Patient Testimonials

I am astounded that I was able to get into this wonderful clinic on just a moments notice. They take walk-ins! Travis Urbatch, PA-C was so personable and took X-rays for me. He ended up giving me a steroid shot for the pain in my overused knee. I was so thrilled. He was also willing to do the same for my painful finger joint so it wouldn’t lock up without feeling like I had to break it to get it to straighten out! All of that was done in one walk-in visit. I have to travel soon and the thought of hurting so much in the trip was worrying me. Thank you Travis. You are a great provider.

Dr. James Bircher is a fantastic surgeon. He was very interested in all levels of my health from our first meeting. It has been 3 months since surgery and Dr. Bircher is still following up. The physical therapy department is also very educated, dedicated, and thorough. Three months ago it was hard to do almost everything. Today my knee is 100% better. Thank You Dr. Bircher and TCO!

I just wanted to say thank you to Dr. Ridley for his care in repairing my knee/ACL. While I definitely wasn’t thrilled about having surgery, he made me feel at ease with the process and I appreciate it! While I hope to not need his services again, I will recommend him and TCO to anyone in need in the future.

In early March of 2023, I fell on some ice and tore my quad. Dr. James Bircher performed surgery the next morning at North Memorial Hospital in Maple Grove. He was kind, open, and honest with me the whole way through. I’m 76 years old and the pain and healing process went amazingly well! Thanks to Dr. Bircher’s surgical skills, along with his staff. I seem to be doing just fine. My other remarks are about my physical therapists at TCO. Leah and Nichole were simply the best I could ask for!

I had both knees replaced in November and December 2022. In August of 2023, I am walking pain free. For both of my surgeries, Dr. Marcus Mittelsteadt receives a perfect 10. I could not be happier with my results. From the clinics, to the hospital and therapy staff, everyone is knowledgeable and friendly.

Dr. Bircher did revision surgery on May 25, 2023. He replaced a previous total knee replacement. He was thorough in his explanation of the procedure and the inherent risks. The surgery went well and the results border on miraculous. In 6 weeks I was climbing stairs with only minor difficulty and driving. In 8 weeks I was back to work and resuming most normal activities. Thank you Dr. Bircher.

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for Dr. Ridley’s support and knowledge throughout this process. When I tore my ACL, I was devastated and I figured my collegiate hockey career was over. But I can’t thank you and your team enough for turning that around. TCO, and Dr. Ridley was so helpful in getting me back on the ice. Everyone genuinely cared for my recovery and always answered any questions or issues I had. Thank you!

I ruptured my quadricep tendon a year ago. It tore right off the knee cap and one week later, Dr. Kelly surgically repaired it. With plenty of physical therapy, and one year later, I am back to normal. I am running, playing tennis, paddle boarding etc. It’s wonderful! I am completely 100% satisfied.

When I first tore my ACL while Nordic skiing, I was scared I would never run as fast again. The thought of missing my sophomore track season and my junior cross country season scared me, but my perspective changed when I came to TCO.

My family chose TCO because of its good reputation for getting athletes back from injury, and I am super glad we made that decision. Dr. TJ Ridley and my physical therapists, Lee Burtraw, DPT, Beth Kadrlik, DPT, and Kate Cayton, DPT, helped me return to cross country faster than I ever imagined. My PTs gave me different challenging exercises each week which was fun and kept me active throughout my recovery process.

By the end of the cross country season, I was faster than ever due to my newfound strength from PT. I achieved a personal record at the cross country state meet and even qualified for state in Nordic skiing and track for the first time!

Huge shout out to Dr. Ridley for doing such a great job on my surgery and helping me through the recovery process. All the TCO staff I interacted with inspired me to look into being a physical therapist or a sports physician! If anyone has torn their ACL or has any other injury, I highly recommend TCO for a great overall experience.

Dr. Bircher is the best! I’d been fighting a knee replacement for years. When I met him in November, I knew my knee was pretty bad. We talked about knee replacement but he could tell I wasn’t ready. He told me I would know when I was ready. That reality hit me in February of this year. I couldn’t have asked for better results after the surgery. I was accepted into the TCO EXCEL Program, which I strongly suggest you try if you are able to. The nursing staff was exceptional at the hospital right after surgery as were the nurses at the Recovery Suites. The EXCEL nurse coordinator kept in contact with me to make sure all was well. Everyone involved was great.

Before I had my surgery, I told Dr. Bircher all I wanted was to be able to come back and tell him that I wish I had done the surgery sooner. I was happy to oblige! I am now scheduled for a total knee replacement on my other knee. I know not all surgeries have the same results but I am counting on Dr. Birchers skill to pull it out! Dr. Bircher always made sure he answered all my questions and spent as much time with me as I needed to feel comfortable. He is concerned, compassionate and very skilled. That is not something you find in too many doctors/surgeons these days. I look forward to a normal life again!