Stories

Dr. James Belogorsky

“With more than 15 patents on knee replacement medical devices and over 140 professional articles, this guy is the real deal.
Dr. James Belogorsky

Dr. Belogorsky Wanted The Best, So He Got Dr. Howell

Dr. James Belogorsky was never a couch potato. He was a free-style swimmer with a great kick, a 40-mile a week runner all through med school and an avid rock climber, hiker, back packer, downhill and cross-country skier…all hard on the knees. So when he couldn’t even make one run down the slopes without pain, he knew it was time to do something. And that’s when he found Dr. Howell.

He looked for quality indicators – Dr. Howell’s low infection and complication rates, his reduced time under anesthesia, shorter time in the hospital and early ambulation all spoke volumes about his competence. Importantly, he was also impressed by the mandatory Joint Education class held by those providing his care, including the physical and occupational therapists. It appears Dr. Belaorsky made the right choice.

Downtime was minimal and he was back to work in just a month, walking 4 miles a day on hospital rounds, waterskiing in six weeks and recovering nicely. In fact, so well that Dr. Belogorsky has had his other knee replaced and is looking forward to returning once again to his active life, thanks to Dr. Howell.

George Karl

“Dr. Howell is an expert at what he does – with a passion to do it well.”
George Karl

For An Innovative Knee Replacement, George Chose An All-Star.

Decades of basketball as a professional player and an NBA coach left George with a half dozen knee surgeries, virtually no ACL and a lot of pain. So after 27 seasons and one of only nine NBA coaches in history to have won more than 1,000 games, he was unable to ride a bike or even play golf. Determined to get better, he called around and Dr. Howell’s name kept popping up. After that, the only regret he had was not going to Dr. Howell ten years sooner.

George was amazed at how well his knee replacement went. Within three days, it was 100% better than it was. Ten days later he was outside and walking. With rehab and will power, today, fifteen months after his surgery, George is doing 25 mile rides,averaging 50 miles a week on his bike and back on the golf course. That kind of recovery sounds like a slam dunk.

Todd Stanley

“When people who know I had a knee replacement see me play, they always ask, ‘Who did your surgery?’”
Todd Stanley

Thanks To Dr. Howell, Todd Is Back On The Court At Full Speed. Game, Set, Match.

Over the years, Todd was always pretty hard on his knees. From AAA ball to local basketball tournaments to professional tennis, he has traveled the world and always played to win. This took its toll on his right knee, which was constantly sore. As time wore on, so did his knee. The pain became chronic, and when therapy, cortisone, braces and ice no longer worked, an orthopedic surgeon told him he had virtually no cartilage left.

Still, it took him several years to decide on a knee replacement. He researched journals, patient reviews and the importance of the most natural fit for joint replacement. All the data pointed to Dr. Howell. As a result, the decision was made, and after a tough rehab, Todd was back at it, with phenomenal success and zero problems or pain.

That was two years ago, and the proof of Todd’s recovery is undisputable. Last year, Todd won two 50 and over national doubles championships and continues to play at the highest level of his game. How’s that for recovery?

Carol Shanser

Carol in action after her Total Knee Replacement

“I’m amazed and pleased to live in a time when this kind of knee replacement is possible.”
Carol Shanser

Thanks To Dr. Howell, Nothing Can Slow Carol Down.

An avid skier since she was 15, Carol could ride the slopes with the best of them. But when her knees wore out, she couldn’t even ride her bike or climb the stairs. When the swelling and pain became just too much, her physician husband began the knee replacement search and it ended with Dr. Howell. The only thing more amazing than the procedure itself was her remarkable recovery.

After her right knee was done, she walked her dogs on the third day and was skiing that winter. And recovery from her second knee replacement was even faster. Thanks to Dr. Howell’s “Pre-hab” program, she was strong and well prepared for her surgery. How well? She was walking down the stairs the very next day.

Carol continues to hear the call of the powder, and with her new knees, is still carving the slopes well into her 70s. Pretty cool, huh?

Peanut Harms

“I saw Dr. Howell as a pioneer in knee replacement and his
experience proves that he knows what he’s doing.”
Peanut Harms

Peanut Wanted His Knee Replacement To Be As Precise As He Is. It Was.

An avid runner, college All-American and track coach for more than forty-three years, Peanut’s knee issues began back in 1967 when he blew his knee out in high school. They fixed the meniscus tear as best they could back then, but it bothered him ever since. For years, he managed through the pain, even when it was bone on bone and offset. However, he finally decided total knee replacement was his only option.

His physical education background kicked in when he began to research procedures and physicians. Drawn to Dr. Howell as a fellow UC Davis grad, Peanut watched the online videos and liked what he saw. Not sure whether he would ever run, coach or teach track again, Peanut took a leap of faith in Dr. Howell. Good choice. The rehab was tough, but he’s a competitor. That was two years ago. Today, Peanut is running sub-seven minute miles and has racked up more than 450 miles of walk/running in the past two years with absolutely no pain at all.

Bob Vocker

“I heard so many great things about Dr. Howell, and every one of them
turned out to be true.”
Bob Vocker

Bob’s New Knee Gave Him Back His Drive.

Bob’s knee had history. It had been giving him trouble for more than a decade, and alignment exercises just weren’t working. Going up and down stairs was impossible, he was limping more than ever, and because of cartilage loss and ACL damage, he stopped playing golf for a year and a half. Unfortunately, Bob’s knee made him and his golf game suffer. But Dr. Howell stopped the suffering for both.

After the surgery, he had no more knee pain from day one and thanks to the advanced procedure of kinematic alignment developed by Dr. Howell, Bob was back on the course in just a few months. Now he does everything he used to do, pain-free. In fact, his wife just had her knee replaced by Dr. Howell too.