Should the Bengals force their OL, DTs, and Joe Burrow wear knee braces to try to prevent knee injuries or at least turn potentially serious injuries into minor ones?

The Patriots for years have been requiring their OL to wear knee braces. After Brady got his knee blown out, he's worn a knee brace ever since at Robert Kraft's express request.

Jonah Williams
Trey Hopkins
Joe Burrow
O'Shea Dugas
Ryan Glasgow
Ryan Glasgow (again)
Rod Taylor
Adolphus Washington
Andre Smith
Andrew Billings
Brandon Thompson

That's the OL, DTs, and Burrow that have finished the season with knee injuries the last 5 seasons. That's not including the guys who got hurt for a couple weeks in the beginning/middle or even were just dinged up that potentially could have been prevented.

I'm not saying that it's a cure, or even that it'll make a huge difference. I'm just saying maybe they need to think about it. A lot of colleges mandate them for practice and games. I know there's been some NFL teams that mandate them for practice but not games. I just knew that the Patriots have done it for their OL for years now.

Would it limit Burrow’s mobility at all? The guys on the OL should probably be wearing them at the very least.

From what I understand, braces limit mobility (not a ton, and generally in ways that would've potentially gotten someone injured) and result in "compensation" issues. If you're talking about the knee, if the brace is keeping you from blowing the knee out because you're at an odd angle, then it's transferring that pressure to other parts of your leg.

But, it provides stability and can prevent an injury.

For me, I'd much rather them wear a brace, as it seems like every year we lose somebody to a knee injury.

(02-16-2021, 11:47 PM)Benton Wrote: From what I understand, braces limit mobility (not a ton, and generally in ways that would've potentially gotten someone injured) and result in "compensation" issues. If you're talking about the knee, if the brace is keeping you from blowing the knee out because you're at an odd angle, then it's transferring that pressure to other parts of your leg.

But, it provides stability and can prevent an injury.

For me, I'd much rather them wear a brace, as it seems like every year we lose somebody to a knee injury.

When I played Semi-Pro ball, most of the linemen wore knee braces.  The ones that maintained their lateral and pulling ability did a lot of extra hip mobility work.  Learning to pick the foot up, and pivot the leg from the hip, rather than leaning and relying on flex at the knee.

(02-16-2021, 11:55 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: When I played Semi-Pro ball, most of the linemen wore knee braces.  The ones that maintained their lateral and pulling ability did a lot of extra hip mobility work.  Learning to pick the foot up, and pivot the leg from the hip, rather than leaning and relying on flex at the knee.

I think that's the thing. Some guys can use the hips and feet to compensate, others can't. Hips and feet are generally what I look for in linemen first (second is overall size). Guys who can't use their hips well can still be good blockers, but I think it forces more wear and tear on shoulders knees and ankles because their relying on them for leverage more than an adaptive core.

The science on if the braces actually prevent the injuries is debated last I read on it.

They shouldn't be forced to wear anything outside of the NFL mandated gear.

(02-17-2021, 01:32 AM)bfine32 Wrote: They shouldn't be forced to wear anything outside of the NFL mandated gear.

It is the teams decision.  If the team thinks it is best for the players then they have to do it.   Just like players don't get to decide what type of exercises or drills are best for them.

(02-17-2021, 02:18 AM)fredtoast Wrote: It is the teams decision.  If the team thinks it is best for the players then they have to do it.   Just like players don't get to decide what type of exercises or drills are best for them.

The other side of the coin is that it's the player's decision whether they want to sign or resign here and being forced to wear a brace that they don't want to can be a big sticking point.

(02-17-2021, 12:24 AM)Benton Wrote: Hips and feet are generally what I look for in linemen first (second is overall size).

And what bfine looks for in his women, too. 

(02-16-2021, 09:37 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Should the Bengals force their OL, DTs, and Joe Burrow wear knee braces to try to prevent knee injuries or at least turn potentially serious injuries into minor ones?

The Patriots for years have been requiring their OL to wear knee braces. After Brady got his knee blown out, he's worn a knee brace ever since at Robert Kraft's express request.

Jonah Williams
Trey Hopkins
Joe Burrow
O'Shea Dugas
Ryan Glasgow
Ryan Glasgow (again)
Rod Taylor
Adolphus Washington
Andre Smith
Andrew Billings
Brandon Thompson

That's the OL, DTs, and Burrow that have finished the season with knee injuries. That's not including the guys who got hurt for a couple weeks in the beginning/middle or even were just dinged up that potentially could have been prevented.

I'm not saying that it's a cure, or even that it'll make a huge difference. I'm just saying maybe they need to think about it. A lot of colleges mandate them for practice and games. I know there's been some NFL teams that mandate them for practice but not games. I just knew that the Patriots have done it for their OL for years now.

Nah....  If a player or team doctor feels its a need then they should wear them outside of that no.

My initial worry is how would this affect the players running a wide zone run blocking scheme?
If the expectation is for the OL to have good mobility to execute the scheme, the knee braces may negatively impact that.

These new knee braces are not that restrictive at all. Many colleges require their O-linemen to wear them.

(02-17-2021, 10:46 AM)Whatever Wrote: The other side of the coin is that it's the player's decision whether they want to sign or resign here and being forced to wear a brace that they don't want to can be a big sticking point.

And skill players will be more attracted to teams that will have healthy O-linemen.

(02-17-2021, 12:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote: And skill players will be more attracted to teams that will have healthy O-linemen.

and nothing screams healthy OL like a bunch of knee braces?

Pretty much all the NFL linemen should be used to wearing them from their college days. I don't see the issue. Latest article I read was that 100% of D-1 schools require them for practice, and a huge percentage require their players to wear them during games.

Studies pretty consistently show that braces can be beneficial to players on the Oline and Dline where side impacts to the knee are more common.

"Bracing might be beneficial in contact sports with many lateral or medial impacts, whereas sports with rotational moments on the knee or anterior impacts might be safer without a brace."

But for skill position players where rotation of the knee is more crucial, they can have a more negative impact on mobility. 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2325967118805399

(02-17-2021, 12:36 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: and nothing screams healthy OL like a bunch of knee braces?

Yes.  Knee braces help keep them healthy.

(02-17-2021, 10:46 AM)Whatever Wrote: The other side of the coin is that it's the player's decision whether they want to sign or resign here and being forced to wear a brace that they don't want to can be a big sticking point.

As it would for an organization that wants to protect their investment and that player refuses, they might not want to sign or resign them

(02-17-2021, 02:18 AM)fredtoast Wrote: It is the teams decision.  If the team thinks it is best for the players then they have to do it.   Just like players don't get to decide what type of exercises or drills are best for them.

No they don't. They players have representation.