Patient Testimonials

Dr. Bircher worked with me for arthritis pain in my right leg. After some injections and waiting out the pain (while recovering from a different surgery) we were ready for hip replacement. Dr. Bircher encouraged me to stop smoking and I am now on 7 months of no smoking. Surgery went wonderfully. I woke up and as I was walking around, he was in my hallway to check on me. The pain was gone right away. He talked me through a lot of pain before surgery, but I’m so glad I did it.

My experience at TCO with Dr. Arntson is an A+. I came to TCO not able to walk. Dr. Arntson was able to diagnose the issue and provide professional care. I highly recommend Dr. Arntson. I’m 43 post-surgery, having my right hip replaced with a titanium ball and stem. I’m walking without support, my pain and aches are very minimal. I don’t have to rely on pain medication either. I have received the best care. I’m 84 years old and am very grateful to Dr. Arntson for his outstanding care and knowledge to perform a difficult surgery on me.

Dr. Knowlan and his team did a fantastic job with my hip replacement surgery and I am nearly back to normal after just 15 days. The entire experience from diagnosis, to planning, to execution and recovery, was very professional and effective. The crew at Woodwinds Hospital was great as well. They helped me through the first 18 hours after surgery and quickly got me on the way home the next morning. Thank you Dr. Knowlan. I really appreciate what you’ve done for me!

If you find yourself in need of being put back together, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Engasser. In August 2023, I tripped and fell forward. I landed very hard on my left side and literally couldn’t move. After being admitted to the hospital and told the news, I was told by Dr. Engasser that he would be performing surgery to fix my broken femur/hip the following morning. He explained the procedure and timeframe. The next 12 hours were a blur. When I woke after surgery, Dr. Engasser was there telling me surgery went great and that I should be up walking later that day. True to his word, with the help of internal hardware and a walker, I was up and walking that day.

At a final follow up visit after PT, Dr. Engasser said the X-rays were textbook perfect. Bone growth and anchors were exactly where they needed to be. There was no difference from leg to leg, and no glitches in gait when walking. I felt I’d been given a miracle. Dr. Engasser and his staff are by far the best orthopedic specialist team I could have been blessed with. I’m 68 years old and have broken a lot of bones. I am just so very thankful Dr. Engasser was on call the weekend I needed him. Absolute best!

I am so thankful for my hip replacement completed by Dr. Nessler. I am not even three weeks from surgery and I am doing great. I look forward to getting back to life!

Wow, Twin Cities Orthopedics Forest Lake is incredible! I brought my husband there the day after Thanksgiving due to severe hip/leg pain. The gal at the front desk brought a wheelchair to get him into the office and get us checked in. The staff were knowledgeable, caring, and professional! They took X-rays, found the issue and we gave us clear instructions on how to deal with his situation. The gal at the front desk got us quickly set up with physical therapy appointments and an appointment with the Orthopedic surgeon if needed. We were in and out in an hour! I would highly recommend Twin Cities Orthopedics Urgent Care Forest Lake. We were really amazed and so appreciative of the great care we received!

Thank you Dr. Arthur and Sarah for squeezing my 85 year old mother in for femur surgery at 5pm on Sunday of Labor Day Weekend 2023! You had a full roster that day, so I am so grateful that you were able to relieve her of terrible pain. The follow up X-ray in October could have been a nightmare, as my mother was rolled out of bed that morning at assisted living. She was very scared and in some pain from that fall. We worked together to ensure her comfort to and get her on the X-ray table successfully. I truly appreciate you both. Caregiving is a very difficult journey, so the support you both provided is absolutely a silver lining.

I’m very grateful for the surgical skill of Dr. Randall Lewis. Last May (2023). I experienced a sudden severe pain in my left hip and thigh. My walking was affected and couldn’t put pressure on my left leg. Life activities came to a sudden stop and I made an appointment to see Dr. Lewis. Within a few hours after an MRI, he called and gave me the diagnosis. A total hip arthroplasty surgery could be a choice for improvement, and that was my decision. In September 2023, Dr. Lewis skillfully performed my procedure and I am happy to report it was the correct choice. I requested physical therapy for 6 weeks post-op, and it was very helpful. As of November 2023 I am feeling very well. I am walking well and I am so grateful. Dr. Lewis, I appreciate your surgical work. Thank you!

Dr. Knowlan and his team are nothing short of amazing. My hips and knees were bone on bone and several friends recommended him to me. Normally these procedures would take 4 years, replacing one per year. I didn’t want to deal with it that long, and Dr. Knowlan did all four procedures within a 9 month period. I’m now able to do things I haven’t been able to do for years, like going up and down stairs, crossing my legs, sitting cross legged, and putting on my socks by myself. These things are no big deal to the average person, but a very big deal to someone who can’t do them. I don’t need my scooter or walker anymore. I couldn’t be happier with the results. The team at Eagan Orthopedic Surgery Center and the EXCEL Care Suites were also amazing. I felt like I was treated like royalty. I would do this again in a heartbeat, though I wouldn’t recommend doing the surgeries so close together. I’ve dealt with chronic pain most of my life since I have scoliosis, so the recovery pain wasn’t that big of a deal for me.

I cannot express my gratitude for TCO and Dr. Nemanich. I am 44 years old and extremely active. My life was put on hold due to the pain of hip osteoarthritis. I was told I needed a hip replacement. I wondered how could this be? I’m too young. So I dealt with the pain for a while until I could hardly walk and limped everywhere. I finally decided to do surgery. Dr. Nemanich was amazing. He explained everything and answered all my questions. I never felt rushed. I scheduled the surgery I was nervous because I had never had a broken bone in my life.

The surgery team met with me and explained everything. When I woke up I was still scared I didn’t know what to expect. I was a little sore and groggy but that arthritic pain in my hip was completely gone! It was crazy! Dr. Nemanich met with me after and explained things to me. Once again, I never felt like he was in a hurry. He answered all my questions. I was scared walking for the first time and the first week was a little rough, but by the second week – wow! I cannot believe the mobility and pain free hip I have! I want all new joints now! I will definitely be coming back to TCO and referring my family and friends. The entire team is amazing, from the people that handle insurance and work paperwork, to the surgeons, and nurses. I am able to live my life without pain again. Thank you TCO!