Not everyone needs a CTi. Before you buy one it’s important to make sure it’s the right choice for either your injury, your sport or both.

If you’re into motocross, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, BMX, surfing or wakeboarding then a rigid CTi brace is a great choice for functional support and protection, as it is designed to optimize stability and support for these types of sports without sacrificing performance.

The CTi Custom can be customised to optimise performance and meet the requirements of a sport or your unique anatomy. The resources below provide more information on how CTi Custom can be configured by sport:

·       Motocross and FMX

·       Mountain Biking and BMX

·       Skateboarding

·       Wakeboarding

·       Surfing

·       Snowboarding

·       Skiing

The standard and ProSport models differ only in the amount of carbon fibre used in the frame. The more carbon fibre used, the more rigid the brace. The less carbon fibre used, the lighter the weight. Which option is best for you will depend on your individual body proportions and activity requirements.

• Standard: Best compromise of weight and impact resistance for most users. Ideal support for very active, average-to-large size users.
• ProSport: Most rigid option with the highest amount of carbon fibre used. Best solution for largest of users participating in high-impact sports, for example, motocross.

For users with PCL instability, this version of the brace has additional supports to the thigh and calf to reduce movement of the shin backwards in relation to the thigh.

Measuring correctly for your new CTi knee brace is an important, if not crucial, step.

If you size your knee up wrong, you may get the wrong size CTi brace. An incorrect size may not fit correctly meaning your knee may not be fully protected in the event of a fall or crash.

So...back to measuring your knee.

To make things as simple as possible for you, we've put together a quick measuring video on what to do.

If you want the technical language version, then you need to measure the circumference of your knee at the distal border of your patella.

In plain English, stand up and straighten your leg and feel around your kneecap and find the bottom of it. Then all you need to do is to take a tape measure (not a metal one but one of those ones you find in your mums sewing kit or a Christmas cracker) and measure all the way round your knee from that bottom point.

Check the measuring table on the product page and pick which size you need. If you're between 2 sizes we recommend choosing the bigger size.

Done.

Want a CTi but haven’t quite got all the answers you need? Read on.

No. The CTi helps to protect the ACL, LCL & MCL. As it’s a rigid brace, it’s designed to keep your knee stable when active and protect against impact. If you’re looking to protect / manage a PCL injury, then there is an additional PCL strap kit which can be added to the brace.

Yes. The CTi knee brace is worn by amateurs and professionals alike on the slopes. Many of those taking to the slopes wear a CTi knee brace following an injury to help offer stability and protect against further injury. It is also the brace of choice for the GB Park and Pipe Team.

Yes. The CTi knee brace is worn by amateurs and professionals alike on the water. As with winter sports, the majority of those wearing a CTi on the water have experienced previous injuries and want some extra protection in the event of a wipe out or hard landing.

Not necessarily, no. If you’re doing something extreme, then the CTi can be used prophylactically to minimise the risk of injury in the first place i.e., a crash, fall or hard impact landing. It can just as easily be used post injury to offer stability to the affected knee and protect against a reoccurrence of the injury.

Want to know what warranty is available with your new CTi?

Yes! Össur offers a warranty on all CTi knee braces. The warranty term depends on the brace model and part:

CTi Custom

• Rigid Brace Frame & Hinge: Lifetime Warranty
• Soft Goods, Liners & Straps: 6 months

C180 Rocket

• Rigid Brace Frame & Hinge: 1 years
• Soft Goods, Liners & Straps: 3 months

How long the brace will last depends on how it is used and how well it is maintained. You can remove the pads and straps to be cleaned. This should be done in cold water with mild, non-detergent soap and left to air dry. You should check the hinges for foreign objects after each use and remove anything found in the hinge.

For the CTi Custom there is a limited life-time manufacturer’s guarantee on the frame and a six-month guarantee on the soft goods.

To make things simple we've put together 2 different videos on fitting:

1. If you’ve just taken your brand new CTi out of the box, please look at our 1st time fitting video.
2. Once you’ve been through the initial setup, then check out our condensed fitting video covering everything you need to get your brace on before heading off into the action.

If you’re experiencing any issues with the fitting of your brace then first, check out the 1st time fitting video. If you’re still unsure then we recommend contacting the company you purchased your CTi from and they will be able to help.

As the function of the CTi is to control movement at the knee joint, the brace is designed to be worn as close to the bone/skin as possible. For this reason, we recommend NOT wearing it over clothes. Although not ideal, undersleeves and tights offer a thin barrier if you are feeling any discomfort from the brace on your skin. In water sports, wetsuits can also be used under the brace if needed. Simply remove the padding and place the brace directly over the wetsuit – the thickness of the wetsuit will replace the padding and the brace should still fit correctly. The condyle pads on the inside of the brace hinge can be altered for thickness, allowing you to wear thin underclothes or wetsuits if needed.

Yes, all CTi braces are non-corrosive and have been designed with water sports in mind. We recommend the use of an over sleeve when participating in water sports to ensure that straps will remain firmly attached in high-speed falls. If you will be using the brace in (salt) water, be sure to rinse the brace and the straps with clean water after each use to remove any salt or debris.

Your brace may end up quite dirty after a day of riding. Mud and water can affect the quality of the brace in the long term, as the build-up of mud may damage the padding and hinges. Not to mention that next time you go out you don’t want to be putting on a muddy brace before you even hit the track. For this reason, it is very important that you remove mud and dirt to maximise performance and longevity of your brace.

The CTi frame should be washed separately from the soft components of the brace. First, remove all straps and pads from the CTi frame (all straps and pads utilise hook-and-loop and are easily removed). Once removed, wash the straps and pads in cold water with a mild, non-detergent soap and let air dry. For the frame, you should first remove any foreign objects from the hinges and clean off any dirt or debris. Then, rinse in fresh water and let air dry. Once both the frame and soft goods are dry, you can reassemble the brace and continue use.

The CTi brace is non-corrosive and therefore can be used for all water sports. We do recommend that you wear an over-sleeve when in water as this will keep all your straps in place and firmly attached in high-speed falls. Also make sure you rinse both the brace and the straps thoroughly in clean water. It is important to remove any salt or debris following your trip on the water as this can have a negative effect on the brace long term.

There are various levels of refurbishment available for CTi braces depending on the amount of service needed. You can also buy individual spare parts to replace yourself at home and freshen up your brace i.e., new straps, pads, or liners etc.

Named after the carbon frame and titanium hinges that made up the first designs, CTi stands for Carbon and the element Titanium (Ti).

Curious what goes into the making of making a truly custom, truly exceptional ligament brace?

It is important to remember that a truly custom brace should fit like a glove mimicking the contours of the leg and movements of the knee perfectly. Achieving this level of truly custom requires our unique combination of state-of-the-art technology and materials with hand finishing to fine tune for an exceptionally individual and personalised brace.

The finished product is the result of several steps:

• Measuring: A very specific series of data points are recorded by our trained fitters through a combination of digital imagery and measurements.
• Designing: Using the raw data from these images and measurements, the specialist creates a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) file of the leg utilising our proprietary software. This CAD file is sent to a CNC machine and an exact foam surrogate is carved out giving our brace techs an exact 1-1 replica of the leg. Working directly on this foam surrogate, the brace can be sculpted exactly to the contours of the leg.
• Making: Using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) technology, combined with CAD (Computer Aided Design), the carbon fibre for the brace is exactly cut and routed to match the exact measurements. This is done before it’s hand-shaped to the positive model of the leg.
• Accuracy: Hinges are fine tuned to ensure accurate anatomical tracking and alignment. Our trained manufacturers then refine this further, hand-crafting the final shape of the brace to match the exact contours of the leg.
• Finishing: Choose from our standard colours or challenge our in-house graphics team to create a unique and identifiable design custom made only for you.

With custom designs, the only limit is your imagination.

See for yourself the art and science of the CTi truly custom, truly exceptional, brace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJMkj9MJ-_g

Össur, a global medical-device manufacturer with headquarters in Iceland, United States, and the Netherlands is the maker of CTi Knee Braces. Always at the forefront of innovation, Össur's reputation has been built on scientifically proven designs with the emphasis on clinical outcomes. Össur is a global leader in orthopaedics and employs some of the smartest minds and uses the most advanced technologies to help change lives.