No, they're usually to stop the cartilage "popping out" under pressure. Weightlifters use them too.
It's not like a strap for "tennis elbow."

I didn't know that and I don't know how many others did. Or perhaps it was just me who was ignorant

So did I.

Such a lovely man and I hope he stays on over a few others I will be sad when he goes out

Yes me too, I love Mark to bits and he deffo is a trouper but what I did not like was the inference that he did not want a sympathy vote.
Its not Mark's fault because the production team is running the show and are deciding which storylines to run, it was them that made all the drama over Natalie and it was them that kept on with all the questions about her health etc etc.

I think it all rather stinks tbh, just like every week we are reminded by the judges and some of the other celebs about having no dance experience previously blah blah blah.I think they are now throwing Natalie to the wolves........maybe she is getting too many votes.

Had he left on Saturday - as he totally expected to - we wouldn't have known at all. I think he just relented and answered the question - probably knowing he is almost certain to go this week. He was asked the direct question - answered it honestly and then moved on from it.

As far as Natalie is concerned my personal opinion is that she has been manipulated by TPTB because she too always wants to brush over the subject.

I suspect that may have more to do with how the public reacted to Denise last year. Whatever she said was used against her.

He's definitely been storing it up for weeks to use as a slur against Natalie right now, when she's at her most vulnerable and drugged up. Did people catch him making a dig at Ben going shirtless as well? SHAMELESS. No wonder he's always in the bottom 2. Vile man.

(Am I doing it right?)

Ten out of ten and a big tick.

he said he would go bottomless, so no dig at Ben

I doubt anyone would say that though, its very little to do with Mark but it is the production team.

It shows how quiet they can keep things when they want too, though

U jelus hatter!

No you didn't find a way in which he was bigging up Susanna as he must be in the pay of the BBC surely.

You missed out that he obviously danced the rumba dressed in his normal day attire.

Hey, if I was a jelus hatter, I think we all know who it would be of.

Oh yes indeed, I believe there have been numerous injuries this year and yet they only focused on Natalie. I always thought they were causing Natalie more harm than good with all the drama and i found some of their filming far too intrusive.

Doesn't seem strange to me. I imagine it's just easier to wear shorts. The trousers would keep getting trapped in the braces and probably rip anyway. There's nothing sinister in it.

Meow !!!

Well that is the most ridiculous medical statement I have ever read on this board.

Cartiage is attached to the ends of bones and therefore under no circumstance can it pop out.

It can:

Wear out
Tear
Rip
Grow too much

But it cannot pop out

My guess is that being overweight and of a certain age, Mark's cartilage has worn quite thin and has as he said torn.

The tearing will then lead to instability of the knees for which he needs the heavy duty knee supports which he has been wearing.

I love Mark and I love his attitude in this show . He and Iveta have a brilliant partnership ; I love them together

It reinforces the points that a) we don't have comprehensive background information or anything like it and b) Strictly is intrinsically a very uneven playing field in all sorts of ways.

So a) making judgements which rely too much upon the limited data we have is a mug's game and b) it's nuts to cry foul about one couple or other's advantage and then pretend the contest wouldn't remain extremely unfair if they weren't in it.

That written it was obvious Mark had a knee problem from the braces so this revelation is not exactly out-of-the-blue.

With Mark not wanting the 'sympathy vote' (his words) or the injury even mentioned, the judges couldn't take it into consideration but now they can.


I think the timing is just right having just performed arguably the toughest dance in respect of his knee injury.

(BIB - Zoe?)

Unless you're involved in sports then there's no reason why you should know. The injuries are usually a result of long periods of heavy use. Many of my golfing friends and I were involved in strenuous sports before turning to golf. I played squash for a club team until I was fifty, this exercise wore out a hip which I had replaced three years ago. It's the one in that game on which you do the most turning. There's not a lot of running in squash, or shouldn't be, from the "tee" you can reach any part of the court in two and a half strides. With other sports like football, hockey, rugby, tennis and running etc., it's often the knees which go first. It can be exacerbated by excess personal weight.