than VS) outside.  So I'm a 79 year old man really enjoying climbing (although not at all for the first time), but I don't fancy another surgery and rehab period at this late stage of life, and that would be even more true if I had an unstable knee to begin with!

I have knee problems and use elasticated knee supports when climbing giving some stability for my knees. I’m still bouldering as well as sport and some trad climbing regularly. I always try and climb down when bouldering at the wall. 

Hello Bryn

I am a physio 25 years experience....your dad shouldn't be bouldering with his knee, even with a brace. If he must boulder then he will have to stick to easier problems and ALWAYS downclimb and not jump. Best to top rope or lead climb.

I'm a father with knee injuries and I go bouldering, though I'm pretty careful about big falls.

How old is he? 

Good idea, he certainly could use something like that, just to help with stablising. I think its especially awkward landing on those mats because I can imagine its impossible to keep your leg straight. 

Thanks for the advice, he doesn't push himself ever. Would always downclimb where possible. Toproping isn't really an option for us, so I was looking for advice just to help with overall stability. I'm sure there's lots of things we 'shouldn't do' that we do against best advice anyway  

If we never did things we 'shouldn't do' we wouldn't have a whole lot of fun now would we? I'm certainly not going to be the one to tell him he shouldn't be climbing anyway. Thanks for the advice anyway, we sure try to take every precaution we can. 

Not a recommendation for your father as such or indeed to go bouldering, sorry.

I’ve used an older one of these for some sports including downhill skiing (I don’t have a functioning ACL, have OA, cartilage damage, so knee is generally unstable naturally) - https://www.healthandcare.co.uk/knee-supports-and-braces/033503_M.html?mscl... . Don’t think Thuasne sell that model any more though, but maybe something similar. The hindged brackets either side under pressure help to stop side movement and control general movement. Not that comfortable to wear for extended long periods though, and it’s quite warm I use, but effective for me for when I’ve needed support.

Climbing - I rarely ever boulder and never would be anything I can’t down climb; certainly no jumping down, ever. I do top rope, lead, and sport, but restrict level to what I expect my knee to cope with. Generally I don’t use knee supports for climbing as I believe in building up strength with use. 

I'm Bryn's dad, don't call me an old codger and I don't watch bargain hunt nor drive a rover lol.

I love climbing and spending time with my son, even tho he's a better climber than I am now, time spent at the climbing gym is fun.

I did love your comment tho

As Bryn's dad, there are a lot of things in life we shouldn't do, however risk is a part of life. Just to expand on my son's original post I have a complete ACl rupture, PCL, MCL AND LCL tears and the knee stability is for the most part fine. Yes I do use a knee support occasionally, however for my part the climb is psychological. There are some climbs in the gym I want to try, but fear as I can't down climb them.

However since having reconstruction (this has happened twice, 1st after a HALO jump accident, 2nd after playing rugby at a fairly high level), I've competed in strongman comps and Olympic weightlifting comps.

I go to the gym because I enjoy climbing and spending time with my son. Bouldering is easier for both of us of us to do on a week day evening. Yes I will never climb as hard as I did when I was his age, but we both enjoy it.

I do get twinges, if I land a tad awkward, but generally the issue, like I said is psychological and I think my son was hoping that by buying me a better knee support (more profile fitting) I could get over this issue.