Hello, I'm Lunnie. I'm new to the boards and I'm looking for some advice and opinions on a few things.

First off I'll begin by explaining my situation. I've had issues with my knees since I was 12 years old and I'm 26 now. It mainly started off as what I could now describe as PFPS, but a good 3 to 4 years later I began experiencing partial dislocations on both knees, the first one I can recall was while I was running during gym class. Around that point in time, I basically stopped running unless it was absolutely necessary. The majority of the health professionals I consulted during that period of time never told me anything was wrong with my knees except that my kneecaps were really loose. I was never prescribed any amounts of physiotherapy after my incidents and they continued to occur in a variety of awkward and very dangerous situations as I grew up. Last year, I finally got fed up with my situation and reached out to a specialist to see if my problem went beyond "loose kneecaps". I was diagnosed with PFPS and given a physiotherapy program. I followed that particular program for about half a year until my knees began to hurt more than they did before I began the program, at which point I stopped completely and opted for rest to see if my knees would heal. About a month afterward I decided to take a chance and tried running across the street and ended up dislocating my right knee completely along with tearing some ligaments in the process. This would be the first time I experience a full dislocation and also the first time I get injured this severely. I've been in recovery for two months at this point and am following my physiotherapy program as I should while I continue to heal.

While I was in the hospital the doctor that saw me told me the reason my kneecaps dislocated was because they were sitting too high, I guess that's what they call patellar alta? I wasn't given a name for my condition. I asked if the problem could be fixed and was briefly told that surgery was an option, but that it was only recommended if it was absolutely necessary. He also seemed reluctant to refer me to someone that could evaluate my situation in more detail when I asked. He also didn't seem to take me too seriously when I expressed the interest in wanting to run again. I was told that I would eventually be contacted by the hospital, which probably means that in over a year from now someone might call me to evaluate my situation.

That being said, I've had a few questions pop up in my mind. I actually loathe sitting around and doing nothing and my current situation is killing me. I'm fully aware that rushing into things is dangerous and that I could only make my situation worst, but my ideal goal is to be able to run again without braces. My problem at this point is figuring out how I'm going to do it. Considering my kneecaps dislocate every time I try running, I figure braces might be my best option to keep them in the next time I try, but I have a genuine fear that my knee will still dislocate while I am wearing the brace and I can only imagine how pleasant that situation would be. So my first question is, is it possible for your knees to dislocate while wearing braces?

My second question is about brace types. I've tried several kinds of braces on, but the only one I've ever felt safe with is the one I've been advised to purchase for my recovery from my last incident. It's a hinged brace meant for mild ligament sprains and meniscus tears. Would it still be appropriate to wear that even after I've recovered? I find that the braces that simply velcro around your knee offer no stability and I'm too afraid to try running with them.

My third question has to do with surgery, but considering I don't have much details on my situation it might be hard to answer. Would surgery actually stop my kneecaps from dislocating? Or would it just be something of a risk that could possibly just make my situation worst? I'm sure I should discuss this in detail with a surgeon, but my 1 year+ waiting list isn't going to help me anytime soon, so in the meantime I'd just like some opinions because no one else is really helping me.

Thank you all for your time,

Lunnie

Thanks for the reply, it's very appreciated.

I suspect that in the long run braces can't fully solve my problem and I'll probably get hurt again trying to run with them. I'm only 26 and I definitely want a higher level of activity in my life. Being limited to walking around and being scared shitless every time I go down a hill or a flight of stairs really doesn't sit well with me and I'm not interested in spending the rest of my life avoiding situations and activities that would cause my knees to dislocate.

Thanks, I'll look into it, but there are just so many braces out there that it becomes completely overwhelming. I have no idea what actually works and what doesn't, not to mention I can't afford to buy 5 different kind of braces until I get the right one.

Again, I'll look into it and I guess once I see a specialist I'll have a full armada of questions to fire off until I get answers.

You're telling me. I have no way to describe how incredibly frustrating it is to be responded with "Really? -You- want to run? You just told me you haven't been running for the majority of your life, why do you want to run?" I think I might actually try that line the next time I get asked that question.

I do agree until your knee is healed and stronger, running, isn’t the best idea until it’s been FULLY and properly evaluated. But after that, it’s all a matter of perspective. To one person the idea of giving up something to prevent injury and further damage is an easy thing to process and ultimately do. To another, it seems irrational, unfair and unnecessary. Personally, I didn’t want to run because I want to become a ‘runner’. I wanted to be able to run because of all the activities that go along with it. Seemed irrational for me to become a spectator in my life at an early age because of an unstable knee. THIS is why I want to ‘run’. I hated being the person that had to say to my nephew “no, I can’t play basketball with you” or to my friends “no, I don’t think I can’t do that” or whatever. It was always no. Who wants to be that person?

Running is a specific tangible goal to work towards that brings a lot of activity along with it. All joking about chasing, etc aside – when I articulate my mindset to my OS/PT, they completely understand, agree with and have helped me attain these goals. I hate it when people say “just give it up”  - not everyone can, and I’ve learned not everyone has to. I’ve been blessed with great providers who never accepted they couldn’t help me reach my goals, but have done so in a safe, controlled, educated way.

As you wait, I agree definitely see if you can get some sort of advice from a professional - GP, PT, or somehting. Not sure how your system works.

It may just be a matter of miscommunication due to limitations of the written word – but if you have similar goals/understanding of return to sports/activities - why do you struggle to understand why someone would want to do an activity if they *may* injure themselves. Sorry, not trying to be combative, just a topic of importance to me. As I feel our goals and sacrifices are very highly individualized, and are all relative to our situations.

Truly understanding why someone will risk one thing or another is nearly impossible.  Oddly, before I had surgery, I was much more willing to strap on a brace and go play/do whatever. I was risking injury yes, but I sorta didn’t care as I had a mentality of “you can’t break what’s already broken” Since surgery, my knee feels as stable as ever, but I’m definitely more cautious in these settings, as I have a mental hurdle of not wanting to ruin what’s been fixed. All in good time though.

Lunnie – I guess the moral here is to find a doctor that will share in and help with your goals, not one who just says ‘stop doing that’ – which to me would be code for, “I don’t know how to help you”

Definitely just a miscommunication. I read the posts as wanting to “get back to running” not try it tomorrow. Definitely time to heal, strengthen, etc is in order before getting back to desired activity. Competing at a professional level, and my well “rec league” level are two very different scenarios. Hence, goals/risks/sacrifice are very relative to the individual.