Chiropractor Dr. Joel S., 56 of Malone, NY, has a busy practice with plenty of patients and plenty of demand on his body as a manual adjuster for nearly 30 years. After dealing with chronic hip pain for over three years, Dr. S. had enough. He did his research and decided it was worth the trek to The Bone & Joint Center to see board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Dionisio Ortiz.

As a busy chiropractor, Dr. S. refers patients to orthopaedists frequently, and he was very happy with the results he was seeing in patients he’d sent to The Bone & Joint Center. He also had his own experience of eight previous orthopaedic surgeries, and he had a very informed opinion of what to look for. Combined with his own research into Dr. Ortiz’s background and expertise, Dr. Ortiz put him at ease right away.

“From the first meeting, he just put my mind at ease that I was not only in the right facility: I chose the right surgeon,” says Dr. S.

Dr. Ortiz has completed over 200 Mako SmartRobotics™ joint replacements to date. He was also the first surgeon in the Capital Region to perform Mako anterior total hip replacement in 2022. The approach and technology of this procedure was exactly what Dr. S. was looking for.

For patients considering hip replacement, Dr. Ortiz says, “Any patient who is otherwise eligible for a hip replacement can have it done with Mako robotic assistance. It is especially helpful in patients with existing hardware, severe deformities, etc.”

Eager to get back to his patients, Dr. S. returned to work full time within two weeks of his procedure. This made his recovery very remarkable, especially considering the physical demands of his practice.

“Dr. S. is ahead of the curve being back to taking care of his patients so soon,” Dr. Ortiz explains. “With that said, it speaks to the power and effectiveness of hip replacement surgery when done for the right patient and reason.”

Not only did Dr. S. get back to his busy practice with a quick turnaround, but he also got back to one of his passions only days later: snowmobile sledding.

“It was pretty amazing. I didn't think I'd be riding my sled until at least mid-February. I was back on it mid-January, a month early,” Dr. S. states.

This year, he’s skipping the Adirondack Cup Ice Oval snowmobile race, but next year, Dr. S intends to come out of retirement and race again. He’s also back to weight training and anything else he puts his mind to.

Dr. S. was impressed by his experience at The Bone & Joint Center, as his patients have been. Today, he says, “all of my orthopaedic patients from now on, whether it's shoulder, knee, whatever, they're all going to go to The Bone & Joint Center in Albany. I'm sending them there exclusively. Actually, I've already referred two or three patients to Dr. Ortiz.

“If I can get the word out there and get more people to the right place, we're going to get better,” Dr. S. added. “I'm in healthcare. I've been in it for 29 years. I just want the best for people, and a lot of people just have no idea where to go.”

If you or your loved one is in need of the right care for chronic joint pain, our experts at The Bone & Joint Center have you covered. Call (518) 489-2666 or request an appointment online today. We have offices conveniently located in Albany, Catskill, Clifton Park, Latham, Malta, Saratoga, and Schenectady.

As a retired attorney and former ballet dancer, Amy M. was no stranger to pushing through discomfort. But when her lower back pain began to limit even the simplest joys of life, like walking to the library or visiting friends, she knew something had to change.

After physical therapy stopped helping, her therapists recommended The Bone & Joint Center—and Dr. Matthew Tetreault. In a procedure performed at the Center for Advanced Ambulatory Surgery in Malta, Amy underwent a left hip replacement. The results were nearly immediate.

Now? Amy’s walking daily, tending to her gardens, quilting again, and even preparing full family meals—like her unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

“I did the whole dinner. My children looked at me and one started crying,” Amy recalled. “They said, ‘Mom, you’re walking—and you’re not limping.’”

Amy credits the compassionate care and expert guidance of Dr. Tetreault and our team for giving her that second chance, saying, “If my other hip goes down the same road, I certainly would not be hesitant to repeat the surgery.”

At The Bone & Joint Center, we’re proud to help people like Amy return to the activities that bring them joy—without pain holding them back.

As a professional athlete and leading a very active lifestyle, it was crucial to eventually fix my left hip. An old fracture, bone spur, and bone on bone pain was unbearable in the end. Dr. Harbin came very highly recommended and promised me to be back in the saddle. After 3 months I'm riding, back in the gym, hiking, and I can't wait to ski this winter with my grandkids. Thank you, Dr. Harbin, for getting my life back, pain free!

16 months of various types of treatment, and I finally got an MRI, which showed encrusted disc area at L5 and S1 at my spine. Dr. Riccio showed me my scan and assured me that I would be pain free. I worked every day with pain and aggravation no pain pills. I had the surgery and was cured with no pain after healing. My first golf outing that next spring I shot my lowest round. Thank you, Dr. Riccio, for making me well again to enjoy work and life.