PT guidance question
 

I assume most of you have read the new PT guidance. I reread it again this morning and noticed that it doesn't address the wear of knee braces or other types of support aids. I know, when in doubt STFU, but since we now get told how to blouse our pants, I assumed this would be covered.

I wear a knee brace on my left knee, cream/off white in color, when running. The new guidance doesn't say that this is authorized, but it doesn't say it isn't either. So, I ask you....what is your take? It only takes one DB to bring it up during PT.

As long as you put a reflective belt on it, you should be fine.

In all seriousness, if it's just the "standard" color brace, you shouldn't have any issues. But if you want to CYA, show it to your 1st Sergeant to get his opinion.

Yeah, I would think that as long as it isn't hot pink with flames and dragons on it, it should be fine.

Were your braces provided to you by a doctor? Or were they something you bought and tried on your own? If they were provided to you by a doctor (especially a doctor at a military facility, with direction to wear them while exercising), there's nothing your leadership can do to you about the braces. If you bought them on your own, then maybe they could tell you to go by something that looks more appropriate (like solid black braces).

I've got two black wicked knee braces, both issued to me, and I have to wear them (some guy asked me if the AF issued me bionic knees!), and no one has said a word to me about wearing them with my PTU...and no one better even try!!!

I have PT this afternoon...I now have knee brace people on my hit list.

What if they have the Airman's Creed stencilled on it? Will that earn them a reprieve from your wrath?

I have been advised by blue suit clinic docs in the past to wear a knee brace and when I asked where I could pick one up, I was told to try CVS or Walmart. I then rephrased my question to ask how I could get one issued given that it was advice from a military doc specific to a condition I made an appointment to be seen for and I was told that items like this weren't issued. At that time, I then categorized an item like this to be similar to being advised to purchase over the counter meds.

What magic does it take to get one issued? Does it boil down to location and luck of the draw?

That will fall under a seperate ass chewing unless they can recite it without referencing their brace.

nobody is going to brief you on a knee brace, if it helps/allows you to properly PT and stay in shape then youre good.

Since it doesnt address a knee brace, then thats neither good nor bad since it doesnt say that you cannot wear one either

I'm going to assume that the knee braces in question are hard, metal frames with joints, not just support wraps.

My wife's prescription (and custom built) braces are in different colors based on what the manufacturer decided to do by MODEL. Her current one (she's had three, IIRC) is PURPLE.

So, I would argue that the color of the brace should not be significant.

Now, if a doctor recommends that you go purchase an OTC item, things get murkier. There's no proof that you were given said medical direction. There's no indication that it serves more than your own emotional need.

An OTC brace could do more harm than good, since you may not wear it properly, and you are far more likely to get one that just doesn't fit. I wonder if the doc avoided prescribing one because it may be one of those things that leads to an MEB?

I would want another one-on-one with the doc about why he recommended you follow a path where you could do as much harm as you could good.

You really refuse to learn, don't you?

AFI36-2903, Table 2 (I think, I'm not looking it up, again, just for you), notes 2 and 3 combined say that if it is not listed, then it is not authorized, and that if it is not authorized, then it is (duh) not authorized.

Medical necessity trumps the limits in AFI36-2903, but there's no clear indication of medical necessity here.

The ONE co-worker I have who wears a hinged knee brace during PT wears a prescribed and issued one.

It doesn't address leg warmers either so do you wear them? Actually...don't answer that due to the associated "don't ask, don't tell" implications that could be applicable in your situation.

Depends on what your knee problem is. If you're like me (severe osteoarthritis in both knee joints), they (shouldn't anyway) tell you to go downtown and buy one, because knee braces like mine run about $2,000 a pair. If its an old ACL tear and they suggest you go buy a knee brace at the local sporting goods store to give your knee extra support, then that's a different story. With a torn ACL you can actually do exercises to build up the muscles around the knee so that a brace isn't a requirement, just an extra measure of support.
I'm at Wright-Patt, so I have access to a full hospital with pretty much every specialist you can imagine. However, they referred me downtown to a brace shop for mine, and all the ones they showed me were solid black with white lettering (manufacturer's logo).

Bottom line, if you're required by a doc to wear the brace while exercising, and if you would suffer physical harm to the joint by not wearing it, then no one in the AF can legally harass you about wearing it. You could file an IG complaint real quick on that one.

OK...here we go. First it's white lettering, later it's flourescent glow in the dark lettering, later on the knee brace is entirely tie die. Sorry, but I will have to put my foot down (wearing visible proper colored PT ankle socks) on the white lettering. I'll nip it right in the bud before it all starts.

Thanks for the additional info...my particular knee problem wasn't as severe as what you described. I was curious how the AF draws the line on what is recommended/needed versus what is provided. I am glad to hear that in a clearly defined need, the actions will be taken to provide what is needed.

Bruwin, You remind me of a 17 year SSgt I used to know...he loved to push people's buttons, just to see if he could get a reaction out of them. People would complain--"Can't you do something about him???" and I always told them to just ignore him. Maybe that's why he was still a SSgt

SSgt is a great rank in that you could push people's buttons and just act stupid while doing it so they had no clue. I'll never forget winding up a MSgt who told me that I couldn't wear my BDU hat in a building. When he mentioned it to me I started off with "so when did this rule start?" and it just took off from there. People standing by listening in were in absolute hysterics with my ability to get this guy to believe I had been in the military 8 years and had no clue I had to remove my hat in a building. After awhile my arguments got so ridiculous he finally caught on to the joke and he was furious. Screaming at the top of his lungs furious....it wasn't so funny after that.

I was walking in the door one time with my hands full. After I got in the door I stopped and took my hat off and picked up the things I had set down. Someone actually said something to me about it. I politely told them to back off.

Ever lose your hat and when walking into military clothing to get a new one some deuchebag yells across the parking lot that you need a hat? I know they mean well but man that really gets under my skin....still does.

Haven't lost a hat yet. I did see a tech schooler walking around with his hand on his head one day. I asked him about it and he told me he had lost his hat and his MTL said he had to walk around like that until he made it over to clothing sales to get a hat. Thought it was kind of funny.

Did have to chase my hat across a parking lot on a windy day. My shirt just laughed at me and stepped on it when it got close to him. Thanks Shirt for the boot print on my hat.