Patient Testimonials

I went to see Dr. Ridley for pain in my knee. He had an MRI done to see what else may be going on and discovered 2 blood clots that were not related to my knee pain. He called me when he found them and had me go to the ER immediately for an ultrasound. I was put on blood thinners to treat them. The discovery was incredible, and I am very thankful to Dr. Ridley for going the extra mile to ensure there was nothing else going on that he couldn’t see through an x-ray.

It was a great experience from the first visit until the last. It’s been six weeks since surgery and I’m walking an average of six miles per day. Dr. Schmiesing did a great job with the surgery and the follow up care. The EXCEL Program was a lot of help too, along with my physical therapist, Jacob. I would have this surgery all over again, if needed!

From day one, Dr. Lewis and his team of assistants and physical therapists have been “spot on” and I thank them all. You must not forget your responsibility as a patient, to take guidance from the team and exercise. I was walking with assistance early on. At day 40 I was walking without assistance. It’s truly a miracle. I have a little more work to do on my part, like exercising, but I expect that I will continue my travels as planned. Thanks to all at TCO.

I was referred to TCO by my primary care doctor and chiropractor. My leg and knee hurt so much, I could hardly walk. I saw Dr. Bircher at TCO and what a great surgeon he is. From my first visit to after surgery, he always explained what to expect with my total knee replacement. I am now three months after surgery and my knee is doing great. Dr. Bircher said there would be pain and there was! But now it is so much better. That is all in the past. Thank you, Dr. Bircher.

I had my surgery with Dr. O’Neill and couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I was somewhat apprehensive because the replacement of my right knee with another surgeon did not go well. Knowing this, he answered all of my questions and calmed my fears. He was 100% right with everything he told me. Surgery went great and he came up to my room that evening to check on me, even though he was unsure if he would have time to stop by. His whole team was great. They were very thorough and caring. It’s been years since running without pain. This golf season I plan on walking the courses again! Thank you so much.

Dr. Edward Szalapski is absolutely amazing. I have been going to him since 2004. My husband and sister have also had numerous surgeries performed by him. His care team Jessica, Joe (retired now), and Tracy are the best in the business. They all work together so well and treat all patients with the utmost respect. Dr. Szalapski also has a great bedside manner and tells it like it is. He is very thorough with what will be done, expected recovery time, and long-term prognosis. He truly cares about you, the patient, not about lining his pocketbook. If you are in need of an Orthopedic Surgeon, look no further. Dr. Szalapski will take great care of you.

Dr. Schmiesing provided excellent care from start to finish. He was sure I understood everything by the time I left each appointment and I never had doubt in the process. Dr. Schmiesing performed a successful surgery and even though we weren’t sure what he would find, he persevered what he could and made sure I came out of that surgery with the repair I needed. My recovery was as expected. His care team continued to follow-up and provide remedies as I needed them. Zach and Sydney also provided excellent care and were sure to return calls in a very timely manner. I would highly recommend Dr. Andrew Schmiesing and his team for your needs. You will not regret your decision.

I cannot say enough about the wonderful care I received at Twin Cities Orthopedics. From the reception staff, to the nurses, therapists and the great job Dr. Lewis did on my knee, it was a great experience overall. I couldn’t imagine having anyone else do my right knee surgery when I have that replaced. I would highly recommend TCO, and especially Dr. Lewis, to everyone I know who is looking to have any surgical procedure done.

Dr. Cooper repaired my knee in 2016 when I was 19 years old. I first injured my knee when I was 17. I continued to play sports even though I was told I had torn my ACL. I can count eight different events over the two years where I popped something and couldn’t move my leg for days. Dr. Cooper told my family it would be a two hour surgery. He got in there and really took his time, with my meniscus in particular. The surgery took almost 5 hours because of his dedication to giving me the best treatment possible. I remember him telling me how he sutured my meniscus together piece by piece instead of just cutting it out because I was so young. Knock on wood, my knee has been incredible after I completed physical therapy. I am forever grateful for the amazing work Dr. Cooper did for me. Thank you so much!!

Roughly one year ago, in January 2022, my wife Martha broke her right leg in an accident at home. Dr. Omar was the on-call physician who was able to correct her right leg. Dr. Omar was very impressive and gave us confidence that he would be able to set the broken bone and that her recovery would be long, but she will be able to get back normal activities eventually.

Dr. Omar communicated exceptionally well and made us confident that, with good follow up and physical therapy, Martha would have a normal recovery. Martha is strong willed and determined to not be stopped by her condition. At every follow up visit, Dr. Omar continued to encourage her and explained in detail how well she was progressing. Patients need confidence and assurance that their condition will improve. Through his communication style, Dr. Omar made us believe and understand that all would be well. With PT and hard work, she is totally recovered in one year and doing great. Thanks Dr. Omar!