In this presentation, Dr. Laurie Hiemstra, Banff Sport Medicine Orthopaedic Surgeon, and Sarah Kerslake MSc BPhty, discuss the main types of surgery used to treat patients with patellar instability (aka a dislocating / unstable kneecap), as well as physiotherapy and bracing considerations.
Patellar instability – an unstable or dislocating kneecap – is a debilitating condition that frequently occurs in young, active people, that significantly affects their quality of life.
Knee injuries are common in youth athletes with up to 1 in 4 athletes at risk of sustaining this type of injury. Approximately one-third of patients seen in the Banff Sport Medicine Clinic are youth. For example, the Clinic assesses approximately 1500 acute knee injuries in patients aged 5 to 24 each year.