PATIENT STORIES Climbing Stairs Without Knee Pain

Burlingame resident Charles Chavez felt like his right knee was a lost cause. After enduring four surgeries to repair a severe posterior cruciate ligament tear and cartilage damage, his knee was so arthritic Chavez could not walk without pain.

"I put it off as long as I could, but now I'm very happy I went ahead with it."

"It got to the point where my knee had no more cartilage left," he says. "It was bone on bone."

Chavez discussed his chronic knee pain with Mills-Peninsula orthopedic surgeon Paul Hazelrig, M.D. The two explored the pros and cons of a total knee replacement for about five years before Chavez decided to take the plunge. He had the surgery in January 2014.

"I put it off as long as I could with cortisone shots and other pain medications," Chavez says. "But now I'm very happy I finally went ahead with the replacement."

"My experience at Mills-Peninsula was great. Dr. Hazelrig was very informative and professional—I trusted him and knew I was in good hands."

Chavez says he is now fully recovered, and for the first time in years he can walk up and down stairs pain-free. He has problems with his left knee as well, and is planning to undergo a joint replacement on that knee soon.

"I would absolutely recommend Dr. Hazelrig and Mills-Peninsula to anyone considering joint replacement surgery," Chavez says.