Patient Testimonials

Dr. Bircher did my left knee replacement in April 2025, and my right knee replacement in September 2025. He is a fabulous doctor! I would recommend him and his team to anyone. I am extremely happy with my new knees, and I can participate in regular activities again. What a blessing for sure!

Dr. James Bircher replaced my left knee on September 9th, 2025. It feels amazing and I am super happy with him and his team! They have been very professional and courteous toward me. Thank you again to Dr. Bircher and his team. I am looking forward to having my right knee replaced on January 6th.

For years I suffered with knee pain attributed to arthritis. After suffering a few falls, which unfortunately had me landing on my knees, I began going to physical therapy in hopes of strengthening the knee and reducing the pain. The therapist at TCO highly recommended me to Dr. Bircher.

He has been wonderful with his calm and patient personality! He gently guided me through alternative procedures to surgery, since I felt I was not ready to go through with an operation yet. The cortisone injection sadly had no effect on my pain. A few months later, we tried a gel injection. It worked for two months and significantly relieved my pain, but not the full six months like we had hoped. We tried the gel injection one more time after a six-month break and there it had no effect that time. He never made me feel rushed during our appointments and he let me take my time voicing my fears and concerns. Thanks to Dr. Bircher’s patience and dedication in trying to find alternative solutions before surgery, I finally agreed to the knee replacement.

On the day of my procedure, I was reassured, impressed, and comforted during visits from his team as they each explaining their “role” in the process. The Rom-tech device and the ice compression machine were both vital in my first month of recovery. Regular physical therapy following the procedure was another requirement to help strengthen the knee and start regaining mobility. I cannot say enough good things about Dr Bircher, his team, and the TCO Excelsior therapy staff!

Thank you to Dr. Knowlan and his team for everything they did to make my knee replacement journey so successful and pleasant. I have enjoyed working with all of them. Dr. Knowlan is the best! His astounding expertise, surgical skills, and personality are astounding.

I’ve had knee problems for years. It started with a broken kneecap from playing soccer, followed by bipartite patella surgery, and a couple of meniscus repairs. I’ve always been active. Skiing, biking, hiking, and just staying on the move. Eventually, the pain became too much.

I saw several TCO physicians in the past, and when things got worse, I decided to get a second opinion there. A few of my friends had great experiences with Dr. Bjerke, so I made an appointment. He recommended TCO’s EXCEL program and thought I would be a good fit. He was right.

The experience was outstanding. I had surgery at TCO Eagan -Viking Lakes and recovered in a care suite at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel across the street. It felt more like a high-end hotel stay than a hospital visit. I received physical therapy right in my room, and everything from pre-op to recovery was smooth and well-organized.

I was back to work in four weeks and riding a recumbent bike in seven. Now, I’m preparing for a hiking trip in Bhutan this fall and feeling great. From start to finish, Dr. Bjerke and the entire team made the process easy and supportive. The EXCEL program gave me the comfort, care, and confidence I needed, and I am truly grateful.

After racing with intense pain in my left knee, I visited TCO’s Eden Prairie Urgent Care to gain clarity on what I was experiencing. We took some imaging, and I ended up at TCO once a week with physical therapist Dylan Scott to treat a hamstring strain and tendonitis in my left knee.

In early September, I still had lingering pain, so we took an MRI scan of my knee, discovering a tear in my lateral meniscus. It felt like every goal was being scribbled off my list as I looked at the scans on the computer. When I saw Dylan at physical therapy the next day, he took the time to sit down to answer every question I had. He assured me that no matter what happened with surgery, I would be well taken care of at TCO.

In November, Dr. Chris LaPrade performed a meniscectomy on my left knee to clean up the tear. Leading up to surgery, both Dylan and Dr. LaPrade worked very hard to make sure I felt as informed as possible, and we developed recovery plans far in advance. The day after surgery, I was already back at the Eden Prairie clinic working on walking and my range of motion.

Throughout recovery, Dylan worked to get me back on the water as soon as possible. I looked forward to every session with him because he knows my competitive brain and my wacky biomechanics better than I know them myself. After being discharged from physical therapy, adding ACE to my summer schedule was a no-brainer because it provided me an opportunity to keep working hard and getting stronger with TCO.

Exactly seven months after undergoing surgery, I was on the racecourse for the US Rowing Youth National Championships, and I know that I would not have achieved this opportunity without the unwavering support of TCO through the ups and downs.

I tore my meniscus while traveling abroad last spring. When I arrived home, I made an appointment to see Dr. Ockuly at Twin Cities Orthopedics since he had successfully repaired a quad tendon rupture on the same knee a few years prior. I had the meniscus root repair done in May and proceeded to go through physical therapy during my recovery. Now, I am back to being able to run and bike. I cannot say enough good things about the care I received from Dr. Ockuly, Dani, and the therapists at the TCO Stillwater location.

Over twelve years ago, I underwent a partial knee replacement at Twin Cities Orthopedics. Following the surgery, I regained the ability to engage in various physical activities, including golf, tennis, pickleball, and volleyball. The surgery had a profound impact on my life. In 2025, my other knee was causing significant limitations on my daily activities. Without knee replacement surgery, I encountered difficulties with stairs and even lifting my leg to get into a car. The doctor who had done my partial knee had retired and after finding online resources and friends, I went to Dr. Bircher for a consultation. During the consultation, Dr. Bircher provided me with a comprehensive diagnosis and recommended surgery. However, he refrained from pressuring me into a quick procedure. Instead, he offered me a detailed treatment plan and recovery timeline, assuring me that he would address the issue when I was ready.

I had the surgery in mid-November. Two and a half weeks later, I am walking without crutches or a walker, and most importantly without pain medication. Both the procedure and recovery process have undergone significant advancements since my partial knee replacement years ago. Dr. Bircher used robotics during the surgery to ensure the utmost precision. As someone with experience in aerospace manufacturing, the use of robotics made sense. Additionally, he recommended acquiring a pedaling machine for in-home recovery, which could potentially reduce my recovery time by up to 30%. While I do not recall specific details about my partial knee replacement, I can confidently say that it took over a month before I could pedal a stationary bike. With Dr. Bircher’s guidance, I began pedaling on my first day home. Dr. Bircher and his team are exceptional. If you are experiencing knee issues, I strongly recommend seeking treatment from his team.

Dr. Kelly repaired my rotator cuff a few years ago and recently replaced one of my knee joints. Both surgeries went flawlessly. I will be forever thankful for his meticulous professionalism, kind bedside manner, and sunny disposition.

I am pleased that I chose Dr. James Bircher to do both of my knee replacements. I had my right knee replaced a little over a year ago and my left knee replaced three months ago. Both surgeries were outstanding and the recovery times were amazing. Dr. Bircher and his entire team were very personable and informative. I recommend Dr. Bircher to anyone who needs knee replacement surgery.