Linda Malkin has lived a lifetime of hiking and traveling. But eventually, her arthritic knees kept her from doing the things she loved. After more conservative treatments stopped working, she turned to the idea of total knee replacements.
“After a hiking trip to Croatia in May 2025, I realized that I was experiencing more pain, limiting my enjoyment. Having been an employee at Valley before retirement, I knew where I needed to go for care,” said the 78-year-old.
Linda scheduled an appointment with Ismar Dizdarevic, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, to discuss her options. They decided to replace both knees in a staged fashion, defined as having both knees replaced one shortly after the other, to allow for recuperation and healing. In Linda’s case, separate surgeries were performed. Both were same-day procedures, meaning she was back home the afternoon of her surgery. Her right knee was replaced in July 2025, followed by her left knee just two months later.
In both cases, Linda completed prehabilitation, a pre-surgical physical conditioning program designed to help patients recover quickly. After her surgeries, she utilized Valley’s physical therapy team to come to her home twice a week, and she later attended outpatient physical therapy. A month after her first knee replacement, she returned to spin classes three times per week. Now, with the second knee replaced, she participates in yoga and barre classes as well.
“My entire experience with both knees was uncomplicated and stress-free,” said Linda.
“Do not put your active life on hold because of knee pain,” she said. “The downtime is minor compared to the years of pain-free joy ahead. In only four months, I have returned to the activities that I hope will keep me young, adventurous, and joyful. And I have Valley to thank for that.”
Valley's Total Joint Replacement Center offers comprehensive orthopedic surgery procedures from an experienced team, with the latest technology and support to guide you every step of the way. Valley holds accreditation from The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care certification program for total hip and total knee replacement.
For more information about Valley’s Total Joint Replacement Center, please visit ValleyHealth.com/JointReplacement.