r/PatellaTracking

After posting a TIL about it a couple days ago, I went to a orthopedic doctor and was told I have Patella Alta too 😂 It’s crazy how after seeing so many doctors and taking many X rays and MRI’s only now I got told my imaging looked like Patella Alta. Another person in the subreddit just had the same experience, what a coincidence. Well, anyone who has this have any tips for me in terms of PT and how to manage it?

Since my first knee subluxation at 14, I've used a lot of products to try to help me with my issue. Some have been helpful, some have not, while some have just been mediocre. So today I'll be rating the things I have used and how they have helped (or not) with my knee subluxations.

Patella Bands (2/10)

I feel Patella Bands help with some people with more mild instability, but for me they were not enough to prevent subluxations and general feelings of unease when doing activities like wrestling, MMA, or football.

Generic Donut Shaped Gel Pad (4/10)

Although I know the generic compression gel pad has worked for some people with less severe instability, it has not worked well for me. It gave me a sense of false security and in it I had my only (and most traumatic) dislocation. So 4/10 for me.

Patella Straps? I don't even know what the third pic is to be honest (2/10)

As you can probably tell by the photo, these don't really do anything to support the kneecap. I don't know what issue it is designed for but this is one of the things that popped up when I searched "patella stabilization brace" on amazon. But yea still had some subluxations in this one.

KT Tape

This one helped more than I thought it would. Didn't use tape that looked exactly like the photo but had my athletic trainer try tape that resembled it. Although it did give me some general feelings of stability, much like a lot of the things on this list it still wasn't enough 😂 But I do see the value in taping for more casual use. It did hurt my skin a bit tho. But overall, not too bad just not enough for me to feel comfortable in intense sports.

Physical Therapy (8/10)

This helped me a good amount and is one of the ones on here that I am continuing to use. Although I still had subluxations even after some physical therapy, it helps a lot with my knee feeling comfortable and supported. Theres nothing better than after a workout when you have a lil VMO pump and your knees are feeling good! I usually do weighted lunges, wall sits, single leg wall sits, goblet squats and split lunges.

J Pad Brace (9/10)

If you've been on this subreddit for awhile you know how much I love the J pad! I was able to do all the things I love while still feeling completely secure and comfortable about my knees. Although the J pad stabilizes the knee very well, it still has some design issues (i.e too bulky, not too aesthetically pleasing, and at times very hot, hence why I give it a 9) despite that, I still found it to be one of the best things to use alongside PT. I have had a couple ideas about how the J Pad can be improved for a couple months now so I am working on designing something that will still give that security but will improve the flaws of the brace, will speak more about that in later posts so stay tuned!

Those are the things that I liked and disliked. Let me know your opinion and if anything else has worked for you!

I've taped up my knees multiple times, sometimes by athletic trainers and others by myself with the help of youtube, but In my personal experience, tape has never been sufficient enough to give me confidence that my knees would stay in place. I remember having one subluxation with tape on but I feel with people who have had multiple subluxations the tape just isnt enough. Is there something I'm missing with the tape or do you all have a similar experience with it?

U just heard i have patella alta. I have pain in the knee all the time. Last year i got artroscopy, they removed a part of the hoffa + a plica and a lot of inflammation. Now last year they said nothing about the patella alta on the mri. Now i got a now MRI with EXACT te same findings as last year + the patella alta. I have lateral patella tendon condyl syndrome + a lot of fluids + edema on the hoffa AGAIN. My next question is, will this be my whole life like this? Or is there something to do about? I'm 28F

I’ve had recurrent subluxations and dislocations since I was 14. My doctor told me to look on Amazon and find a brace and when I bought one it never helped with my problem. I saw many different doctors and all the braces they recommended me never helped at all. All the braces were either too bulky to wear during sports, looked so ugly I would never wear them, or didn’t help my knees 🥀 I kept having subluxations until my school athletic trainer gave me a J pad brace. From the moment I put it on I knew this brace was different than the rest. My knees felt so secure in them. Before it felt like my knees were on a slip and slide, but now when I wear the brace its like they are on a train track. Was able to continue wrestling and playing football with no problems. With that being said the J pad is still a little bulky and kinda ugly, but it keeps my knee in place so I’m content 🧘🏾‍♂️Now I strap up the J pad every time I’m doing sports. God bless that athletic trainer and God bless the J pad brace 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Hi guys,
I twisted my knee 4 months ago and an MRI showed a partial LCA lesion and bone marrow edema.
I’m now following the kneeovertoes protocol and I feel better, but this sounds still persists.
Is it caused by the edema?
Thanks