Patient Testimonials

In April, I had my right knee replaced. I went into surgery confident that Dr. Bircher would work his magic again! He did my left knee replacement two years ago which went amazing. He takes time to explain, answers all my questions, and reassured me every step of the way. His entire team is so positive and caring! Within a few weeks, I was moving easier than I had before surgery. I am continuing to heal and greatly appreciate the care provided! I highly recommend Dr. Bircher and his team!

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible care I received from the entire TCO team during my ACL surgery, rehabilitation, and recovery. The road back was challenging, but because of the expertise, dedication, and support from Dr. Flikkema, his team, the TCO staff, and my physical therapy team, I was able to rebuild my strength, regain confidence, and return to the sport I love. Since my surgery, I have worked extremely hard not only to recover physically, but also to improve my overall health and fitness. Through commitment, training, and dedication, I have lost nearly 60 pounds and continued pushing myself toward my goals.

I have competed in several taekwondo tournaments and continued to challenge myself. Most recently, I competed at USA Taekwondo Nationals and was honored to earn 2nd place. The championship match was a very close and competitive fight and being able to compete at that level after ACL surgery is something I am extremely proud of. It reflected the hard work, determination, and support that TCO provided to help me along this journey.

I plan to continue competing in taekwondo, setting new goals, and continuing to challenge myself both as an athlete and in my overall health and fitness. The TCO team has helped me get back to doing something that is an important part of my life. Beyond the physical recovery, TCO helped me believe that returning to competition was possible. Thank you for your skill, encouragement, and commitment throughout my journey. I am truly grateful for the role TCO played in helping me get back on the mat, improve my health, and continue chasing my goals.

I had my knee replaced in February by Dr. Bircher. I am feeling great! I am four months into recovery and just got back from an 11-day trip with my family. Knowing I had this trip planned, I diligently followed my physical therapy exercises and did as much rehabilitation as possible to prepare. We walked an average of five miles a day, often on uneven paths with many steps, and my knee felt great. After taking two trips in the last few years while dealing with so much pain, this felt amazing! Dr. Bircher, his staff, the nurses, and the physical therapists who helped me were fantastic, and I can’t thank them enough.

I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. Owen O’Neill and his team: Kaylyn, Lauren, Ann, and Hayden. My total knee replacement surgery and recovery went very well. After eight weeks, I was back to doing everything I wanted to do. I can golf, bike, and walk my dog again. I was told by the team that the exercises and physical therapy were important, so I was diligent in doing them. I am extremely pleased and happy that I had the surgery.

My whole experience was great! A booklet was sent to me in advance, and it helped me get prepared for my procedure. The surgery went well and my knee replacement has been great. Two weeks into recovery, I was walking and only hurt a little bit. I am now six weeks in and am doing wonderful. I would highly suggest Dr. Nessler and his team.

Drew Gienau is personable and attentive. He listened to my goals and helped me find technology for every activity I wanted to get back to. Prosthetics are constantly advancing, and TCO is on the cutting edge. I’m back to mountain biking and dirt biking, and am working on getting back on my motorcycle. Without Drew and my care team at TCO, I’d still be in a wheelchair.

In March of 2025, our son, Graeme, tore his meniscus in a snowboarding accident. He immediately started physical therapy with Brett Peterson and then had a full meniscus repair with Dr. Andrew Schmiesing in April. Graeme continued PT with Dr. Peterson vigorously two to three times per week and was back to a full successful football season. In the winter, he made the varsity basketball team and led the team in three-point percentage and field goal percentage as an eighth grader. Without Dr. Peterson’s time and dedication to Graeme, none of this would be possible.

Having a knee replacement is a big surgery and a huge decision to make as you only get one chance to get it right. Dr. Bircher is easy to talk with and highly skilled. I was walking unassisted at three weeks post-surgery. He ordered an at home recumbent stationary bike with a computer plan specifically designed for my knee replacement. On those early days when I didn’t even want to get out of bed, the bike was my best friend and kept my knee moving gently. Dr. Bircher was honest with me from the first consultation about the pain level. On day of surgery, he held my hand and calmed my fears in the best way possible. I went into the procedure with a sense of peace. His care team is great, and even though I became a “frequent flyer” with phone calls, every question I had was addressed. I 100% recommend starting with Dr. Bircher and his team!

Dr. Michael R. Johnson saved my summer by repairing my knee in a timely manner. He was able to replace the spacer in my partial knee which I am thankful for. His team was able to get me the surgery quickly and in a professional manner. Now my knee feels great! A big thank you to Dr. Johnson and his team!