For Maegan Burbank, staying active has always been part of who she is. As an insurance agent who loves walking, running and maintaining an active lifestyle, her three‑mile walks with her dogs were a source of joy and routine. But after years of running, Maegan began experiencing significant knee pain — the kind that slowly interrupts everyday life and even makes simple movement difficult.
As so often happens, what started as normal wear and tear from years of activity eventually turned into chronic knee pain. Running made the pain worse, and before long, even walking required effort. “My three‑mile walks no longer existed,” Maegan said. “I had to shorten them to a mile and a half, and eventually I couldn’t do any physical activity because of the pain.”
Like many people experiencing knee pain, Maegan tried conservative treatments first, including cortisone injections. But when the injections stopped relieving her symptoms, daily living grew increasingly frustrating. “Once the shots were no longer effective, walking became challenging. I was dealing with pain every day.”
Already a patient at Central Indiana Orthopedics (CIO), Maegan had previously seen Dr. Chae for a meniscus tear and later for cortisone shots. When new X‑rays revealed bone‑on‑bone knee arthritis, she learned that knee replacement surgery was now a true option — and one she was more than ready for.
Dr. Chae referred her to CIO knee replacement surgeon Dr. Ryan Jaggers, who brought Maegan immediate reassurance. “He is patient, explained everything well, and always asked if I had questions. I felt he understood my pain and frustration and was ready to operate to provide relief,” Maegan said.
Together, they discussed partial versus total knee replacement, and Maegan placed her trust in his expertise to make the right decision during surgery. Ultimately, she underwent a partial knee replacement, a procedure often chosen when damage is limited to one compartment of the knee.
The results were better than she expected — and faster than she imagined. “I was walking like I never had surgery by week two,” she said. “By week four, my knee started to feel normal again. By week six, I was finally sleeping through the night. My knee feels great now.”
Maegan’s progress has been excellent. While deep squatting remains challenging, she shared that limitation existed even before surgery. What matters most is that she is walking again without knee pain and doing the everyday activities she loves. “It feels great not to struggle with daily tasks anymore. I bounced back quickly.”
Throughout her journey, the team at Central Indiana Orthopedics made the experience smooth. “The staff was great through the entire process — all the pre‑tests, everything needed before surgery. The nurse followed up the next day and returned my calls promptly. The care was excellent.”
Maegan’s advice for others dealing with knee pain is clear: “Why wait? There’s no need to live in pain. You can have surgery and deal with a few weeks of healing — and then live the life you deserve.”
Today, Maegan is grateful for her care at Central Indiana Orthopedics. “The entire process with Dr. Jaggers has been smooth — pre‑ and post‑surgery. I’m able to continue on with life.”
To read more inspiring patient success stories like Maegan’s and explore our joint replacement services, visit ciocenter.com/why-choose-cio/.