knee savers : good or bad

never had to work for johnny bench,ivan rodriguez,tony pena,jim sundberg,or yogi come to think about it....things that make you say hmmmmm.

quote:

never had to work for johnny bench,ivan rodriguez,tony pena,jim sundberg,or yogi come to think about it....things that make you say hmmmmm.

Do you carry a cell phone? Obviously you use a computer. Previous generations didn't need them... things that may you say hmmmmmmmmm.

why did previous generations not need them? did they workout harder? did they surrender less? your correct that technology has made life more comfortable and instantainious.

It's called progress. There are a whole bunch of things they do now that they didn't do in previous gererations. Like batting helmets, catcher's helmets, batting gloves....seatbelts.... things like that. Maybe if they had them earlier, guys like Johnny Bench could actually walk without pain.
People actually think these things up to help players perform better. If not we would still be using those old style gloves or none at all.
Some coaches are even against the new hockey style helmets, even if they do protect better. All because "it's not the way we used to do it". I like houses with central heat and air instead of those old musty caves.

look im all for "progress" i have nothing against knee savers i think there great when needed just like the rest of "the tools of ignorance" but dont think there is anything out there thats going to make you a better catcher. its catching and there's nothing but hard work and a significant amount of plain ordinary toughness thats going to make coaches and pitchers want you back there.i wish there was some kind of flippent expression i could come up with but its useless talking about caves and cell phones and air conditioning or any other modern convenience when it relates to catching. with respect its a position that whether or not you wear knee savers when your finished playing you still may not be able to walk without pain.good luck and i hope all your catcher sons stay healthy!

Of all the posts on this topic only one had a real medical reference in it (to the original developer who no longer owns the rights to the product, so perhaps that is a conflict in and of itself). While I greatly respect the opinions of the many posters here, there must be someone out there who knows a good orthopedist who could opine on this?

From where I sit (and not wearing Knee Savers as I write this) it seems logical that the use of Knee Savers helps to prevent prolonged over extension of the knee joint. This prevention of prolonged stretching, from which a body needs to suddenly at times rebound, would seem to be a strong reason in favor of the use of knee savers from the youngest ages.

Prevention of bad habits at those young ages puts a greater onus on the coaches to assure avoidance of resting, but between pitches who more deserves some respite than a catcher? Without the knee saver this natural 'resting ' period means the catcher will overextend his knees in order to 'rest' on his calf. And then to rise off that calf to achieve a proper receiving position.

The knee saver concept holds great logic to me, but that may be because I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night?

All kidding aside, are there any medical folks out there with an opinion on this?

quote:

use of Knee Savers helps to prevent prolonged over extension of the knee joint.

Actually that'd be knee flexion it prevents.. Knee extension=straight knee.

quote:

are there any medical folks out there with an opinion on this?

I am a Certified Athletic Trainer and I believe I have already given my thoughts..

Cool, thanks. Your other knee saver quotes didn't say you were a trainer. Thanks for affirming the flex thought.

I'm kinda keeping track of the pros that use them.

Joe Mauer
Buster Posey
Bengie Molina
Brian McCann

I know there are more, just have to get their names.

I've had conversations with various minor league coaches and a cross checker about whether knee savers are good/safe to use or not. They all said they're not good for your knees. Explaining that by using the knee savers, it'll put more stress on your knees then it's supposed protect. Like, if you put something between closings hinge and then tried to closing them. All the pressure gets transferred to the outside of the hinges, where they connect to each other. Like closing your legs with the knee savers on. It transfers all the pressure to the top of the knees, basically trying to separate them! I'm not sure if I explained this very well, but I think you guys should understand what I'm trying to say!

nice to see this is still a major discussion 6 years after i started the thread!

It's tough to tell which way to go. My son has always worn them from the age of 9 and now 13. He has a pop time on 90 ft bases of 1.95 in full gear and is the fastest kid on his team. So at this point I am pro savers but now am thinking about not using them. Very interesting stuff.

Throw Them Out.....You sit up too high and possibly put more pressure on your knees.  I'm in my 50's and still catch (Baseball), teach catchers, and I tell my students to take them off.

As with anything, there are always people on both sides of the fence.  My son is 13U this year, and has worn them for the past 2 years.  After reading these posts, we have concluded that he is going to do his own trial.  Wear them, and not wear them.  We are going to video his receiving, blocking, throwing down, look at pop times, etc., with and without them.  He is also going to determine what he thinks works best for him, considering comfort, fatigue, and performance.  I really doubt they can do any damage to the knee (20 years of outpatient physical therapy/sports medicine experience, orthopedic certified specialist).  I don't believe they are sturdy enough to make that happen. I can see them creating some lazy tendencies if used improperly.  That is not an issue for my son.  IMHO, the best way to know for your self is to do your own testing and see what works best for you.  With proper conditioning, training, stretching, maintenance, and nipping physical problems in the butt early, a catcher should not have knee problems simply because they are catching.  

If he can wear them low like Molina I'd say no problem but if he's up too high you have a problem...Post a pick of his primary stance if you can...Right now at 13 don't worry about pop time but make sure he is gaining groud throwing and in a good throwing position....

I don't see them as so bad, as long as you use them for the right purposes.

 

Yes, a catcher that is constantly resting on them during pitches, will not be as successful. But whether you have them or not, during pitches, the catcher should always be out of rest position and into his athletic squat. I see knee savers simply as a tool that makes sitting in rest position easier and eases knee strain. As long as you don't rely on them, they are just a tool to make rest easier while behind the plate.

Brett Mayne said when he started wearing them his knees stopped hurting and his hips started hurting.  On a personal note my son is knee and I bought them for him when he was 8 because he could keep his balance better.  I showed up to his game Wed. and noticed he was wearing the anymore.  I asked why and he said it was easier to block without them.

I have had 9 catching related knee surgeries.  I have a replaced knee that got done when I was 43.  I played before the knee savers came around.  I see them as a terrible idea.  My son is a soph catcher and has caught his whole life.  I would never let him wear them.  I never let the kids I've coached wear them.  My reasons have nothing to do with blocking, resting, getting lazy, high target, etc.  I'm no doctor but sitting down on a wedge between the back of your thigh and the top of your calf has to put a strain on the front part of your knee,  In science terms, a wedge is piece of material used to separate or split objects apart.  Sitting on a wedge has to put extra pressure on your ligaments to keep your knee tight.  The other possibility that I think of is a slight separation in the knee joint (spreading apart) that would create a greater chance for cartilage damage.  I may be wrong, but I've spent many a day behind the ol dish.  I have lots of scars to prove it.  Have a good weekend everyone!  Hit 'em where they aint!

I am a 12 year old,  3x All-Star catcher, I have taken home the regional title once and the state title twice, and all as a catcher. I love my knee savers, You all may think that they are only for older people, but they are not. I don't sit on my knee savers as my pitcher is in his windup. I get up in a crouch, glove out in front, ready to drop and block whenever. 

 

My son did a catchers' camp over the holidays, and the main instructor was a AAA former 1st round draft pick who attended the local high school where the camp was held.  One kid had knee savers.  During warm ups they did cross-over drills and the kid with knee savers couldn't do them and they came off.  Tough to look good when you can't get past warm ups.

At first I thought this was a quote from Domingo.  

 

 

I did some research on this awhile back, long story short knee savers inhibit the natural motion of the knee and if worn improperly (in the wrong spot) can damage the knee.  I found higher level baseball medical people only recommend them after coming back from an injury, and even then not long term.  It has been my son's personal experience that catching coaches won't allow them.

Domingo would say, "I am a 3 year old, 12x All-Star catcher...........

2018 had worn them the last 4 years.  As a Sports PT by trade, and after researching and reading, I liked the idea of them as he was growing.  Being a pretty decent catcher, he was used to catch probably more than he should have been.  No issues with knee pain, just soreness after catching back to back.  We handled it. 

 

He decided to stop using them this year, as he felt he could move better without them, and he noticed most MLB guys do not use them.  I am fine with his decision.  From a Sports PT aspect, the knees take a beaten due to issues above the knees in the spine/hip/pelvis, as well as issues below the knee in the ankle/foot.  He will get regular, on-going assessment of all those areas, as he moves forward, as Dad can make that happen for him.  That assessment and treatment (if/when needed) will not happen for the majority of catchers out there, so our situation is a little different.  We are blessed that I am able to do that for him. 

 

Our case is not a fair test, due to the sports medicine background, and our ability to manage the underlying causes of knee pain.  I don't think the knee savers are firm enough, or positioned in a way to change the knee mechanics dramatically, if at all.  I know they did not make him lazy or affect his ability to catch, block, or throw down. During a tournament, they gave his knees a break.  All good things for a growing kid with soft growing bones. 

 

I say wear them if you think they help, and they don't get in your way.  If worn properly and kid gets good coaching, they aren't a problem.  They can get in the way in certain situations, but otherwise no big deal. 

I think this is one of those personal preference things.  As long as they are worn correctly, I don't see them causing knee issues.  If they help the catcher be a better catcher, wear them.  if they make him a worse catcher, remove them.  My son wears them.  He has been coached by many great catching coaches including the New England catching camp and team USA.  He has never been told they affect his game.