George Walker from Newcastle Opted for Orthopedic Surgery in Turkey to Repair a Long-standing Sports Injury

Hi, I’m George. I’m a construction manager, always on my feet and climbing ladders, and trying to keep up with my two young kids. For the last ten years, I’ve been dealing with a bad knee from an old rugby injury a torn ACL that never properly healed. It would click, feel unstable, and ache constantly, forcing me to give up football and limiting my time with my son.

I finally saw a specialist in the UK who confirmed a full ACL tear and a damaged meniscus. Surgery was the only fix, but the NHS waiting list was over a year, and private surgery would cost over £10,000. I felt stuck, too young to feel this broken, with no clear solution in sight.

One evening, fed up with the pain, I searched online for “private knee surgery abroad” and found PlacidWay. The website looked professional, the testimonials seemed genuine, and I decided to fill out a form, half-expecting nothing to come of it.

The package PlacidWay put together in Istanbul was amazing. It included the arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, hospital stay, physio, transfers—everything—and cost less than half of private surgery in the UK. Booking my flights felt surreal, knowing I was about to have major surgery in such a vibrant, historic city.

From the airport pickup to the hospital in Turkey, everything was seamless. The hospital felt like a five-star hotel, clean, modern, and high-tech. My surgeon spoke perfect English and spent nearly an hour explaining the procedure using a knee model, putting all my fears to rest before the operation.

Recovery started immediately. The day after surgery, a physiotherapist had me doing gentle exercises, which was amazing. I spent a few days in my hotel, with the PlacidWay team checking in daily and giving me a complete physio plan to continue once I returned to the UK.

Six months later, the difference is incredible. I’m back on-site, moving freely, jogging again, and best of all, spending full afternoons at the park with my kids without knee pain. This journey gave me my life back, and PlacidWay made it possible by handling all the logistics so I could focus on getting better.