CDS knee brace enables man to walk in the great outdoors again

David M. was assessed by his Orthotist Mhairi Friel of the Foot and Leg Clinic in Glasgow and fitted with a CDS Knee Extension brace a few months ago, to help compensate for his quads weakness and to correct his knee hyperextension. This is his story:

“I have a background in exercise and knowledge base of sports science. I used to rock climb and was very adventurous. The increasing weakness in my quadriceps took a lot of my mobility away. The cause (as suggested by consultant neurologists at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital) is lower spine nerve damage, likely as it branches to the left leg. The weakness manifested in 1999 and within a few years, certainly by 2005/6, I was locking out my left knee to walk. For clarity, on a standard, leg extension resistance machine, I cannot move, let alone lift the lightest plate, which in my own gym is 5Kg. I stopped climbing and more recently realised that my walking range (always on a locked-out knee) was becoming far shorter due to pain.

 I literally spent weeks, if not months, trying to find a device that would offer a resistance loading that would counteract the weak extension power of my quadriceps. I chose the CDS Knee Extension. And I needed a private consultant, Mhairi Friel, to order it. Mhairi is an excellent practitioner and nothing should be taken away from her knowledge and service. Without her amazing help and understanding, I'm not sure how things would have been.

 Prior to wearing the CDS Knee Brace, I would find my left knee painful after minimal walking distances (even on flat terrain), all due to the locking out of the joint. Although I also suffer from a weak gastrocnemius, the resistance of the mechanism allows me to walk with a more natural cadence. With the brace on, I found that there was no symptom of discomfort in my knee. In fact, it has been of great benefit to increase some functional performance in my gastrocnemius, especially from an endurance perspective. I have managed to walk up and down hills, even in rough terrain, without any major issue. Of course, I still fatigue but the pain is gone and that allows me to plan for a long journey. The CDS Knee Brace has given me the ability to place weight on a bent knee, taking away the need to constantly lockout. I use the tension function set at a relatively high level - 10. But that has given me tremendous support and confidence when walking. As mentioned, my walking style had also reduced the use of my lower leg muscles but with the brace forcing me to use plantar flexion, I have noticed slight growth and increased endurance, especially in the medial head of my gastrocnemius.

 This was essential for my recent trip to Canada where I knew I would be walking more than normal. Without the brace, I would not have been able to enjoy the sights I saw in my three-week adventure. In fact, without the brace, I have no doubt I could not have even reached those sights - and that is not an exaggeration. Apart from the functionality of the brace, it is remarkably comfortable, considering how much of my leg it covers. It is an invaluable part of my mobility. I literally cannot get far without it.”

"The above photo was taken after a 3.8km hike up into bear country - the view overlooks the town of Bella Coola, in British Columbia. Again, I can't express enough how much this would not have been possible without the brace to support me both up and downhill."

"This photo was taken in San Josef Bay, Vancouver Island. The walk was across flat terrain but was several kilometres. Again, this walk would have required constant locking out which would have made the trek unbearable. The knee brace took me to the edge of the Pacific Ocean."