I've had one and my knee is a world better. However the PT that had worked on mine before the surgery (patella dislocation) and then worked on it after the surgery, commented that I was the only successful lateral release she and the other PTs there had seen. Given that, had I talked to her before the surgery, not sure if I would have had it. But 1 yr post-dislocation I was not able to run more than 1/16th of a mile without pain and couldn't walk up and down steps normally. So I may not be the average LR patient either.