Patient Testimonials

A shout out to Scott Cichos and Katie Godmare for the excellent physical therapy program they have provided to get me on the way to recovery. They both show their desire to guide you to recovery, obviously are skilled in their profession and are very pleasant to work with. They previously helped me recover from a hamstring tear and I am now in my third month of physical therapy for a torn rotator cuff. My range of motion has greatly improved and getting better every day. Many thanks to both of you for your efforts, I appreciate your outstanding care.  I would be remiss if I did not mention your friendly and efficient staff at your front desk. They have been very helpful with scheduling and anything else I needed. Thanks again to all at Physical Therapy at TCO Vadnais Heights.

Dr. James Bircher is a tremendous orthopedic physician and I am greatly appreciative of his awesome treatment of my longtime knee pain. Dr. Bircher possesses a rare combination of great wisdom, compassion and kindness. Both my husband (hip replacement surgery) and I are patients of Dr. Bircher, further confirming our mutual confidence and trust in his medical expertise. Dr. Bircher is a truly outstanding orthopedic provider and his TCO team of Kari (PA) and Cassie (care coordinator) provide superb, enhanced patient support. My husband Bill has submitted his own patient testimonial regarding his successful hip replacement surgery by Dr. Bircher. Both my husband and I greatly thank and highly recommend Dr. James Bircher to anyone seeking excellent knee or hip orthopedic medical care.

To say that I’m impressed with the results of my surgery would be an understatement. I am OVERJOYED with the amount of movement I have regained in my hand. Dr. Bhatt has told me that I can expect to see continued improvement for up to a year. Considering the immediate results, I can only imagine how much better it might get! As a doctor, she is personable and takes time to explain the condition and treatment options. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. Bhatt for anyone seeking treatment with hand/wrist/elbow issues.

It has been three years since an injury profoundly impacted my life, and I am proud of the progress I have made. After that life-changing event, I not only regained the ability to ski but also competed in the Minnesota High School League Alpine Ski competition during my junior and senior years, consistently ranking in the top ten. Additionally, I completed my first marathon in October 2024 during my first year of college, finishing the Twin Cities Marathon in 3 hours and 23 minutes. This achievement has qualified me to apply for the Boston Marathon, which has inspired me to pursue the upcoming Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth in June 2025.

Reflecting on these accomplishments post-injury, I am deeply grateful for the expertise and dedication of Dr. Robert LaPrade and his team, who played an essential role in my recovery. I would also like to extend a special thanks to Jake Foley, who committed over a year and 170 physical therapy sessions to my rehabilitation and return to sport. Furthermore, I owe much of my success to the ACE program, Natalie Denk, and Jeff Kalow. Natalie played a key role in helping me build strength, while Jeff focused on agility, both of which were crucial in preparing me to ski again. Together, they made the recovery process enjoyable while challenging me to reach my fullest potential.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was in Colorado training with my alpine ski team when an unfortunate turn on my skis led to a catastrophic injury. I tore my ACL, MCL, patellar tendon, and PCL. Prior to this accident, I had never faced a setback of this magnitude, and the prospect of my athletic future was uncertain. Dr. LaPrade and his team performed my first surgery in November, and for the next year, I worked tirelessly with my physical therapist, Jake Foley. Initially, I was anxious about starting physical therapy, unsure of what to expect. The process was challenging and often painful, but Jake’s unwavering positivity and encouragement made the experience more manageable, and his dedication pushed me to exceed what I thought were my limits.

By early spring, I had made significant progress, but a setback occurred when I tore my patellar tendon once again, requiring another round of surgery. Dr. LaPrade and his team provided exceptional support, ensuring that I felt reassured throughout the entire process. After my second surgery, I continued my rehabilitation with Jake Foley for another six months. His approach to physical therapy remained motivating and focused on my progress, and I always felt that he genuinely cared about my recovery.

I am where I am today thanks to Dr. LaPrade, his team, Jake Foley, the ACE program with Natalie Denk, and Jeff Kalow. The team at TCO has not only restored my ability to enjoy life to the fullest but has also helped me achieve new athletic milestones. I owe my success—earning two state medals and meeting qualifying time for the Boston Marathon—to the unwavering support and expertise of this remarkable team.

Dr. Carlson replaced my hip November 2024 at TCO’s Orthopedic Institute in Chaska. My surgery and recovery were as painless and timely as I could have asked for. The facility was clean, quiet, peaceful, and extremely conducive to positive healing. I had a single spacious room for an overnight stay. The food they tell me was nutritious and delicious. Most importantly, the staff were attentive, competent, friendly, and very helpful when needed. I was walking the day of my surgery and went home the following morning with complete directions on how to best care for myself and move toward a successful recovery with the help of my spouse. Because of the care and instructions I received, I walked into Dr. Carlson’s office on my own without any support device at my 2 week checkup. My progress continued from that point forward, allowing me to eventually walk 1 mile, then 2 miles as the snow melts. I look forward to eventually adding to that distance as my body walks as I once did without pain. I am highly recommending Dr. Carlson and his staff.

Dr. Leafblad and his team were absolutely fantastic to work with before, during, and after my hip surgery. I received great communication throughout the whole process to make sure that everything ran smoothly. Dr. Leafblad really listened to my symptoms and concerns pre-op and we were able to come up with a plan efficiently. He answered all questions pre-op and post-op and I highly recommend him, his care is amazing!

I developed chronic regional pain syndrome after failing down a flight of steps injuring my right arm and l shoulder for which I did have surgery. However, after two years, I still had extreme pain and very limited use of my forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers. I was referred to Dr. Etasha Bhatt for consultation and we tried injections, tests, and treatments but to no avail. I thought we were going to have to give up and that I’d have to continue to live with the pain, but Dr. Bhatt was persistent and tried one more test which seemed successful in determining what we would do next. Dr. Bhatt had studied and trained on a rare procedure – elbow denervation – which was expected to give me up to 80% relief. She performed that surgery along with trigger thumb release on my right hand. After seven weeks post-surgery, I have 75% relief on my arm and hand, as well as 100% relief on my thumb with which I am more than happy. Throughout all of my time with Dr. Bhatt, I was treated with compassion and kindness. She is professional, personal, experienced, and confident. I truly trusted her with my care. I am grateful for her and her work. I highly recommend Dr. Bhatt to anyone who might have a similar situation as I did.

Great experience from the time Heather called me back to the room. Visit ran very smoothly with very little waiting. Heather was very informative about how the visit would go and what the follow up timeline would be. I was given contact info and the assurance that should an urgent need arise; all voice mails are checked several times a day and Dr. Frattalone is very responsive with returning calls. Dr. Frattalone was a great listener, asked appropriate questions and ensured that all my questions were answered before I left. Corinne in the lab did a fantastic job drawing multiple vials with one stick. Despite this being my initial visit, needing labs drawn and multiple x-ray views I was out of there with a follow up scheduled in about an hour.  My rheumatology consult experience with TCO is that it is a well-run and well-timed facility with knowledgeable people.

I came to Dr. Nessler with a part of my fake hip (done elsewhere, not TCO) sticking through my femur. I was in sooooo much pain and scared to death. He was so reassuring and confident that he could fix it. He did just that. It has been one year since the surgery, and I have completely healed, and I am pain free! He did an amazing job, and I recommend him without ANY reservation. His physician’s assistant is also very impressive. She too is knowledgeable and so reassuring. I drive 2.5 hours to get to them but would not consider going anywhere else!!!

Dr. Anderson is a skilled professional, knowledgeable, considerate, thoughtful. He listened to my concerns and made suggestions for my care that is respectful of my work commitments and work-life balance. I highly recommend Dr. David Anderson.