Many websites are now tabulating data on physicians for presentation to the public. They also ask the public to rank physicians based on a number of variables. One such site is Vitals.
If you are interested in having a testimonial posted on this page, please send me an email with your permission to use the testimonial on my site.
Thanks!
June, 2008
Dear Dr. Luks,
I had put off knee replacement for years because of my apprehension about pain, poor results, and lack of information. My activities had been significantly curtailed and I felt discouraged a lot of the time. I finally decided to visit you to get informed about my options. What a lucky day for me.
You made everything so clear, showed me pictures of my knee and normal knees, and demonstrated what the replacement would involve. I immediately felt comfortable and confident that I would be in capable hands with you.
Today, I am 5 months post-op and can do all the things that were beyond me for so long. I have great leg motion and "bend" to my knee. I can only say that I wish we had met each other five years ago. Thank you and thank you, Dr. Luks.
~ F. C.
June 24, 2008
Dear Dr. Luks:
WOW! What a fabulous website! A fabulous attitude, too, and a hopeful and hope-filled initial consult you had with me today. I'm impressed, and I truly feel that I did get lucky -- considering the fiasco with another doctor who initially examined (only) my left knee, and then wrote up my surgery for the right (WRONG!) one, which he hadn't even examined! THIS is as complete a reversal as it gets! Thank you God, thank you Dr. Luks! It was my good fortune to have met you, and I shall now, as you recommended, first pursue getting those veins taken care of on my LEFT leg, and then proceed with the knee replacement you have recommended for that same leg.
Thank you, again SO much, and please be assured that I AM a patient who WILL do the "work" necessary to get through this -- in record time, I hope.
~I.
June 17, 2008
Saw your name on the Tiger Woods discussion, so I just thought I should say hello. You reattached my ruptured bicep tendon in December of 2000 when I was living in Westchester. Eight years later it is still doing great ... lifting weights, throwing baseballs and lifting cold beverages! Thank you for the excellent job. I hope you are well and happy as I am.
~ L.K.
06/10/08
Synvisc, Orthovisc, Euflexxa Testimonial
For years I had been walking around with knee discomfort, and I was starting to avoid some activities. After enduring aches and pains, I finally decided it was time to do something about it because I knew it was only getting worse. During my initial appointment with Dr. Luks he listened carefully to my complaints and looked at the x-rays of my knees. We had a discussion about my lifestyle and then he described the choices I had, recommending injections of euflexxa, which would alleviate the pain that was occurring when I walked. While I was anxious about the injections, Dr. Luks explained in detail what would happen. It was relatively mild and I can’t believe the difference.
After the three injections that he recommended, I found myself walking up and down steps pain-free. I returned to walking two to three miles for exercise. Mornings were no longer filled with slow movements, trying to get my knees to work. I get right out of bed and begin my daily activities without even thinking about how I will get through them. Although I understand this is not a cure-all, I can honestly say my quality of life has improved significantly and I gladly approach gardening, hiking and golf without fear.
April, 2008
I work as a general contractor and my livelihood was in jeopardy when I was no longer able to lift my arm. I went to Dr. Luks as a second opinion for possible rotator cuff surgery.
Upon meeting Dr. Luks and having the injury thoroughly explained along with the treatment course, I felt confident with the level of expertise that he demonstrated. Having been so impressed with the consult, I booked the surgery before leaving the office.
My post-operative experience was remarkable, because the pain was minimal to none.
Dr. Howard Luks' expertise has provided me the ability to return to work, keep up with my grandchildren, and get back to my golf game.
Not only is Dr. Luks an exceptional surgeon, his genuine personality makes him stand out above the rest.
~ P.L., Hawthorne NY
I have been through a great deal with the help of Dr. Luks over the past three years, and I wouldn’t go to any other doctor because of my great experiences with him. Dr. Luks is a wonderful doctor with a vast knowledge of sports medicine. He takes an interest in every one of his patients, not just the ones with major or uncommon injuries. He strives to get all of his patients back to 100 percent activiity level -- or as close as possible. I have been through four total surgeries with Dr. Luks. Each time I was injured, I called his office to make an appointment to see Dr. Luks and I was always seen within a few days so as to minimize my level of discomfort from the injury. After each surgery, I always had questions about whether I was doing things right for my recovery and I needed to ask Dr. Luks what to do. He was always very prompt about helping me so that I could be as comfortable as possible after the surgeries and during the recovery period afterward.
In the summer of 2005, I injured my AC joint in my left shoulder and Dr. Luks took great care of me. I had an arthroscopic surgery and I was back sailing with my sailing team in just a few short weeks. In the winter of 2006, I was in a hockey accident and I dislocated my patella, tore out a chunk of cartilage from underneath my patella, and tore a few ligaments inside the knee. I had three surgeries. The first was shortly after the injury to repair the ligaments, the second a few months later to implant the newly grown cartilage, and the third a year later to clean some excess cartilage out. Dr. Luks did an amazing job at fixing my knee. I can run around with my dog again, and I am back in the boat again sailing with my college sailing team. I am still recovering a year and a half after the injury, because cartilage takes so long to heal, but I am doing great with the help of Dr. Luks.
Any time I have questions, I can call or email him, and I always get a very prompt response, and he is always interested in not just the progress of my knee, but how I am doing sailing and in school as well. I would highly recommend Dr. Luks to anyone who has an injury that Dr. Luks can help with. He has helped my immensely and I’m sure he will take just as good care of you as he has with me.
~ Tim H (19), College Sailor
Five years ago I was 16 years old and visiting New York from Woodbury,Tennessee and while on vacation I was involved in a snowmobile accident where I broke my left femur, tibia, and fibula. I had a compound fracture with my tibia and was rushed to a small town hospital and there they realized it was too complicated and sent me to Westchester Medical about an hour away. I will always feel very fortunate that Dr. Luks was the doctor on call that night, especially since it was late at night. I had lost so much blood from the accident, but because of religious reasons I chose not to accept blood. With such a complication, Dr. Luks respected my wishes and still chose to go ahead with the surgery. I had emergency surgery and 2 rods and 5 pins placed from my left hip to my left ankle. I was put in the hospital for 13 days, and a couple in ICU, because of my blood counts and for physical therapy. Dr Luks did not let me sit, he had physical therapists in my room right away, and even through all the tears and all the pain I am so appreciative that he never gave up. He was always there to visit me, to encourage me, and to keep me fighting.
A month later I left for TN and visited an orthopedist locally; he was very smart but he wasn't Dr. Luks. Every month I would have x-rays taken for progress and about 4 months later there was not much healing. The doctor here wanted to take out the lower rod and replace it with a bigger one, but I kept in touch and asked Dr. Luks for a second opinion, where he was very confident of a simple procedure of taking out the 2 pins in the tibia along with weight bearing and it would start healing in no time.
I traveled back up to NY for 3 more surgeries in the next 3 years. The second surgery he removed 2 pins and worked on my achilles tendon which had in a sense "frozen." The third surgery he removed one pin from my knee and then took my dad in for meniscal tear back to back, and the fourth surgery, which was in November 2006, he removed the last pin from my knee. I have never had another surgeon and if I were to have another orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Luks would be the one I choose. Absolutely amazing bedside manners and just a great person to have working on your side.
I will always appreciate and respect Dr. Luks for making me able to walk again. Every year on the date I will always remember what was done for me, and because of Dr. Luks and the accident I am now in the medical field as an x-ray technician and working in the ER with the same patients I once was. I'll always be greatful!
After three reconstructive knee surgeries and seeing four specialists (all of whom left me discouraged and crying after every visit), I had almost given up on Western medicine all together. That was until Dr. Howard Luks miraculously appeared in my life. When I went to see him, he patiently listened to my story, looked at the scans of my knee (or as we liked to call them "Swiss cheese"), gave me his signature cool grin and said calmly, "I can do this for you, your knee will be fine." And it was.
I couldn't believe that after all I had been through with such a complex bone graft and ACL surgery, that Dr. Luks made it look as easy as changing a lightbulb. My knee has healed perfectly and I have started to run for the first time in 8 years. I have never met a doctor with such class, warm bedside manner, and professionalism. Dr. Luks is someone I have trusted with my life and career as a massage therapist and I'll tell anyone who will listen to go see him! He is absolutely the best orthopedic medicine has to offer, and his opinions and experience always leave me confident that he is doing the right thing for my body. I only regret I did not know this amazing doctor for the first surgery I ever needed.
~ K.D., Mount Kisco NY
I know I am sending off this email at the risk of you thinking I am becoming your next stalker (but I swear I am not). I just feel I have to tell you that when I left your office yesterday I totally understood why as soon as I mentioned my shoulder pain to my primary care doctor, he literally whipped your business card out of his wallet and said, "You have to go see Howard Luks, you will REALLY like him!"
As I left your office yesterday I wanted to climb the nearest mountain (which I was surrounded by) and tell the world "You WILL really like him!" I can't help being impressed with your passion for what you do and the manner in which you do it. That is why I left your office yesterday completely confident that I went to the right person to fix my shoulder. Now if I can just get over my fear of the general anesthesia! Thanks for being true to who you are.
~ S.V., Orange County, NY
Dr. Howard Luks is simultaneously the most caring and the most professional doctor I have ever had. While caring about the patient’s comfort and needs, he assesses each pain and question quickly and exactly, while explaining every detail. I am an athlete and first visited Dr. Luks at age 14 with a strained MCL and have continuously been treated by him for several other athletic injuries over the past 4 years. He has always been careful to prescribe rest or physical therapy as the first course of treatment when appropriate. He has performed an ACL reconstruction, two meniscus repairs, removal of scar tissue, and a surgery for compartment syndrome -- and he has given me hope and confidence with every treatment. Each surgery has been successful and I have been pleased with how each surgery has gone -- and the rehab following each surgery. At each visit, he is truly concerned with the progress of my knee and my overall health. I am extremely pleased with the results and grateful to have such a wonderful doctor.
~ S.Q., Weschester, NY
When I first consulted Dr. Luks, I had swelling and pain in my left knee. From the onset I trusted his judgment and skill. He was patient and caring. I have been a registered nurse for over 30 years, and I really appreciate a physician who makes time to teach and offer non-invasive treatments. So when I needed rotator cuff surgery I wouldn’t consider any other physician. In my opinion on a scale from 1-10 Dr. Luks is a definite 10-plus.
~ JoAnn D., Dutchess County NY