Patient Testimonials

I dislocated my left knee cap twice, my right knee cap once, and broke my wrist and collarbone in the span of 3.5 years, injuries which have threatened my hockey career. My second knee cap dislocation happened shortly after my first so I was referred to Dr. TJ Ridley at TCO. Dr. Ridley laid out my options in a way that I could easily understand. He didn’t pressure me and gave me time to make a decision that would work best for me.

I chose to have a medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction. Dr. Ridley performed the surgery, and it went very well. His care team made sure that I was taken care of throughout the process. I knew what to expect and what I needed to do to recover as soon as possible.

During my recovery, Dr. Ridley referred me to Justin Nicol, a Sports Physical Therapist at TCO Vadnais Heights Therapy & Performance, who helps hockey players return to the ice. Justin had me on the ice for physical therapy and was instrumental in getting me back to playing games sooner than I expected. I loved the ACE – Hockey program and would recommend it to anyone. Big thanks to Dr. Ridley and Justin!

5 years ago I had bi-lateral knee replacement surgery done by Dr. Kruse, and the surgeries were 3 months apart. The surgeries went well and my recuperation went well too. I’m using those repaired knees pain-free now, as I recuperate from recent heart bypass surgery. As I do rehab for my heart, I am once again realizing that my knees are able to do the necessary walking and biking motion without any stiffness or pain thanks to Dr. Kruse and my knee surgeries. He is a great surgeon, patient focused and motivated me to use my new knees. I would highly recommend him to care for others.

My husband was “laid out flat” while wrestling his younger brother and I heard a pop. His knee was sore, but he didn’t have any true pain, and so he ignored it for the time being. Weeks later while trying to get into his truck, his knee buckled, taking him to the ground. At that point he knew it wasn’t something he could ignore anymore.

Insert Dr. Hess. Dr. Hess was professional, relatable, understanding and open-minded. He gave many options beyond surgery and explained exactly what was going on with my husband’s knee. His ACL tore completely off the bone but stayed completely intact. This would be a more unique surgery and one was one that was done less often.

Dr. Hess did an outstanding job and 2 years later, my husband feels great. He was given very clear and reasonable expectations regarding rehab and how his knee would come out of the surgery. My husband feels that those expectations were met and exceeded. It’s easy to say that, should a doctor or surgeon be needed in our family, we will look to Dr. Ryan Hess first. Thank you for being not only an amazing surgeon, but an overall kind and compassionate human being. It did not go unnoticed.

I am not usually one to write a testimonial. However in this case, the care, professionalism, knowledge, and empathy I received from Dr. Bjerke and his staff was truly and utterly amazing! I suffered a knee injury while playing pickleball and saw a physician at an orthopedic clinic that was not TCO. I was told after a review of my MRI, that my knee was “bone on bone” and I needed a full replacement. I am in my late 40’s and have been active my entire life. I was completely shocked by this diagnosis. Upon reiterating this information to a few close friends, I was told by one to reach out to Dr. Anseth at TCO for a second opinion. I did so and to say I was impressed and relieved is an understatement. Dr. Anseth was truly amazing and assured me he would not give up until we figured out the reason for the knee pain I was dealing with.

We started with a cortisone injection and I felt great, unfortunately it was short lived as my knee “gave out” again a few weeks later while walking. I went to TCO Edina Urgent Care and a second MRI was performed. Dr. Anseth called me personally and told me the MRI showed a root tear in my meniscus and that this was a specialized tear and he wanted me to see Dr. Bjerke as soon as possible for further treatment. I immediately made an appointment to see Dr. Bjerke and I can honestly say it was the best decision ever! Dr. Bjerke thoroughly explained the tear, along with his recommendation for surgery.

Dr. Bjerke performed the surgery in June 2021 and I was non-weight bearing for 6 weeks (6 very long weeks but it was well worth it in the end). From the time I first met with Dr. Bjerke, through surgery, and all of my follow up appointments, he has ALWAYS been completely transparent. He was clear about the process, the time frame, the importance of putting in the work with physical therapy, as well as following the PT exercises on my own.

I am 6 months post-surgery and my knee feels amazing! My physical therapists, Dustin S. and Katie G., at TCO Vadnais Heights are the BEST! I could not have done this without them. Their professionalism, encouragement, and positivity was second to none and I am forever grateful to them. With every single encounter I had at TCO, I was treated with the utmost professionalism and genuine compassion – from Dr. Anseth and his care team, to the TCO Urgent Care team, to Dr. Bjerke and his amazing care team, to every single professional on the day of my surgery at TCO, and Dustin S. and Katie G. at TCO Vadnais Heights PT. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Bjerke (and Dr. Anseth) as well as their amazing care teams/surgical teams/and physical therapist teams!

I am a retired general surgeon and have known Dr. Hunt for 25 years. We practiced together at his previous organization and when my knee needed replacement, there was no question who I would see. Not only is he an expert surgeon, he is a caring, down to earth man who never takes his role in the patient-doctor relationship for granted. My surgery went smoothly and I am completely recovered. I can’t recommend him enough.

I arrived at Dr. Andrew Arthur’s TCO office in the Spring of 2019 to be seen for severe pain in my left knee and the inability to walk for more than 10 minutes. I was diagnosed with multiple stress fractures and badly damaged knee cartilage. I knew my sporting future did not look bright. Dr. Arthur recommended paste graft cartilage regeneration for my knee. He carefully explained why this was an ideal option and my best hope to get back to triathlon competition.  I knew I was in excellent hands and agreed to follow his lead. Dr. Arthur reported that the procedure went better than we expected. The next step in the process included dedicating myself to physical therapy.

I closely followed every recommendation I was given for recovery and rehabilitation. Dr. Arthur and his team were profoundly helpful and supportive throughout my recovery, with consistent contact and multiple office checkups.  Two years post-surgery, I am pain free and racing again.  I recently finished Ironman Wisconsin, placing 6th out of 199 in my age group and 103^rd out of 1,746 overall.  Considering what my life was like before surgery and physical therapy, this is truly miraculous. Thank you for helping make my dream come true, Dr. Arthur and Twin Cities Orthopedics!

I knew Dr. Ridley was a very accomplished surgeon but it was the phone call and office visit prior to the procedure that really made me feel at ease. I had several questions about the procedure and recovery time and I was a bit nervous. He was very approachable, professional and friendly, and it was very clear to me that he cared about his patients and wanted to make sure all of my questions were answered. At my 2 week post-op follow up appointment, it was more of the same with him taking the time to answer all of my questions, as I was anxious to get back to a routine with fitness and daily life. He also mentioned that he didn’t want me to feel like this was it and that I could call back with any other questions or concerns regarding the procedure. At the 2 week follow up appointment, he also shared how happy he was to see how quickly I was recovering. I am starting my workouts again, biking and walking stairs without any discomfort. I would recommend Dr. Ridley to anyone I know. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Dr. Allan Hunt gave me my life back. I had a total knee arthroplasty surgery in September of 2020. My doctor at the time, insisted nothing was wrong after my procedure. I struggled for five months. It was a total nightmare, including one month of using a Jazz splint. My insurance changed in January of 2021, allowing me to see Dr. Hunt. I was referred to him by my sister-in-law who had this surgery done by Dr. Hunt years ago.

Dr. Hunt listened to my concerns and ordered a weight bearing x-ray and knew immediately what needed to be done. He showed my husband and I where all the issues were. The only way to correct them was to have a total knee revision. I am five months post-op from my total knee revision and enjoying my life, including riding my bike. Dr. Hunt and his team have a direct pass to Heaven as far as I’m concerned. If you want it done right, I strongly suggest seeing Dr. Hunt the first time.

Dr. Ridley is very informative. He answered all of my questions and genuinely cares about my health. He has a positive attitude and appears to love what he does.

After a successful operation, I’d like to thank Training HAUS and Braidy Solie, as they will be helping me during my recovery/rehab process in the States. I appreciate Dr. Larson and TCO for looking out after me. I can’t wait to rejoin my team, Menemenspor Soccer Club, once I’ve been given the go-ahead from my doc!