Being sure is part of the treatment
If you've been told you need orthopedic surgery and something about it hasn't settled, getting another look is a normal, sensible step — not a betrayal of anyone.
Almost nobody hesitates about a second opinion for clinical reasons. They hesitate because it feels impolite — like doubting someone who was kind to them, or going behind a doctor’s back.
That instinct is worth setting aside. Surgeons seek second opinions for their own families as a matter of course. Most insurers cover them, and some require one before authorizing an elective operation. A surgeon confident in their recommendation has no reason to mind you confirming it.
An orthopedic operation is a decision you live with for decades. It is entirely reasonable to want two people to have looked.
Reasons people come in for a second look
- You've been told you need surgery and it came as a surprise
- The recommendation was made quickly, or without imaging being explained to you
- You were offered one option and no alternatives were discussed
- Non-surgical treatment was never genuinely tried
- You've had a previous operation on the same joint that didn't resolve things
- The plan doesn't fit your life — your season, your job, your caregiving
- You simply don't feel settled about it, and that feeling hasn't gone away
A second opinion, step by step
Send your records ahead
Imaging discs or portal access, radiology reports, operative notes if you've had prior surgery, and any physical therapy records. Reviewing them before you arrive means the visit is spent on your questions, not on paperwork.
A full, independent examination
Dr. Day examines you himself rather than reading someone else's conclusions. Where imaging is ambiguous, the physical exam usually settles it.
A plain answer
Whether he agrees, disagrees, or thinks there's a third option nobody has raised — explained in language you can repeat to your family that evening.
The decision stays yours
You are under no obligation to transfer your care. Many patients take the second opinion back to their original surgeon and proceed there with more confidence.
A second opinion is only worth having from someone who will tell you the inconvenient answer
At a conference championship, officials misread Dr. Day’s throw and placed him into the final. He protested his own result so the throwers who had actually earned the places could compete. He lost his spot. The NCAA named him its national sportsmanship recipient and Sports Illustrated ran the story.
That is the disposition you want in a second opinion — including on the days when the honest answer is that the first surgeon was right.
Second opinions, answered
Ready to get back in the game?
Schedule your visit with Dr. Day and take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.