Knee brace suggestion after ACL reconstruction

AndresJB
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Location
Manizales, CAL, CO
Fantasy

Hello everyone!

Got an ACL graft reconstruction and minor stitches in the meniscus in Jan and now its time to get back  on the trails, but first wanted to know suggestions for a knee brace to race DH and Enduro?

Cheers!

|
11/5/2026 4:45pm

 

We got this one from Brace Direct. Daughter just did three DH races in it. Another racer recommended it to her after they were cleared to race after ACL reconstruction.

 Ossur CTi3 Knee Brace - Lightweight Carbon Fiber Ligament Support - L1845 L1852

https://bracedirect.com/collections/acl-mcl-injury-knee-braces/products/ossur-cti3-knee-brace-lightweight-carbon-fiber-ligament-support-l1845-l1852

 

1
11/5/2026 6:44pm

Möbius hand down for downhill 

11/5/2026 7:57pm
 We got this one from Brace Direct. Daughter just did three DH races in it. Another racer recommended it to her after they were cleared to...

 

We got this one from Brace Direct. Daughter just did three DH races in it. Another racer recommended it to her after they were cleared to race after ACL reconstruction.

 Ossur CTi3 Knee Brace - Lightweight Carbon Fiber Ligament Support - L1845 L1852

https://bracedirect.com/collections/acl-mcl-injury-knee-braces/products/ossur-cti3-knee-brace-lightweight-carbon-fiber-ligament-support-l1845-l1852

 

My insurance bought me one of these after my surgery very nice. I do use mobius for moto but the cti braces seem much nicer and more slim.

AndresJB
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Location
Manizales, CAL, CO
Fantasy
11/5/2026 9:38pm

Thanks for the replies guys, is it worth getting the custom one or the CTI 3 would work just as fine? 

EastCoastRox
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5
Joined
10/30/2014
Location
Houston, PA, USA
11/6/2026 3:58am

I used an Asterisk brace and it served me well.  That was a decade ago now though, so I'm not sure how things have progressed since then.

 

1
11/6/2026 4:10am Edited Date/Time 11/6/2026 4:11am

May be controversial but... If even Jackson and Jordan decided to wait one whole season after their surgeries to race, maybe you guys should too. I had surgery one year ago, but since 5-6 months in, I did not really have any problem riding. A brace wont save you if you crash enough to fuck it up anyways.

11/6/2026 4:11am

If however you dont get the surgery and have a busted ACL, then sure!

1
SylentK
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12/22/2009
Location
USA
11/7/2026 4:30pm
AndresJB wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys, is it worth getting the custom one or the CTI 3 would work just as fine? 

Custom CTI. For sure. I have one. 

The brace does wonders for aiding in stability which allows you to keep your form/technique, strength and mobility and maybe still on your bike and having fun. Some fun is better than no fun.

This was a while ago. I raced DH back then and skied a lot in winter. Was great. Actually it does kinda suck (wearing a brace that is, in general, if you've never done it), but I could still do all the things I wanted, to a limit. I had partially torn PCL. You don't want that. No surgery, but things have tightened up and pain is gone. 

 

Ob917
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101
Joined
11/23/2017
Location
Cardiff, CA, USA
1 day ago

My POD brace is way better than my custom CTI. Slimmer and lighter. I don’t use either for MTB, only moto. 

2
1 day ago Edited Date/Time 1 day ago

I think the brace is good for when you start riding more than flat terrain, but racing I think you dont need a brace if you properly healed.. mtb is not an impact shear twisting sport generally.. so the brace can help you when your acl is not there.. if you have a high impact dab while not fully recovered, the brace may not help at all in that situation.. in any case I used a POD ,not custom, could even use a lightish kneepad underneath, it was nice.

2
mcozzy
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35
Joined
7/14/2021
Location
GB
9 hours ago

POD mx knee brace for me a while back. Prevents hyper-extension & seems to provide lateral support. Perhaps more physiological? Im sure in a tumbling accident it wouldn't do that much. But anything that helps is a good thing.

AndresJB
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4/25/2024
Location
Manizales, CAL, CO
Fantasy
1 hour ago
Marcus J wrote:
May be controversial but... If even Jackson and Jordan decided to wait one whole season after their surgeries to race, maybe you guys should too. I...

May be controversial but... If even Jackson and Jordan decided to wait one whole season after their surgeries to race, maybe you guys should too. I had surgery one year ago, but since 5-6 months in, I did not really have any problem riding. A brace wont save you if you crash enough to fuck it up anyways.

You're right, but I'm crazy to start riding even if it's flowy trails, but don't want to take a risk. Cheers!

Zuestman
Posts
201
Joined
10/27/2014
Location
Seattle, WA, USA
51 minutes ago

having had multiple knee surgeries... reach out to your doctor to confirm your insurance has durable medical goods covered. they should be able to write a prescription for the CTI Custom brace. Takes a bit of time, but if you have any irregularities in the structure of your knee it will be key. I am a little knock-kneed so an off the shelf rigid brace does not work for me.  

Then, ride it for a while until the muscles strengthen but get off it when you can.  You will find it drastically limits your riding ability because you can't quite flex the way you want to. But... to start it is a great thing to have. The CTI custom (and donjoy) both have kneecups/shin guards that can work with them. which is much better than figuring out a kneepad on top of it. 

well worth it to start... but would recommend getting off them as soon as you can. If you want, watch some videos from Ryan Hughes (Ryno) about wearing braces in SX/MX. I think gypsy tales has a great podcast with him.

Simcik
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497
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8/1/2009
Location
Loma, CO, USA
22 minutes ago

I run PODs on the moto. The Mobius are much bigger and bulkier. I have not run them on the MTB but could see them being ok for DH and maybe enduro. Not sure I would want to pedal too much in them. 

Blake_Motley
Posts
299
Joined
11/14/2013
Location
Chula Vista, CA, USA
5 minutes ago

I have a custom fit Donjoy Defiance Pro I got after tearing my ACL last year. A little lower profile than the CTI though seems like everyone with a Donjoy never goes on to try a CTI and everyone with CTI never tries the Donjoy so they’re probably as good as one another. Full disclosure, I didn’t get surgery and just rehabbed the shit out of my knee. Do your rehab!

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