Patient Testimonials

I am recommending Dr. Owen O’Neill and his team with TCO to EVERYONE, because, simply put, they are EXCELLENT and THEY TRULY CARE. I had struggled with my hip conditions since birth on and off and at “end stage” received recommendations from Mayo to seek out Dr. O’Neill. Dr. O’Neill made room in his busy schedule immediately and once he saw me, scheduled surgery services ASAP. I will forever be grateful, especially since at this point, I could barely walk and was in constant pain. Not only was I greeted with great compassion, respect and professionalism by Dr. O’Neill, but also by his entire team. Everyone worked hand in hand very smoothly and I was thoroughly prepared for surgery and truly had the best experience and outcome. Every aspect of care was covered under the EXCEL program, including education, post-surgery care and a simplified convenient billing package. Every detail, every need was anticipated and I was well set up for success. Dr. O’Neill and his staff ALL are very approachable and made themselves available for support 24/7. Truly, I now have a NEW LIFE, new energy, a smile on my face, and NO MORE PAIN. I know there is a good chance that I will have to receive surgery on my other hip at some time in the future. In that case, for certain, I have already chosen Dr. O’Neill and his team for the job. I could not have asked for a better team, service, and outcome and forever will feel grateful and blessed.

When I was 16 years old, I was in an accident. I was hit in a head on collision with a fully loaded dump truck. My hip was dislocated and I spent months in the hospital. I am now in my 40’s and over the past several years, the same hip has been giving me so much trouble. No movement, limping, cannot bend and causing me pain in my back and knee. I did my hip replacement with Dr. Steven Meisterling. He was amazing. His nurses and crew were very helpful and professional and after my surgery, I feel like a new man. No pain, more energy and back to work after 6 weeks!! Dr. Meisterling said he even did a lot of “carpentry” work on my hip and yet, I feel better than ever. I cannot express how thankful and grateful I am to have such a talented surgeon make my hip feel brand new again. Thank you Dr. Meisterling, you are a wonderful surgeon. I appreciate you more than you know.

I met Dr. Szalapski and had my first hip replaced at 42 years old – scared to death! It went perfectly and no limp. I had my knee replaced at around 50 years old and my other hip done a year later. Last year, I had my shoulder replaced and was told I may only get 70% of my range of motion back – I got 100%. I would never think of anybody but Dr. Szalapski to perform my surgeries when I have had the best care and absolutely no complications!! His support team and Jessica are the best also! Bonus he has a good sense of humor.

Being 45, I have had my share of surgeries. I was born with left hip dysplasia in 1973. When I was a little over a year old, I had surgery to fix the ball and socket. I was very active growing up, lettering in 3 sports and played fastpitch softball during the summer for many years. Orthopedically I was doing great until 2010 when I tore my labrum in my left hip. Dr. Neil Johnson sent me to a specialist at the U of M. After repairing my labrum and replacing the hip a year later, I thought I was doing good. I was an avid golfer and was playing great.

In October of 2014, I was rear ended by a distracted driver, causing the herniation of vertebrae in my neck. Dr. Deal repaired my neck in April of 2015 and I was back on the golf course in August that summer. Not too long after this surgery, I started having right hip issues and Dr. Chris Larson found that I had a torn labrum. He highly recommended I go to see PT Meredith Butulis. She would help me get better without surgery! After my previous experience with my left hip, I was not sold. However, I began working with Meredith and found her to be amazing. She was a great listener and was always so positive and encouraging. After working with her, I have been able to push surgery off and still have not had to do anything about it.

In 2017, while golfing, I stepped in a hole in front of green, and stretched/tore ligaments in left ankle. After visiting with two TCO doctors, therapy was ordered and I immediately went to Meredith. After little improvements in my ankle, she sent me to see Dr. Chris Coetzee. He surgically repaired the ligament. He was also fantastic. When PT was ordered, I said I wanted to work with Meredith. Dr. Coetzee looked at me and said, “Fantastic. She is the best PT in the Twin Cities.” I told him I agreed.

Meredith has helped me in so many ways get back to participating in sports again at a high level. I have a fantastic relationship with her which gives me comfort when I have a question after treatment has been completed. I know I can email her and she gets back to me in a very reasonable time frame.

My story at TCO is extensive over the past 7-8 years. Every doctor, therapist and nurse have been wonderful to work with. I always felt like I was at the center of their attention when I was in one of the offices. I highly recommend to anyone who has an orthopedic issue or concern, to go to TCO.

I have never considered myself a runner but I have always loved to be active. I was a dancer for sixteen years, competing at the national level, and loved the athleticism and artistry of the sport. While I’m past my prime dancing years, I’ve found ways to stay active – teaching kindergarten, taking walks with my husband, strength training, and, most recently, running. I decided my New Year’s resolution would be to get out of my comfort zone and train to run my first half-marathon in 2019. I registered for the Lake Minnetonka Half-Marathon and immediately began researching training plans and nutrition tips. I hit the ground running (pun intended) on January 1, fully determined to complete my training program and prove to myself that I can be a runner. I crushed my first month of training. My distances were getting longer, my body felt strong, and my stamina was increasing. I felt unstoppable and more eager than ever for race day.

One afternoon I was on the bike for a cross-training day when I felt a quick pain in my right hip. It didn’t feel unbearable at the time so I continued on the bike, thinking that I’d put my body through sixteen years of dance with no major injuries, so there was no way a bike session would cause a problem. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The next day it hurt to walk so I forced myself to have a rest day. The following day I couldn’t make it down the hallway with my kindergarten class without pain. I couldn’t sit with my students on the floor. I couldn’t stand for more than a couple minutes to teach a lesson. I thought my hip just needed more time, so I took more rest days and developed a limp to ease the pain when I walked. Fast forward a month and I was still struggling with every day tasks. I couldn’t even get dressed without pain. I finally caved and went to Twin Cities Orthopedics Urgent Care. My story was heard, x-rays were taken, and a diagnosis of labral tear was given. The possibility of surgery sounded terrifying, so I was relieved when the orthopedic surgeon said my injury could most likely be treated with physical therapy.

I walked into my first physical therapy session feeling more nervous than I expected but ready for guidance. Nicole was the perfect match for me. Not only did she put my nerves at ease but she has an athletic background and understood my desire to get back to running. That first session “hurt so good,” as they say, and I left with a goal to walk without limping for the next week. It was perfect that I have twenty-one kindergartners to help me on this journey: “Mrs. C., you’re leaning to the side again!” They kept me accountable and, with a lot of conscientious effort, I started walking “normally” again. My next several physical therapy sessions were all about helping my muscles learn how to operate correctly again. I found that I was excited to go to PT every week because I liked getting new exercises; I could feel they were making a difference. Eventually I was walking with no pain. I could squat next to my students’ tables to help them and get back up again. I could get in and out of my car. I could walk up and down stairs instead of crawling. I could climb on the counter to reach the top shelf of the cupboard. I was no longer restricted.

Eventually I received the news I’d been waiting for – I could try running again! My first run was slow and not very far, but I did it. Best of all, I experienced minimal pain and was able to run again the very next day. My hip hasn’t had enough time to condition for the Lake Minnetonka Half-Marathon but my goal is still attainable. I’ve transferred to the Halloween Half-Marathon and started a new training program. My distances have slowly been increasing, and while I’m often frustrated that my times still aren’t what they once were, I’m thankful I can not only run but do everyday tasks without pain. My kindergartners no longer ask me why I “sound like a grandma” when I get up from a chair. I know this wouldn’t be the case without Nicole and my time at PT.

I’m once again a runner, more eager than ever to cross that finish line on race day. This new race will be the perfect way to celebrate my recovery and 30th birthday, and I couldn’t ask for more!

Dr. Arntson was amazing and so helpful before, during and after my surgery. He was thoughtful, thorough and set me at ease that a hip replacement was the right thing to do! I was in severe pain before my surgery – worked out 5 days a week in pain. 6 months later and I workout pain free, have no pain and I’m living life to the fullest. It was a blessing! Dr. A is the best!

On Christmas eve of 2013, I was in a head-on collision on the backroads of St. Augusta, MN. My femoral head on my left side was shattered and dislocated, and I sustained multiple fractures in my left ulna and left fibula. I was hospitalized for a week, during which time I had 3 hip surgeries and one arm surgery. They were able to locate the fragments of my femoral head and reattached them with screws. My hip was then secured into the socket with a steel plate. Due to my arm injury, I was unable to use crutches, so for the following 12 weeks I was in a motorized wheelchair.

After those 12 weeks, I began working with Eric and his fantastic team (Jess, Emil, Ross, Kim). I did physical therapy with him for 12 months, during which time he saw me walk for the first time, fall countless times, fail, triumph, cry, laugh, and curse. We started with small things, like the stationary bike, and were about to build my muscles back up to the point where I could run on the treadmill with no pain. I truly cherish the memories I have with Eric and everyone else I worked with. I learned so much about my body and the process of recovery, and although my body will never return to the way it was before the accident, I feel so incredibly blessed to have worked with a team that helped me achieve the capabilities I have today.

As an active 69 year old grandmother with several years of gradually worsening osteoarthritic hip pain, I had tried every suggestion from PT to cortisone injections to deep muscle massage, with little relief. I was finally advised to look into a total hip replacement. I didn’t know where to start with my research for best practices, but luckily for me, a family friend had recently used and highly recommended Dr. Owen O’Neill for a minimally invasive, anterior approach hip replacement. What a find! From my first appointment, I knew I was in the right place. Between Ann, Jessie and the rest of the TCO staff, I felt in good hands. The Fairview Southdale joint class was most helpful; as were the pre-surgery recommended exercises. In spite of my husband and my fears, we forged ahead with surgery and happily, had a perfect outcome. My legs are the same length again!! Hurrah! I was up walking at Fairview within hours of surgery and discharged the next afternoon after a few in-house PT sessions to demonstrate I could manage stairs. At home that first day, I climbed our second-level stairs slowly but surely. I used a walker for 5 days; graduated to a cane for another 5 days, after a few more days, kept losing the cane in our house! By the end of week two, I was mostly off pain meds except for two Tylenol at night. I was sleeping better than I had in a couple years. No hip pain!! My three week post-op visit; I walked in unassisted without a limp; my 2 month visit…I was good to go; no restrictions! No pain…a little outer hip numbness and slight swelling with activity (ice alleviates) but no pain. Already traveling/flying again; walking without hip pain is a such a blessing! Thanks again to Dr. Owen O’Neill for his professional, kind, personable bedside manner. And to his staff, who were there whenever I needed them, thank you!! As everyone said in the beginning, “You’ll wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.” Exactly!!! Thanks so much.

First things first, when you’re told to do your exercises, do them! Dr. O’Keefe is very straight forward, yet very compassionate. Nathan is compassionate as well. I’m three months post hip replacement surgery and am getting better each day thanks to these two professionals. TCO is blessed to have them and if I should ever need surgery again, I’ll choose them.

I was surprised that I was released from the hospital only 36 hours after having my left hip replaced by Dr. Arntson. There was no significant pain or discomfort after the spinal blog wore off. I attempt to do 90 minutes of water aerobics 5 days a week. There have been no negative outcomes or consequences. I have noticed an increase in mobility mirroring someone with no artificial hips.