Dwight Luck, Knee Injury Testimonial

My name is Dwight Luck, turning 72 next month. I spent 31 years in the Air Force. My wing commander when I was in the military was an avid handball player. Got me introduced to it back in 1977, and I’ve been with it ever since. I’ve done seven marathons, numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, and halfs. That is probably what really took the toll on my knees.

Around 2009, it got to the point to where I could only walk about a block. Finally, I went in and saw my doctor, my primary care physician at MacDill Air Force Base. That’s when he sent me to Florida Orthopaedic Institute, and that’s when I met Dr. Gustke. He did examinations, X-rays, and said, “The only thing that’s going to fix that knee is a total knee replacement.” Of course, it’s my first knee and I was a little bit nervous. But I looked at his bio, and his bio was very impressive, so I was satisfied that I had the right doctor. The surgery started. I was at the hospital about 5:30 in the morning. By 7:30, I was probably under. It was on a Tuesday. The way that Dr. Gustke did these knees, my bone structure was such that there was no cementing that had to take place. I got out of surgery, the knee was all wrapped up. By Thursday, noon, I was being discharged. Friday morning, the physical therapist was up at my house saying, “Let’s get started. If we don’t get any pain, we aren’t doing it,” he says, “The right way.” Six weeks of that, and we had to start working the extension and the flex.

At four months, I was back on a handball court playing handball. It definitely improved my game. Even though my left knee wasn’t quite there, he said I have 50 percent of cartilage left in the left knee, but he said, “Let me know when you want that one done.” I went three years. I got to the point to where I just couldn’t take it anymore. The pain was just too much, and so I got hold of Gustke, said, “Okay, let’s go do it.” The only thing I was doing was legs, that’s all I do. Prepping them, strengthening the muscles, preparing them for that surgery, and I think it really helped. It’s almost three years to the month that he went ahead and did the left knee. I was really pleased because, when I came out of the hospital, my extension was better compared to the first one, so the recovery was much better and quicker.The follow-up with the knees so far every year has been… Everything is just the way it should be. In fact, I was back in a court playing handball in three months with the left knee. He was a little reluctant to let me go but he said, “Don’t play any singles; just play doubles.” I said, “Okay.” The first time, when I played, it was a little bit… Because you’re not sure how it’s going to act, (03:00) because now I had a lot of movement. I had side movements going on, forward movements, back movements as I played. Each time I played, I would put a little bit more into it, play a little bit harder.

There were no issues. There was no pain. I was to the point to where I really didn’t even pay any attention to the knees. As far as I’m concerned, they’re just my regular knees I had before. Florida Orthopaedic Institute, I have been 100 percent satisfied. The institute itself has been 100 percent outstanding. I can’t say enough about it.