Before
I was a skier on the Swiss ski team and had a terrible injury in my 30’s resulting in complete tears of my ACL/MCL. I had surgery near my home in Switzerland but developed a post op infection. I ended up with many more surgeries because of this. In the early 90's I had an "osteotomy" procedure to more optimally realign my leg which had become severely bowed due to the previous injuries and infection. I went on to have a total of 7 knee surgeries in all. I eventually moved to the United States and became the lead pastry chef at Stein Erikson Lodge. My knee could not handle the long hours of standing on hard surfaces. I became acquainted with Dr. Rosenberg and the “athletic knee” which would allow me to continue my lifelong loves of skiing and mountain biking.
After
I was back to full duty working 12 hour shifts within 3 months following surgery. It had been years since my knee had felt that good standing on hard surfaces. I was even more excited to see how good it felt carving down the slopes or smashing the pedals on my mountain bike in Moab.
Alex, age 48
Skier/Mountain Biker
Before
I was first evaluated by Dr. Rosenberg in 2007 after having experienced knee pain for several years, aggravated to a greater degree after a fall off a ladder. He recommended making some dietary changes and low impact exercise. I spend a lot of time horseback riding and pursuing big game in the backcountry. With his holistic approach, I was able to wait 6 more years before my knees started to affect my hunting activities. I had both knees replaced in 2013 staged several months apart.
After
About a year after my last knee was replaced, I was hiking steep, rocky terrain in pursuit of big game again, something I thought I would have to give up. I easily mount and dismount my horse without my knees giving me any trouble whatsoever. I have no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
Brent, age 48
Before
I have been an avid outdoorsman my entire life. Before retirement, I was also a world traveler with my international organic fertilizer company. My knee problems began about 5 years ago when I injured the knee after a tree fell on it. My outdoor activities were seriously impacted, and I felt I had lost quality of life.
After
Nine months after having my knee fixed, and to celebrate my 75th birthday, my kids and their spouses and I hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim. There is a 5,000 foot drop from the North Rim to the Colorado River and then a 4,300 foot climb up to the South Rim. We each carried a 30 pound pack. I had no problems with my knee. I feel have a new lease on life now.
Perry
Hiker
Before
I had 53 good years of sports and activities, until I just wore out my right knee. Thinking back I was not kind to my knees, at all. I played competitive basketball, from junior high through college, and on to city league after that. I tore my ACL (and played on without it for 10 more years) before pain talked me into getting it fixed. I did a lot of running, more basketball, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, and windsurfing, to name a few. Then the pain really started to set in. I had several knee scopes, and then turned to Synvisc, and got a few more kind of painful years. My activities were really starting to be limited by the pain. Then, when I found myself dangling my underwear at arm's length, and barely able to step in. When I arrived at at work and was unable to do the stairs, I knew it was time to schedule getting a shiny new knee.
After
I had heard many times "That Dr. Rosenberg was the best". I was lucky, and had been a patient of Dr Cooley's for many years, so I had an easy in with Dr. Rosenberg. These guys are like ROCK STARS to me. Like anyone, the morning of surgery I was really nervous. Dr. Rosenberg was so reassuring, and came up and put his arm around me, as I was walking down the hall, and said how confident he was, that it would all go very well, and it did. Up and walking (with my walker) within an hour after surgery and I was more than ready. I started on my stationary bike the 2nd week, then graduated to my regular bike and regular activities pretty quickly. Best of all, I was on my small windsurf board in the Gorge at week 15 with the biggest smile on my face that you can imagine. Not 100% but stable and strong enough to get an hour long session. I got back to mountain biking about that point too and even back on my unicycle. Since the knee replacement, all activities have gotten better and better, as I’ve gotten stronger, and have gotten away from the pain. I’m very happy that I chose to get my knee fixed.
Sarah, age 53
Mountain Biker/Windsurfer
Before
I am 70 years old have always been very active my entire life. I played tennis and ran almost every day for 40 years and took up snow skiing again when I was 35. I worked out at the gym four or five times a week and loved to hike and mountain bike as well. Through all these activities I had problems with my knees and had to take OTC pain medication and ice treatment.
I retired 8 years ago when I was 63 and moved to Midway, Utah so that my wife and I could ski every day. I experienced increasing pain and a loss of mobility because of my left knee. Walking for any distance became impossible because of the bone-on-bone contact. In the spring of 2008 after seeing a story on the evening news about Dr. Rosenberg’s success with knee replacements, I made an appointment. Dr. Rosenberg and his staff gave me a complete and thorough examination and told me I would be a good candidate. Six weeks later I had knee replacement surgery on June 5th. I worked really hard in physical therapy and had an uneventful recovery. I was back skiing on opening day at Deer Valley six months after surgery.
After
Six years later I am still pain free. I continue to ski 80-100 days a year, play golf several times per week, hike and work out at the gym. Knee replacement surgery gave me my life back. I can’t express my gratitude enough to Dr. Rosenberg and his staff for making this possible.
Bill, age 76
Golfer/Skier
Before
I'm a lifelong Skier and Endurance Cyclist. My passion for skiing drove me to a 20 year career in the ski industry where I was able to ski every day. As a child I had trashed the lateral meniscus in my left knee and later, in 1978, I destroyed the MCL along with the ACL in my other knee; all ski injuries. By 2008, I was a mess!
On May 8, 2008 Dr. Rosenberg performed knee replacement surgery on both of my knees. Since then I’ve been enjoying the best days of my life. I am able to do anything I like and at a level that I haven’t seen since my 30's. I owe everything to Dr. Rosenberg and his Awesome Team!
After
Today, I ski and bicycle pain free. In fact, the 2nd year after surgery, I challenged myself by skiing 18 runs at Snowbird nonstop, top to bottom in one day. That was my eye opener; I knew I was cured! So the next summer I was back on my bike riding 200 mile one day events with the best in my age group.
This past winter I learned to Nordic Skate Ski. My favorite track is the Round Valley Trail behind the Park City Hospital. As I skied by the hospital, I’d think about the folks who were recovering from knee replacement surgery. I wanted to stop in and give them a pep talk and say that it only gets better from here; work hard and expect the best, I did and I’ve been living my dream!
John, age 59
Before
It became very obvious when I could no longer ski the traverses or hike high baldy at Snowbird, bicycle without being in pain, hike all the trails I so much enjoyed, or go the the bathroom without keeping the leg straight (it just wouldn't bend enough), that my only option was to go for the total knee replacement. After getting a couple of opinions (all who agreed a total knee was my only option), it was an easy decision to go with Doctor Rosenberg. He made me feel confident that I would be able to resume all of the activities that I loved so much.
After
The first two weeks after surgery are the toughest, but very quickly the rehab becomes easier and rewarding as you achieve new goals. My biggest goal was to bicycle a century ride (that's 100 miles in one day for those who don't bicycle...) within 6 months of surgery, something I very easily accomplished in 5 months and with no pain. Soon after I was skiing, maneuvering the traverses with ease and hiking high baldy with the best of them. I just celebrated my one year anniversary and can still say this was one decision I will never regret — it gave me the opportunity to continue to live my life to the fullest.
Christine, Cyclist
Before
At the ripe old age of 23 I was thrown from a horse and shattered much of the interior of my right knee. The orthopedic surgeon that did the "repair" told me I needed a new knee, but the design of artificial knees at that time was not very functional. Fast forward 23 years to the fall of 2006. I’m in lots of pain, getting progressively worse and realizing that I don’t want to be there any longer.
After
Now, I’m riding my horse better than ever, competing at a high level, not even realizing that my own damaged knee was limiting my abilities. I can now race my grandkids to the car, and run up the stairs at the office. It now feels like it is “mine”. The only thing I regret was that I didn’t do it sooner.
Peggy, age 57
Avid horseback rider
Before
Before knee replacement it was painful and difficult to stand, walk, or do anything. Keeping up with my grandkids was no easy deal.
After
Since my replacement on both of my knees 10 years ago, I have skied an average 100 days per year or an equivalent of 12 million vertical feet.
Bob, age 71
Competitive skier
Before
I was in great pain for 2 years before my replacement. I still managed to run my dog team but a great deal of it was done on a 4 wheeler. I thought my life was over as I knew it. I saw other doctors and they said I could have the replacement but would not be able to continue running dogs.
After
It is easy to talk yourself into being old because of pain, mine was my knee, I had used it up at 54. I was afraid that I would never walk normal again. Not so, with this knee replacement, I have my life back again. At 63, 9 years after my replacement I ran a dog race called the Iditarod, a 1,049 mile sled dog race and finished. Life is good!
Deborah, age 63
Dog sled racer
Before
"One day I was up in Alta skiing in two feet of fresh powder on a beautiful sunny day and I couldn't even finish a run my knee hurt so badly." Dave Edwards is a passionate outdoorsman who especially loves the thrill of skiing, fishing and pushing life to the edge. But when pain forced him off the slopes, it was time for Dave to take a look at getting his knee joint replaced. "The pain got so intense, I just couldn't do any of the activities I wanted to do and for me that's not living anymore."
After
Dave noticed the improvement immediately after his operation. "The moment I woke up from surgery, I noticed the arthritis pain I'd been suffering all along was gone." Because Dave had previous work done on the knee, his recovery was a little more demanding than most but Dave toughed it out. "I just knew I had to hang in there." And he's glad he did. Now recovered, Dave is thankful to have his active life back. "To just walk in the stream when I'm fishing used to kill me. Now it's pleasant again." Dave has learned to rely on his new Stryker knee and is quite pleasantly surprised by the strength and functionality. "Its become my strong leg rather than my weak leg. In fact, the surgery was so successful, he is now considering having his other knee replaced. "I'm quite impressed with the Stryker Knee itself."
Dave E., age 56
Fly Fisherman
