Use Leg Muscles! or knee savers?

[radness]

Here is a post from the real JayW (Jay Weaver-from NECC) which I posted previously. I suspect Buster has not been wearing Knee Savers his entire career, but has become a crutch later. One of the points made in the link is why is there an entire population of Asian that spend many hours in a catcher's sqautting position that don't have knee ailments. 99.9% of softball catchers won't catch past their 22nd birthday, and won't be needing to prolong their multi million dollar careers. Can someone please count how many college fastpitch catcher's wear Knee Savers?

https://myemail.constantcontact.com...onth-.html?soid=1100652011732&aid=O9GS805CPSA

Interesting read with a history lesson and feedback from that catcher.
Thanks for posting it!

 

[JayW]

that article was speculation with no conclusion. nice googling though.

 

[Orange Socks]

that article was speculation with no conclusion. nice googling though.

DD attended a NECC camp when she was 12 and WAS wearing knee savers. She took off her knee savers after the first day. So yes. We have first person experience.

 

[radness]

that article was speculation with no conclusion. nice googling though.

It wasnt speculation when JayW said
"Personnaly i never liked wearing them."

 

[JayW]

of course anybody who has caught has experience wearing knee savers or not wearing them. haven’t heard anyone here speak intelligently on whether the knee savers might alleviate stress on the knee joint. all i hear is this build up your leg muscles speech. building up your leg muscles and wearing knee savers are not mutually exclusive. my dd has given up the tools of ignorance and is a pitcher now so the issue is no longer personally relevant. big shout out to all the catchers out there - i believe it is the most demanding position on the field.

 

[radness]

of course anybody who has caught has experience wearing knee savers or not wearing them. haven’t heard anyone here speak intelligently on whether the knee savers might alleviate stress on the knee joint. all i hear is this build up your leg muscles speech. building up your leg muscles and wearing knee savers are not mutually exclusive. my dd has given up the tools of ignorance and is a pitcher now so the issue is no longer personally relevant. big shout out to all the catchers out there - i believe it is the most demanding position on the field.

If you tried them you may have a greater understanding of them!

Good point you made there is no medical report of if they help or not!

Have been teaching catchers 34 years.
Lots of reports from life experiences!
None of which favor knee savers.

Of course there IS medical reports of healthy muscles and longevity of athletes.
Perhaps this is the favorable side of the debate/discussion.

 

[JayW]

The Physics of Catchers’ Knees

How do catchers do what they do?

tht.fangraphs.com

 

[riseball]

...One of the points made in the link is why is there an entire population of Asian that spend many hours in a catcher's sqautting position that don't have knee ailments. 99.9% of softball catchers won't catch past their 22nd birthday, and won't be needing to prolong their multi million dollar careers. Can someone please count how many college fastpitch catcher's wear Knee Savers?

https://myemail.constantcontact.com...onth-.html?soid=1100652011732&aid=O9GS805CPSA

At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, some Asians learn to properly squat at an early age. The vast majority of catchers never learn. Had a friend who lead a team preforming photo analysis for the US military during Vietnam. He stated that his team could often tell the enemy from a POW based on how they would squat.

 

[Orange Socks]

At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, some Asians learn to properly squat at an early age. The vast majority of catchers never learn. Had a friend who lead a team preforming photo analysis for the US military during Vietnam. He stated that his team could often tell the enemy from a POW based on how they would squat.

I think you are stating facts not opinions. When I did my Airrosti treatments for my lower back, one of the stretches is called the Asian Squat and my therapist is Asian. I think we can all benefit from this particular pose. Try it!! Feet have to be flat and use your elbows to spread your knees.

 

[tamss13]

I read though most of these.....the trainer told us to take them off so I took off my DDs knee saver......then I read all the back and fore....so I just ran her though drills....

with and without the knee savers....I don't know if they will save her knees down the road....but she was able to move quicker and faster without the savers. ..... on plays were she had to come up and jump her jump looked more athletic and she was getting more air...... She is moving better ..... I talked to her with them on and off she said she could move better with them off.....so for her game we left them off.

During the game we had them off.....she dove like superwoman at at runner trying to get to home.....she hit that girl like a linebacker......after the game I asked why did she dive at that girl.....her reply....because I could.....

So I don't know if the kneesavers will save her knees.....but I can tell you she is moving better without them..... just my DDs experience......