Knee braces fact or fiction? 'What you brace makes you weaker' - Ryan Hughes︱Cross Training Enduro

Ryan Hughes says knee braces will make you weaker? Is this true? And what does he mean exactly? Over the past five years there has been a lot of debate about knee braces. Motocross rider Ryan Hughes claimed that what you brace only makes you weaker. Eight years ago I made an objective series about knee braces based on the latest research. So I am keen to see if there's any truth to his claims. So what does Ryan Hughes say about knee braces? Need hard enduro training? Work through our video lists. He says whatever you don't use, you lose. An immobilised joint simply becomes weaker. More specifically he seems to focus on interior and exterior knee rotation. Hard enduro techniques are covered in our training vids. He claims this is reduced by 30 to 40% which limits your efficiency and control of the motorbike. Ryan also claims that all knee brace starts to slide down and then the pivot point is in the wrong place. Ryan believes that if you feel comfortable and in control, you reduce the chances of crashing. And prevention is better than cure. Into enduro and dirt bikes? Check out our dirt bike videos. Extreme enduro training vids are our focus. No doubt Ryan Hughes is a legend when it comes to motocross. But there is a real danger that when you are an exceptional rider and have a public platform it's tempting to teach things in a black and white way. Apparently braces put you in such a dangerous uncoordinated inefficient position that crashes are 10 times more likely. He says human body works absolutely perfectly. So how can you go away from how it works. I think a lot of the controversy is because it looks as though Ryan is saying knee braces make your knees weaker. And of course this isn't true. Your muscles and ligaments are still working hard when wearing braces and there will be no atrophy. See this video for a full explanation. Can knee braces cause femur fractures? There is plenty of debate. There isn't a lot of evidence either way. And even the experts disagree and you can see in this video. I suspect that Ryan's message probably has some truth for motocross riders wanting to reach the highest levels. But I would urge everyone else to be very sceptical. And of course be sceptical of everything I say too. Do knee braces actually work? I uncovered some good research about this. The answer is generally yes. But you need to understand knee braces will only reduce the chances of injury to a certain extent. For example, they are great for preventing hyperflexion. But not so good with radial twisting. Like the Greek philosopher, Socrates, the more I learn the more I realise how little I know. As always, I'm keen to hear your thoughts. Let us know in the comments. I don't think he means this. If you are enduro riding get into our enduro training vids. Our dirt riding tips are great for developing your hard enduro skills. Lets look at some of his statements more closely. Is interior and exterior knee rotation reduced by up to 40%? I tried this movement wearing my CTi custom knee braces. I could not notice any difference. Ryan says all knee brace starts to slide down and then the pivot point is in the wrong place. This can happen if the braces aren't securely fastened. It might potentially happen if the brace wasn't positioned correctly or the straps were tightened in the wrong order. If you want extreme enduro training see our playlists of enduro skills to learn. Try our training vids for working on your extreme enduro techniques. I think he means you will be a weaker rider due to the alleged discomfort and restricted side-to-side movement. Or you simply don't have braces that fit well. But otherwise this is not a known issue with knee braces. Do you reduce your chances of crashing if you feel comfortable and in control? Definitely. But the majority of riders report they barely notice their knee braces once they start riding. The wrong braces can certainly be very uncomfortable. And if you have a leg that is very different to the norm then you may be uncomfortable unless you shell out the big dollars for custom-made braces. Are you less in control with knee braces? Ryan may have a point here. Professional motocross riders like Ryan are looking for every tiny advantage possible. If they do find knee braces feel restrictive or uncomfortable then it slightly lessens the chance of winning. Also pro level athletes will crash less often. And they will have some extra protection against knee injuries due to incredibly strong muscles and tougher ligaments and tendons. Cross Training Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJAvmhgP0h1AEKY8vTEJPJg Cross Training Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cross.training.enduro.skills/?ref=ts Our enduro vlog series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlur54ugvzNJlUO0y6D10jVOGMLI4Raci #crosstrainingenduro #enduro #hardenduro #extremeenduro