Scott Beasley’s journey to Mount Everest Base Camp almost didn’t happen.
That was not because Beasley lacked motivation to push his physical limits. The Brownsburg resident’s life is a long journey of tests that include Ironman triathlons, marathons and mountain climbs.
He previously competed in five Kona Ironman triathlons and five Boston Marathons.
But after a knee replacement elsewhere, Beasley suffered complications that required repeated surgeries, slow healing, excessive couch time, and infection that threatened the potential loss of part of his left leg.
“During 2023, I didn’t think I was ever going to ride again because I couldn’t get any bend in my knee,” said Beasley, 64, a longtime cyclist.
A little more than two years ago, a friend referred Beasley to Dr. Kyle Stoops of the Indiana Orthopedic Institute. As with many surgeons at IOI, Stoops is highly experienced with complex revision (or re-do) joint replacement surgeries.
“Scott was sent to me to help him with his infected knee replacement,” Dr. Stoops said. “He wanted to stay active but never thought he would be able to get back to some of the activities that he enjoyed.”
Surgeon Helps with PT
With the infection, Stoops had to replace the implant and treat Beasley with antibiotics.
Beasley required physical therapy, but previously he said PT left him feeling beat up. “I would walk out of there completely swollen,” he said.
Dr. Stoops took a more gradual approach with shorter PT sessions. The surgeon gave Beasley his cell phone number, just in case he needed it.
Recovery progressed. Beasley was again taking on lofty goals.
In October 2025, he flew into Kathmandu, then took a puddle jumper to Lukla. The trek took him 85 miles to Mount Everest Base Camp and back over 13 days.
He reached around 17,500 feet in elevation.
Mobility and More
“Up and down and up and down,” Beasley said. “You might ascend a few thousand feet only to descend a few thousand feet.”
“The knee was the least of my problems. It was more of the rough trail and the balancing...
There’s a lot of heavy breathing.”
Despite limited oxygen, Beasley was in his element - something that seemed incomprehensible just a couple of years before.
Not everyone seeks to scale mountains. But whatever your goals, Indiana Orthopedic Institute’s experts are here to help you remain mobile and reduce pain.
Call (317) 620-0232 or visit IndianaOrtho.com to schedule an appointment.