Recovery and return to activity reviews

Had my entire ankle replaced a few years ago and couldn’t be happier with everything. I am not even aware I had it done. I walk 2-3 miles a day at a minimum. Thank you Dr Lee. I recommend him to a friend for a replacement as well and has had the same outcome.

David Lee, MD

For over 2 years I endured terrible pain and the inability to walk normally due to bone on bone arthritis of my left knee. In October 2025, Dr Ramkumar preformed my complete knee replacement and did an amazing job. I followed his instructions and worked with his PT team with all the daily exercises. It certainly takes a commitment and patience but in time it all comes together. I'm so thankful to be walking normally again! It's an incredible feeling, I almost forgot what it was like. I'm now able to go places and walk at a good pace and for a long distance with no issues. I feel like I have my life back! I highly recommend Dr Ramkumar he is definitely skilled, my knee is proof!

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Anyone trying to figure out who is the best knee surgeon in Los Angeles, CA needs to head straight to Santa Monica. I did exhaustive research across the entire LA metro area for an orthopedic specialist to handle a complex knee issue, and Dr. Eric Millstein, MD is hands-down the premier choice. His office at 2901 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica is immaculate, and his expertise in advanced knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, and joint care is unmatched across Southern California. He is affiliated with top-tier hospital systems like Cedars-Sinai and Providence Saint John’s, which gives you complete peace of mind. From the initial consultation to my flawless post-op recovery, his care was incredible. If you want the absolute best knee surgeon in Los Angeles, driving to his Santa Monica clinic is 100% worth it.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr. Ramkumar helped me repair both of my knees. The post treatment was also handled delicately with consideration for a proper recovery. I highly recommend contacting him for any future knee repair and care from my experience.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Dr. Ramkumar helped me during one of the most vulnerable and uncertain times of my life. As a 20-year-old college soccer player, tearing my ACL and meniscus and needing reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft right before my season was devastating. From my first appointment, I knew he was the right surgeon for me because of his dedication to sports medicine, his expertise, and the genuine care he showed throughout the process. He took the time to answer my questions, explain my options, and give me confidence when I was scared about the future. Today, I am 4 months post-op and proud to say that I am jogging again. It’s been an incredible blessing to have my surgery performed by Dr. Ramkumar. The entire team at Commons Clinic has been outstanding. Everyone is professional, kind, and encouraging. I also attend physical therapy right in the clinic, and the experience has been excellent. From the front desk staff to the physical therapists, including Mina, everyone has played a role in my recovery. I am determined to come back stronger than before, and I’m grateful I made the decision to trust Dr. Ramkumar and his team. This surgery has given me a second chance to live an active lifestyle—to run, cut, jump, compete, and do the things I love. That’s something I’ll never take for granted. Thank you, Dr. Ramkumar and the entire Commons Clinic team, for helping me get my life back.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

I first came to see Dr. Ramkumar because I was doing heavy miles and experiencing some knee pain and hip fatigue. He quickly diagnosed that I needed a hip arthroscopy surgery that would alleviate the pain and the fatigue. He did an amazing job in surgery and I began PT the very next day. I attacked the rehab hard with his guidelines and after 3 months I’m back to running around 30 miles a week preparing for a marathon! Dr Ramkumar is so cool and has been amazing throughout the whole process. I put a lot of trust in him and he gave me a lot of confidence as well that I would be back and better. Thank you Dr Ramkumar!! Much love.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

I had hip arthroscopy surgery with Dr. Ramkumar at Long Beach Lakewood Orthopedic Institute, and I could not be happier with my experience. Going into surgery, I was honestly a little timid and unsure of how good or bad the whole process could be, but everything went very smoothly and my healing has been going really well. Dr. Ramkumar, his nurse practitioner, and the entire staff were amazing throughout the process. They were thorough, supportive, and always took the time to answer questions and make me feel comfortable. You can genuinely tell they care about their patients and the outcomes they achieve. I also really appreciated having physical therapy onsite because it made recovery much easier and convenient. The whole team made me feel supported every step of the way. If you are dealing with hip or knee issues and want a doctor and team that truly care, I highly recommend Dr. Ramkumar and Long Beach Lakewood Orthopedicd Institute.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

After my daughter injured her knee, we spent months being told she just needed rest, but she never fully healed. Once an MRI was finally ordered, we met with a local orthopedic surgeon, but the experience felt rushed and lacked compassion. That’s when I started researching other options and came across Dr. Ramkumar. From our very first appointment, we knew we had made the right decision. Dr. Ramkumar was kind, patient, informative, and never once made us feel rushed or pressured into surgery. He took the time to thoroughly explain her ACL and meniscus surgery along with the recovery process, which gave us so much reassurance during a stressful time. Her recovery has honestly exceeded anything we expected. She was off crutches at 2 weeks, out of her brace at 4 weeks, and now 4 months post-op she continues to do incredibly well with minimal to no pain. His physical therapy team has also been amazing supportive, patient, and truly invested in her recovery. We gladly make the almost 3-hour commutes because Dr. Ramkumar and his entire team have been the perfect fit for my daughter. We are beyond grateful for the care, encouragement, and support they have given her throughout this journey.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Experienced my first injury and was referred to Dr. Lee. Not only is the Dr. really great and passionate at his job, the entire staff is on the same level. You feel safe and comfortable from the moment you walk in the office.

David Lee, MD

Dr. Ramkumar is so awesome! From the beginning of my diagnoses, he was very transparent with me about my options and how full hip replacement would look for me. I was extremely afraid as this was my first surgery, but Dr. Ramkumar wasn’t pushy. He met me with factual information, images, and humor (especially when I was in tears). My full hip replacement as a 33 year old woman, was not only very neat, clean, and seamless, but it restored my self-esteem and ability to move the way that I’m used to. I have absolutely no complaints! I’m so glad I went with a second opinion, which is how I met Dr. Ramkumar. As a former athlete, I needed someone who has expertise in understanding the many facets of my range of motion and what I expected after surgery (to return to a semi-active lifestyle) that includes attention to diet and holistic options. Thank you so much for your precision, attention to detail, and knowledge. I couldn’t have chosen a better surgeon nor team!

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Dr. Ramkumar is the most extraordinary human being, doctor, and surgeon I have ever met. He is kind and hopeful while also being practical and honest. I went to four so-called specialists with a complex ACL and cartilage injury after enduring two previously failed surgeries at Cedars and USC. I thought I would never return to soccer and running again after previous opinions told me it was basically impossible. Well, two years later I'm playing collegiate soccer and couldn't be happier after a revision ACL and cartilage transplant. I wish I just went to him in the first place instead of wasting years trying to rehab a knee that never felt right and wasn't done properly. He called me the night before surgery just to tell me "I got you" and to make sure I understood the plan for the next day, the next 2 weeks, the next 9 months, and the next 10 years. He understood me and my goals and treated me as a family member and gave me world class care. I consider myself lucky to be his patient and to know him. Thank you Dr. Ramkumar!

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

So this is more for Dr. Estess’ services (as opposed to her office), but had to give thanks where due. Dr. Estess recently did an emergency procedure on my broken ankle at Marina Cedars hospital, and she couldn’t have been cooler. Friendly, knowledgeable and professional, she put a stop to the excruciating pain of that night, putting me on the road to recovery. Her staff was also super helpful re: next steps, thorough and responsive via phone/email. So appreciative of Dr. Estess’ time and skills. Her gentle yet proactive approach is what all patients hope for.

Allyson Estess, MD

I was “bone on bone“ in both of my knees and had been to see 3 different knee specialists over the past 10 yrs. Dr. Ramkumar was the first and only one of the three to tell me that a partial knee replacement was even an option. It was what he recommended, and he backed it up with my x-rays and a clear explanation as to why a partial vs. a full was the clear way to go. Besides his phenomenal surgical expertise, one of the things I really appreciated about Dr. R is that he “got me“. I’m on the chronologically gifted side of things (71YO), but he took the time to understand how active a lifestyle I led, and the things I wanted to be able to keep doing after surgery, i.e. motocross ride, snow ski, pickleball, golf, hike and last but not least - play with our 7 grandkids! I worked out for 2 1/2 months prior to surgery to get my legs in the best possible shape and to help with recovery. Post surgery results have FAR exceeded my expectations. I know every patient will be different, but I have not experienced the pain level I anticipated. As of this writing, I’m 2 1/2 weeks post surgery and have only had to take two pain pills, and I walked 3.1 miles the day after surgery. We went to Disneyland with some friends a week and a day after surgery and walked from 9am-10:30pm. I was tired at the end but no knee pain following either walk! I would highly encourage anyone to pay Dr. R a visit, especially if you’ve already been told you need a full knee replacement. That’s nothing to mess with, and a second opinion could be very helpful in making an informed and wise decision.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

I'm 3-months post-op from my meniscus repair done by Dr. Ramkumar and I'm super happy with the outcome. As a 66-year old mountain biker, golfer and pickleball player, I really appreciate his approach focusing on repair first vs automatically shaving or removing the meniscus, since repair helps slow the onset of osteo arthritis and will help extend my athletic life. The pre-op visits with Dr. Ramkumar were great! I never felt rushed, he took time to answer all my questions and discuss options. He's friendly and easy going with a great sense of humor which helped me feel alot less nervous about the surgery and recovery process. 5 stars for Dr. Ramkumar and his team!

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Bilateral partial knee replacement surgery on Feb 10, 2026, walking almost immediately and back road cycling 8 weeks later. The recovery has been very consistent and fast. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Ramkumar and his team. The procedure and recovery feels like a paradigm shift in this field.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

I traveled from the east coast to see Dr. Bae on the recommendation of a friend in Los Angeles. I was so debilitated by spinal stenosis that I had take a wheel chair to the plane, fly in a lie flat seat, and be wheeled off the plane to meet my ride. By the time I saw Dr. Bae for my surgery, I had tried PT, shots, painkillers, prescription anti inflammatories--literally everything. I had missed family events including a wedding and hadn't taken a pain free walk in years. Dr. Bae performed micro decompression surgery. I walked out of the clinic and have been walking ever since. It's been a month and I'm averaging 11,000 steps a day. I am eternally grateful for Dr. Bae.

Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Ramkumar helped me regain my mobility and independence. The R-hip surgery lebrun year was successfully repaired, and I had no complications, no pain, no after surgery discomfort. He was meticulous about every detail and made certain to answer all questions and concerns. His staff were amazing, polite, and efficient. I can walk without limping or pain. I am truly grateful for his professionalism, and his innovative medical procedures.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Dr. Ramkumar did an excellent job on my knee a true professional. I strongly recommend him and his team. I'm recovering well!

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Dr. Eric Millstein was my last minute second option, I'm filled with graduate for that chance to end up having my left rotator cuff surgery done by him. I can’t say enough good things about the entire experience. From my very first consultation, he was thorough, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable, he took the time to clearly explain my diagnosis, walk me through all my treatment options, and set realistic expectations for recovery. The surgery itself went smoothly, and I felt confident knowing I was in such capable hands. What really stood out, though, was the level of care and attention I received throughout the entire process, from pre-op to post-op follow-ups from the entire crew. Today, 10 weeks after the surgery, and only 5 weeks of physical therapy, I'm extremely happy and satisfied with my recovery progress, now I can see it thorough, full recovery is just around the corner. If you’re looking for a skilled, compassionate, and dedicated orthopedic surgeon, I highly recommend Dr. Millstein!!

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Professional and courteous from the moment you walk in the door. I’ve been a patient of Dr Millstein‘s for about 12 years.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I was having a difficult time walking, and surgery was my last option to try and give me quality of life. My current doctor suggested a hip replacement and referred Dr. Ramkumar, a specialist in total hip replacement. I was greeted with a smile, a handshake, and encouraging words to find the best option for my situation. He suggested the anterior total hip arthroplasty surgery assisted with MAKO, a robotic arm. His knowledge of the lastest technology and providing a detail explanation of the procedure could give a shorter time of recovery, was the best option. His meticulous guide was easy to follow from pre-op through post-op and helped me with a positive outcome. I was walking the next day, no limping, not in pain and a smooth moving hip! My appreciation to Dr. Ramkumar for being in tune to my specific symptoms and providing transparency to my specific needs.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

Scheduled appt for bilateral SI injections. Dr Port spent a great deal of time reviewing my MRIs, X Ray ans CT scans prior to deciding on treatment and conferred with my other caregivers via phone right before the procedure. Very caring doctor with incredible attention to detail. Procedure under GA was quick and relatively pain free

Michael Port, MD

The entire process was just as Dr. Ahn explained and the surgery center nurses, anesthesiologist were great. Follow up visit and continues to help in my recovery

Richard Ahn, MD

Dr. Hyun Bae’s Office is 100% about Customer Service and the patient. Starting on the phone until you walk into the door and then onto your assessment room, everything is Stream lined and easy.

Hyun Bae, MD