Patient Testimonials

I had my left total knee replacement, July 19, 2018 and it went really well. Therapy was really effective. I had my right total knee replacement on October 18, 2018 and it went really well too. Therapy was good too. Dr. Owen O’Neill and assistant Jessie are super helpful. I am now ready to have surgery on my spine, since my knees are doing so well. April 2019. I AM VERY PLEASED WITH TCO.

While I was able to walk with a slight limp before my total hip replacement (right side), I had a tough time getting up from chairs. So much so that I dreaded sitting down. I also stopped exercising, which is important to me as a pre-diabetic person. I was delighted when Dr. Meisterling mentioned that my best option was to have total hip replacement. There was a root cause to my problem and there was a solution. I did not really have any anxiety over the surgery, neither before nor after. I was just looking forward to being able to move without dreading sharp pains or inability to get up in public.

The surgery went smoothly. By the evening, the Physical Therapist at the hospital took me out for a walk. My family and I found that amazing. It was with the aid of a walker, but it was still amazing. After 2 nights at the hospital, I was able to get into our van to go home due to the “training” I received at the hospital. I continued to use my walker and slowly introduced the cane. Now, 6 weeks later, I am walking without any aids. Thanks to my TCO Physical Therapist, Andy, I have understood the importance and purpose of each exercise. And again, I am watchful of any limitations or feelings of pain, which I share with Andy. Andy then suggests things we can do to address these concerns. My walk is not 100% back to normal, but very near. For a person who just had surgery 7 weeks ago, I find it amazing. Now I can’t wait to exercise so I can keep diabetes at bay.

My primary care provider suggested Dr. Kelly as she had worked with him for years, and said he was the best with shoulder repair. I met him and some of his team in 2017. I decided to follow the physical therapy route, and waited for another year. An entire year after our first meeting, my torn rotator cuff started to interrupt my sleep and I was having more bad days then good. I went back and met with him. He asked me, “are you ready to do this surgery?” I asked him, “are you?” He then told me he was ready last year. I still laugh about that. I had my surgery on 12/27/18. The pain management plan was very clearly laid out for my husband and myself to follow when we got home. I am so grateful for that thought out plan, a sheet of paper with a graph to follow. I think it made a challenging situation much more manageable. The recovery went better than I thought, and I was back to light duty work in three weeks. I respect Dr. Kelly and his team of compassionate care givers. Thanks for a new chance at life.

Dr. Seybold is the greatest surgeon. I had been waiting Dr. Chris Coetzee for years, which was 2 years on the waiting list. His partner orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Chris Larson, recommended Dr. Seybold as equally great. Thus, I didn’t wait and went for him. My surgery went well. After the surgery, I made three follow-up visits. I am also very impressed with his nice personality and high care level. Highly recommended. Look no further!

I just wanted to take a moment to let anyone interested in hand surgery to consult with Dr. Amy Moeller at Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO). I, and my family, have had to utilize TCO on a number of occasions, and then recently I required surgery on my hand. Dr. Amy Moeller was recommended to me, and subsequently, she performed very successful surgery on my hand. I cannot speak highly enough about her abilities, as well as the attitude and performance of her team – from greeting/scheduling, to surgical environment, to the surgery itself and after-care. And I would have to emphasize her “bedside manner” – Dr. Moeller is outstanding in listening, understanding and relating. I have in the past done some consulting concerning operating room environments and safety – and hers was exemplary. Should anyone reading this need hand surgery, Dr. Moeller is the finest.

I have had 13 surgeries from Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO) and multiple other non-surgical treatments from TCO!

Dr. Karlstad and his team have treated my multiple elbow, thumbs and shoulder issues with multiple injections, some surgery and physical therapy.

Dr. Saterbak and her team treated both knees with injections, scopes, surgery, partial knee replacement followed by physical therapy.

Dr. Vargas and his team have treated both feet (cyst, plantar fasciitis, ankle instability), followed up with physical therapy.

With all of the visits to TCO, I was treated like a family member by all. They are hands on doctors, verifying motions, pain, etc. They follow conservative treatment, follow up regularly to keep track of progression and never rush through appointments. Dr. Saterbak even requested blood tests to rule out Lymes, arthritis, etc. I’ve been to other Orthopedic clinics where the doctor has you fill out a form in the waiting room and doesn’t even read it and the appointment ends without even checking joints, location of pain, and more.

Physical therapy at TCO is top of the line compared to other areas I’ve been to for therapy. They have so many options, equipment, and the therapists are all very knowledgeable. When you go, they are prepared for you and the treatments are personalized for you. They use every minute of your therapy time on you and truly want you to recover.

Thanks to TCO, I’ve returned to usual actives (pain free) more than 13 times and currently on the road to recovery from my latest foot surgery! I have referred so many family and friends as I know they will be treated right!

In September of 2017, I had come to the end of my proverbial rope. After a fall in 1978 of approximately 30 feet, I had some 14 major back and neck surgeries and was now in so much pain I was ready to give up. Seven years earlier the head of Neurosurgery at a very prominent hospital told me when I came for a much anticipated appointment, “if anyone ever tells you they can help you they’re pulling your leg”. I left devastated, in tears and did not really know how much longer or how much worse things could get.

Things indeed did get worse and over the next seven years my 6 foot 6 inch frame folded over too about 5’7”. The pain was completely over the top when I decided I had two choices; one very final, the other was search for a surgeon capable and willing to save my life. I started searching for Twin Cities Neurosurgeons and actually read the bio’s when I stumbled on Dr. Harris. In bold type he stated that he specialized in brain and complex spinal surgery. I had no choice but to see if he was serious, my appointment was made.

His staff treated me with a great deal of respect and seemed to streamline the process because the next thing I knew I was standing in front of Dr. Harris being told that he could help me! He warned me that it would be the worst thing I had ever been through and I kind-of chuckled because I had been through staph infections of the spine, multiple 3+ level fusions, I didn’t think I had anything to lose.

The 13 hour surgery was all that Dr. Harris promised. He removed a four level bad fusion done in 1988 and then went on to fuse virtually everything but the kitchen sink. I was up and walking the first day after surgery with huge grin on my face as I again stood 6ft 5in tall. In May of 2018, seven months after surgery I played golf for the first time in ten years without any increased pain. Yes my swing was really ugly but it didn’t matter, it was fantastic. The improvement in my quality of life cannot be understated, you need to be patient and persistent and understand you have a very long road ahead and the possibility of a much better outlook for tomorrow.

The recovery took a little over a year but Dr. Harris most definitely saved my life on October the 19th, 2017.

I strained the ulnar collateral ligament in my left elbow during a high school hockey game in January. I missed 3 1/2 weeks of the season while I rehabbed at the Twin Cities Orthopedics in Woodbury with Brett Petersen, physical therapist. I returned to play for 3 games, only to separate my right shoulder during the section semifinal game on February 27th. I resumed seeing Brett to rehab my shoulder for the high school baseball season. Unfortunately, my right arm is my throwing arm. I was unable to throw a baseball or swing a bat. It has been 6 weeks and I’m happy to say I played in my first baseball game earlier this week! Brett not only helped get me back on the field sooner than I thought, but has also taught me the proper way to strengthen and warm up my arm before I play in order to stay healthy throughout the season. Thank you Brett! I’m hoping to have a great season!

On July 21st, 2015, my worst nightmare came true. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). I was absolutely devastated by the injury because I injured my knee in the last club soccer game before my junior year of high school soccer season would start. At my first appointment at TCO, my nightmare was confirmed with an MRI; I had ruptured my ACL through and through. On August 7th was when the real work began to come back from this injury.

Dr. Jason Barry successfully reconstructed my ACL and within a week I had my first physical therapy appointment with Bryan DeJarlais. I knew from just how frustrating and hard the first appointment was that I was in for one of my life’s biggest challenges. Working along with Bryan was Courtney Scherr, PTA. Throughout my recovery, I feel she made the biggest impact. She challenged me physically and mentally every appointment, but also recognized that I was struggling with being out of the sport I love so much. She pushed me to do the best I could and ultimately helped me get cleared to return to sport at 6 months. When I concluded my regular physical therapy sessions, I decided I was not ready for contact yet and joined the Athletic Competition Enhancement (ACE) training. After the eight week program concluded, I was eight months post-op and felt ready to go. Using the strength and resiliency TCO taught me, I successfully returned to playing soccer at a high level, which I now play NCAA Division III soccer at the College of St. Scholastica, something I did not think was possible after my injury occurred.

Thanks to the great care I received at TCO and the bonds I made with the physical therapists, I have decided to pursue physical therapy as my future career and hope to one day soon help patients who are in a position that I was once in succeed.

I had a good experience with Dr. O’Keefe and TCO. I was well informed on how things would progress and all staff was pleasant to work with.