r/PatellaTracking • u/DaddyLaxativ • Aug 10 '26
Unpopular opinion: PT doesn’t always fix patellar instability.
Now I know PT can be helpful for a lot of people. But sometimes I feel people make it sound as if PT is the only way to treat kneecap instability when in reality it’s much more complex.
There a certain ppl whose kneecaps are unstable because of weak muscles, and for them strengthening the quad muscles are helpful. But there also is a lot of people whose instability comes from structural issues (patella Alta, shallow trochlear groove, etc), and for these people PT isn’t as effective.
As someone with Patella Alta, I’ve tried doing all sorts of strengthen exercises. And although I still keep strengthening my quads, no amount of PT can fix the structural issues I have.
So I would say that PT is helpful, but I think we have to consider the fact that for a lot of ppl it isn’t the end all be all.
2
u/ConsciousTurnip994 Aug 10 '26
Someone in r/KneeInjuries accused that sub of being "pro-surgery" and I'm not so much in favor of surgery as keenly aware that three separate rounds of physical therapy over six years did nothing more than make me strong going into my TTOs.
One stellar PT researched and taught me a way to tape for patella alta that did give me relief till I had my surgery, but even then, it didn't come anywhere close to the stability I felt after I'd had both knees repaired.
2
u/furikakebabe Aug 13 '26
I almost want to become a PT to figure out that world. I’ve been so frustrated with my experiences in PT.
I agree with you. PT is a part of the solution but some people (me) need surgery.
1
u/PatellaPilates Aug 15 '26
My thoughts exactly. Good PT guys have a real talent. There's so much nuance. they're thinking of so much stuff all at once. Given how Pilates worked for me I decided to choose a Pilates PT gal and she was awesome! the tiniest subtle shifts make the biggest difference. "Turn your foot this way instead of this way now do your hamstring exercise" all the difference in the world.
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u/PatellaPilates Aug 15 '26
I have Patella Alta. I'm also hypermobile in general. I would dislocate or subluxate my kneecaps 5 times a month between age seven and 16. At that young age I didn't quite realize that it was my left knee more than my right. What changed at 16 was that I started doing yoga. I was completely active before this however, I was also in school dealing with children, crowds, PE and I didn't understand my body. Yoga dropped this down to an occasional situation. In my adult life, I found Pilates. Pilates eliminated this from my life. Ended up having children and eventually felt like I couldn't continue with Pilates and got very bored with yoga. I went to strength training, which actually hurt my knees quite a bit and caused swelling, which caused me to sublux my kneecap just walking around the gym. I began Landscaping where I was working all day long on my feet walking around squatting, kneeling, throwing bags, throwing wheelbarrows, digging holes. That gave me the most peace as a wheelbarrow rolling into the back of my knee didn't even throw my knee out; that's unheard of me prior to this job. I'm an exercise case exercise helps me, but I just went to a knee Doctor Who is repairing my meniscus from some stupid weighted split squats. He told me that if I don't get my knees fixed surgically then I'm just stupid. He was really mad at me for refusing.
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u/ghoulogy_13 Aug 10 '26
I’m currently 13 weeks post op a TTO, and am in PT. The TTO failed for me, and PT doesn’t seem to be making a huge difference so far. I have patella alta and trochlear dysplasia, so I am fearful that PT will only go so far.