Barbara's Story

I am pleased with my orthopedic surgery results.

Barbara Beggs is a retired English teacher who at age 72 enjoys walking three and a half miles a day. Her routine came to a halt in 2024 when she tore her meniscus. She doesn’t know exactly when the tear occurred; it could have been in a water aerobics class or when she dove into a wave at the beach. That flying leap left her in intense pain that she endured for four days until arriving home to Clarion, PA.

On recommendations from friends, Barbara consulted with Matthew Varacallo, MD, MBA, FAAOS, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement, cartilage repairs and ligament reconstruction at Penn Highlands DuBois.

When she met with Dr. Matt, as he is known by his patients, she was impressed.

“He listened to my concerns about the potential for arthritis to set in and was willing to respect my wishes to repair the meniscus rather than clip it. I had the surgery at Penn Highlands DuBois in January 2025, and it went great. I started physical therapy four days later. I’m a perfectionist and I wanted to ensure that the degree of bend in both knees was equal – which it is!”

Six months following the surgery, Barbara was back walking three and a half miles a day. On vacations, she went snorkeling and walked 18,000 steps a day, sometimes on cobblestone streets. Neither activity was difficult for her.

“Choosing an unconventional meniscus repair for someone my age was a risk, but with Dr. Matt, I cannot be more pleased with the results,” added Barbara.