Biography


Dr. Steven Isono is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine as well as surgery of the knee and shoulder. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in both Orthopaedic Surgery and in Sports Medicine with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

Dr. Isono grew up in the East Bay and graduated as the Valedictorian of Oakland High School during which he participated in Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field with All-State Honors in Gymnastics. He received a BA with Honors in Biochemistry from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and wrote his Research Thesis on Erythrocyte Abnormalities in Sickle Cell Anemia. He then received his MD from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois and also performed research on Liver Hepatomas during medical school. His Internship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery were both completed at Stanford with additional training in Microsurgery in Japan at the Kyoto University Hospital and the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital.

He is serving as Team Physician and Consultant for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPSC) for Men’s Swimming, Triathlon, Judo, Taekwondo, Track and Field, Men’s Rowing, and Boxing), the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the Oakland Panthers (Professional Indoor Football League), and Laney College. He was Team Physician for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for many years and completed this role in 2019. He is also a consultant for the Special Olympics, Ironman World Triathlon Championships, Dew Tour of Action Sports, and Association of Volleyball Professionals.

In addition to covering numerous National and International World Championship competitions, he has served as the Orthopedic Surgeon for TEAM USA for the 2015 XVII Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the 2016 XXXI Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aries, Argentina as well as the 2019 XVIII Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Dr. Isono was appointed the TEAM USA Head Team Physician at the 2021 XXXII Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in July 2021 and the 2022 XXIV Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Dr. Isono also is a founder of a Non-Profit organization called the One Nation Project located in West Oakland. This program uses sports as an avenue to mentor kids-at-risk and involves kids from lower school through high school. Of his “first class” of kids, 10 of 11 kids graduated high school and college with a few of his “kids” becoming an Astrophysicist, a Financial Consultant, a Deputy Sheriff, and an Attorney. He is the co-founder of a second Non-Profit organization called Civic Assets which is a program for assisting Veterans affected with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) transition and assimilate into society.

Dr. Isono is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine, Olympic Sports Medicine Society, Arthroscopy Association of North America, California Orthopaedic Association, Western Orthopaedic Association, NBA Team Physicians Society, and the American College of Sports Medicine. He also holds the position of an Expert Medical Reviewer for the Medical Board of California.

Among his many honors, Dr. Isono has earned the “Top Doctors in Sports Medicine” award in the California Magazine, Oakland Magazine, and Bay Area Consumer’s Checkbook, the Patients’ Choice Award for California’s Favorite Physicians, and designated among “America’s Top Orthopedists” and "Sports Medicine Physicians" by Consumer’s Research Council of America.

Professional Summary


Education & Certifications
  • Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (2020)
  • B.A., Harvard University, Biochemical Sciences (1978)
  • M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Medical School (1982)
  • Internship, Stanford University Medical Center, General Surgery (1983)
  • Residency, Stanford University Medical Center, Orthopaedic Surgery (1987)
  • Board Certification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (1989)
  • ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (1999)
  • Certicate Added Qualification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine (2007)
  • ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (2009)
  • ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (2018)
  • ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine (2018)

Memberships
  • Orthopedic Surgeon, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (1992 - Present)
  • Orthopedic Surgeon Consultant, National Football League Player's Association (2019 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, National Basketball Association Golden State Warriors (2011 - Present)
  • Executive Committee, NBA Team Physicians Society (2015 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Men's Swimming (2017 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Rowing (2018 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Boxing (1996 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Judo (1994 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, Laney College (2005 - Present)
  • Expert Medical Reviewer, The Medical Board of California (2000 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Taekwondo (1997 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Track and Field (1996 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, USA Triathlon (1994 - Present)
  • Qualified Medical Evaluator, State of California (1991 - Present)
  • Team Physician and Consultant, Association of Volleyball Professionals (2007 - Present)

Administrative Appointments
  • Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (2017 - Present)

Specializing In

Practice Locations


Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Emeryville Emeryville, CA
Emeryville, CA

6121 Hollis Street, Suite 900

Emeryville , CA 94608

(510) 974-2800

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Patient Ratings

(288 Ratings)

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Patient Reviews

(223 reviews)

Of all the doctors I've seen in my life, Dr. Isono is probably my favorite. He's friendly and relaxed but very focused on the patient and very good at communicating and expressing concern.
Excellent. Dr Isono is the very best !!!
Dr. Isono is a superb physician: professionals , personable, and efficient. He listened to my cocerns, explained what he thought was going on, and advised me of my options. It was good visit.
Steve Isono is the best doctor on the planet and his staff is terrific as well
great doctor!
As always, Prof. Isono has all the insights and provides excellent recommendations and treatments
as always fantastic
He's amazing, skilled, kind, and wise
Dr. Isono is an outstanding physician.
Super attentive, explained everything in great detail and conservative in his treatment approach. Perfect for me!
Steve Isono is the best!
Excellent.
Dr. Isono is knowledgable, patient and explains everything.
Excellent in every way
Dr. Isono is an excellent communicator. He brought up the MRI on screen and went over in a clear manner the nature of the my injury and the alternatives for treatment. Overall, quite good!
Excellent as always
Dr. Isono is fantastic
Timely, responsive, and knowledgable
Dr. Isono is so personable, knowledgeable, and helpful. I wish all doctors were like him.
Finally, a doctor who listens and then makes a very plausible diagnoses.
It doesn't get any better.
Dr. Steve Isono is the best doctor ever!
Dr Isono was great to talk to and extremely informative and very helpful understanding chronic issues. He's always great at listening, I appreciated he detailed explanations and walking through the joint anatomy model to describe the issue. He's the best and most compassionate Dr I've ever seen!!
Excellent physician!
Love Dr. Isono, always very responsive, informed, helpful and kind. I wouldn't see anyone else!
fantastic doc!
An excellent doc, kind man, lovely energy. I’m grateful to have him in my corner.
Dr Isono is FABULOUS - professional, kind, personable, and really listens.
Steve Isono is the best of the best.
Dr. Isono is very good at his job, and is a very nice and caring person as well. I really appreciated having him explain my injury and the current status of my knee as he showed it to me. I definitely feel seen as a person and well cared for as a patient.
Dr Isono is an excellent Doctor.
Dr. Isono is terrific. He is communicative and spends time understanding the issue you are addressing
Extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Very patient and explains things in a manner I can understand and answers all my questions.
I will recommend Stephen Isono to my friends and family
Dr. Steven Isono is a superb doctor, surgeon, and human being. He listens to concerns, offers prudent advice, and if treatment comes to surgery, he is there all the way for the patient. I just had had knee surgery performed by Dr. Isono, and it went extremely well, with little discomfort and a quick recovery.
Dr. Isono is an exceptional doctor.
He is and always was good at putting the patient at ease and promoting confidence in his skill and knowledge of the issue being discussed.
Excellent front desk, valet service , Dr and assts
Stephanie and staff are excellent !
He is a wonderful, caring and knowledgeable doctor. The best!
I received OUTSTANDING care from Dr. Isono and his staff.
Dr. Isono is fun and is supported by a well run team
thorough and very helpful suggestions and explanations
He's the best!
Everyone’s great there!
Dr Isono was very gracious in getting me in so quickly. He thoroughly explained my MRI results and gave me good advice. I think he is great. As is his assistant who was kind and patient and very pleasant. I am thinking I should switch all my care from Sutter.
Dr. Isono is great, as always!
Always great.
My experience with the Emeryville/Stanford Health Orthopedics & sports medicine groups has been superlative. Every step of the way I've had expert, thoughtful review and care, clear discussions of diagnosis and options, and then most recently, excellent surgical treatment.
Dr. Isono is the doctor everyone should have.
Dr. Isono is an outstanding care provider as he is truly cares for his patients' wellbeing.
Dr.Isono is a terrific doctor.
I ALWAYS refer people to Steve Isono. Have seen him for 30+ yrs and he's Fantastic!
Dr. Isono is a very competent and caring doctor to whom I trust.
Dr. Isono is amazing. By far the most competent and personable orthopedist I have ever met.
Smooth process, convenint location, helpful staff
top notch
Dr. Isono is wonderful. He takes time with his patients and uses simple-to-understand analogies to explain complicated medical conditions and treatments. Thank you Dr. Isono!
Dr isomorphic is the best!!
Dr. Isono deserves at least 10 times the highest star rating and evey person in the office is highly competent and caring. I came in after a tramatic fall thing a week before that is was going to be a very positive next step appt. I can't thank everyone enough.
exceptional, thank you
I have been with Stanford health care for more than two decades and Dr. Isono is one of the best doctors that I have ever encountered there.
Great bedside manner and very informative.
The doctor (S. Isono, M.D.)is a jewel & your receptionist & the personnel are professional.
Dr. Isano was fabulous. Took the time to go over everything in detail and answered all my questions.
Dr. Steve Isono has been my doctor for many years. It was great to see him again.
Great Dr., knows his stuff
Very understanding and patient.
Dr Isono is one of a kind. An extremely talented doctor and a true human being.
Dr. Isono is the best. Explains things in simple terms and is great at looking at treatment options such as surgery v. rehab.
Dr Isono is outstanding in every way.
Dr. Isono is outstanding. I came away from our meeting with a clear understanding of my condition and now feel much better prepared to decide how to proceed going forward.
Dr. Isono was great....clear, friendly and sympathetic
Great doctor.
Dr Iosono is a special doctor who really cares about his patients and has a marvelous gift to communicate in a way that I can understand and speaks to my concerns.
Great Doctor and Staff!!!
Excellent staff and doctor
Always leave feeling uplifted and cared for.
Dr. Isono is excellent!
Everyone was exceptional. Special thanks to Maria C. and Elvira. Dr. Isono always exceptional..
Dr. Isono is knowledgeable, caring, and communicates well.
Dr. Isono is GREAT!!!!!
Dr Isono is exceptional. Discussed all the findings and addressed all of my questions
Dr Steven Isono is the BEST!!! His staff is very helpful as well.
Dr. Isono was extremely helpful in explaining my shoulder condition. He is extremely knowledgeable, skilled, and friendly. I’m very happy that he is my doctor.
The best!
Outstanding medical care. Thank you, Dr Isono!
Dr Isono is a superb clinician. Top physicians! Great bedside manners, which is rare to find. Technically gifted orthopedic surgeon. Would strongly recommend him !
Dr Isono is amazing! He shapes and individualizes a treatment course best for the patient. Highly recommend Dr Isono!
professional, friendly, proficient
Fantastic all around.
Dr. Isono and his MA Maria are both excellent.
Dr. Isono is an excellent doctor, who explains very clearly what was going on with my knee and what I needed to be doing.
Dr. Isono is terrific.
Very thoughtful, cares, and has done a lot of due diligence on my injury.
Dr Isono is fantastic! Thank you!
Excellent provider
There's Dr. Isono, and then there's everyone else...
Dr Isono is AMAZING and wonderful. Up to date and top in his field!
Steven is great! He has always given me solid care and good advice as it relates to my medical condition(s)
Great experience
Tho’ I come in with pain, I leave happy to know I’m in great hands. I wish all of my doctors were as awesome as Dr Isono.
Great doctor
Always top notch service
Excellent patient care from start to finish!
I have known Dr. Isono for a long time and value his advice.
Dr. Isono was very good at explaining my options.
All the staff were friendly and helpful during all of my interactions with them, and the doctor was really wonderful. He was able to share information about my injury with me that no one else had previously, and he presented treatment options to me that I hadn’t known about. All in all, I felt like I was in capable hands and I had hope for the future walking out that I didn’t have walking in to my appointment.
an exceptional physican and person
Dr. Isono is by far the best Dr. I have had the pleasure of working with as it relates to my orthopedic needs. I feel like all my needs, concerns, and fears are addressed in the most pleasant manner. I appreciate his advice and suggestions, even when I mention other medical concerns not specifically related to the procedures performed. I really want to say thank you, you've helped me to reduce my stress and met my needs every time. Willie
Very helpful and encouraging
Very nice and smart doctor
Dr. Isono and his staff were very helpful and professional. I truly appreciate Dr. Isono's clear and practical explanation of orthopedic issues and approach to the patient. Excellent care!
Dr. Isono was amazing.
One of the best end-to-end experiences during a healthcare visit.
Compassionate and professional
Dr Isono is the best!!!!!!
Seeing Doctor Isono is like visiting an old friend. He really makes you feel like he cares!
Extremely knowledgeable, engaging, listens to his patient, patient centered by Ian. He did not rush during his assessments and explained the MRI and possible treatment
Excellent consultation. I was impressed with his knowledge and manner both
Very warm and friendly
Dr. Isono is the best. He's a good listener. He's very professional, patient, understanding, and caring. I know I am in good hands.
A fabulous person and excellent clinician. I’m grateful he is part of my health care team!!!
Dr. Isono is very knowledgeable and very helpful
This is based on a visit with Dr. Isono
Awesome
Dr. Isono was personable and very professional. I felt like I finally got the right answers I needed to help me get through this knee pain
Dr. Isono is the best! Happy to be able to have an in office visit.
Steve Isono is The Best! So knowledgeable and patient-centered; down-to-earth and responsive; straightforward and caring. Wouldn’t trade him for any other Orthopedist,. Ever!
Dr. Isono is the best x 1000. He's always prompt and on-time, spends a good amount of time with his patients and is incredibly kind. Best doctor experience ever.
He's great! Wonderful personality! So knowledgeable, and I appreciate the time he takes to explain simply but in detail what's going on with the various body parts.
Dr. Isono is a phenomenal doctor!
Dr. Isono is excellent!
Dr isono is the best!
Always the best
Dr. Isono was personable and took time to explain the knee structure and my current status (good) and future (good). HE did not need to spend as much time with me and it was greatly appreciated.
Best ortho dr ever ! Really nice front desk staff
Dr. Isono is top tier and always has been. He reviewed my images prior to our call, provided clear feedback on what he saw and answered all of my questions. Steve has terrific IQ and EQ. It is always a pleasure to work with Steve as my doctor. He is a great asset to the department, Stanford and the health industry. Many thanks to him.
He's a very warm, caring physician, easy to chat with, very easy to understand.
Exceptional doctor, exceptional team.
Dr. Isono is tops. He explains everything fully (even anticipating my questions), makes certain that I've the right referrals and is a caring, personable physician in whom I have the utmost confidence. I feel lucky to have him on my side.
Great doctor!
Dr. Isono is an awesome doctor! He goes over what progress we’ve gained after surgery. He asks how I feel and does mention I should feel the stretch in another area. So that’s good I know to work on another muscle area. He addresses any questions I ask. He has a good personality!
Everyone is wonderful in this office! Dr Isono is thorough, caring and informative and provides individualized care.
Dr. Isono is the best! The whole staff is lovely.
Steve Isono is amazing
Always great care and conversation with Dr. Isono
Dr. Isono is so knowledgeable, personal, and easy to talk with. I would recommend him to everyone. I will continue to view him as a valuable resource for myself.
Dr. Isono is the best
really good at his job
He's great. Good bedside manner and inspires confidence. In this instance, I'll need to follow up because it's been several weeks and he has not provided the prescription for physical therapy that we discussed during my telephonic follow-up.
Dr. Isono was exceptional.
Dr. Isono & staff are the best!
Dr. Isono is such a kind man! He's not arrogant at all unlike many specialists who are top at thier profession.
Dr. Isono is excellent. Very thorough and caring.
Dr. Isono is the best surgeon and one of the kindest and sharpest people I’ve ever met.
Thank you Dr. Isono for seeing me.
Dr. Isono and staff are wonderful!
Dr. Isono is the greatest! Thankful for his service.
Dr. Isono is a very caring, thoughtful and intelligent doctor who is authentic and grounded. He genuinely cares and listens with respect. I feel that the medical care and advice I have received from Dr. Isono has been excellent.
Dr Isono is the best.
Great doctor
Steve Isono is a truly great physician!
Dr S Isono is probably the best doctor I’ve ever had. He is extremely knowledgeable and kind. I would recommend Dr Isono to anyone who has an orthopedic concern.
Great doctor! Feel very at ease with this doctor. His explanations are thorough and easy to understand.
I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Isono. His scheduler, Maria, is great too.
The best!!!!!
He’s the best.
Dr. Isono literally re-constructed my shoulder. I can't thank him enough for explaining my injury, the operation and help during re-habilitation, regarding what to expect and the different stages of recovery. He is a knowledgeable and compassionate healer. I was fortunate to have found him.
Dr. Isono is the best.
Dr. Isono is exceptionally good. I am already recommending him to others.
My "care provider" is not the problem. Your administrative (including EPIC) capabilities are completely dysfunctional!!! I've seen my doc for many, many years, and his staff was impeccable. At Stanford? It's been a scheduling/communication mess!
Dr. Isono is Tier 1 and outstanding.
He was very thorough and helpful!
He took time to explain everything carefully. He went over the MRI results with me showing me the problem areas. He explained why I would need surgery and told me what to expect. He is personable and I would recommend him highly.
Dr Isono has been the most helpful and respectful physician I have worked with. He is knowledgeable and not like many surgeons who are quick to operate ahead of everything else. He is not condescending and speaks to you like a friend. I felt extremely welcome and knew from the first appointment that Dr Isono truly had my best interest and health as a priority. I would HIGHLY recommend Dr. Isono to anyone looking for a great orthopedic.
I've known Dr Isono for many years. He has always treated me well as a person and patient and is an excellent doctor.
Great Doctor and Person.
I feel very fortunate to be receiving medical care from Dr. Isono.
He is one in a million. Any patient would be in "the" best hands with Steve. I would send any of my family members to see him.
Dr. Isono carefully, clearly and efficiently walked me through the results of 2 MRIs. He provided his diagnoses, his treatment plan, and answered all my questions using "plain English" terms as needed instead of relying on medical technical terms. He is a terrific doctor who has superb medical knowledge as well as excellent patient communication skills. I feel lucky to be under his care.
For people who need surgery, I would definitely recommend someone else.
he's great
Excellent, and patient with questions. A very very clear person and very impressive human being . He helped me understand with great clarity.and detail. Highly recommend him
Very pleasant person to interact with. Has a very direct and clear manner of describing the problem, implications, and treatment options.
Glad he's my doctor!
Dr Isono is great.
Overall great experience and parking available
Dr. Isono was very attentive, empathetic, and clearly answered my questions and explained procedures.
I like him a lot, but we did have a bit of trouble communicating about my complaints. Could be my fault.....?
He's the best!
One of my favorite doctors. Laugh all the time on our visits. He makes the slow recovery fun and bearable. Recommended him to several neighbors.
Dr Isono's bedside manner is the best I have experienced with any physician. He took the time to explain what was happening with our knees and what the options would be. His explanations were easy to follow. He then lead us into another room for a Video X-ray to confirm his thoughts in real time so we knew what was to come Dr. Isono raises the bar for all physicians, I am just lucky he is my Doctor.
The best and my husband has 30 year history with Dr. isono. He has always really explained the situations in easy to understand terms. His approach is conservative which we appreciate, unlike Muir Orthopedics where prior insurance insisted we go. We quit going there, waited for our medi-care to kick in.
Fantastic!
I am with Stanford Health Care because of Steve Isono. He is the best sports orthopedic surgeon in the business and I would follow him anywhere he went.
He truly knows what he is doing.
Dr Isono is personable, detailed and attentive. No “surgeon airs†and that is appreciated. He doesn’t seem rushed and answered all of my questions.
He is an excellent doctor as described in previous comment box
World class doctor.
Steve Isono is a saint!!!
Dr. Isono and scheduler, Angelo are tops
Love Dr Isono! Very informative, knows what hes doing.. More important, feel so positive and hopeful about my recovery after our visit
He's amazing!
He’s wonderful!
Very pleased with him and would recommend him to anyone. Very good at breaking things down in lay terms for non medical people like myself.
Dr. Isono is excellent!
Thank you and your explanations are extremely helpful, I appreciate the time you took to help me understand the issues and options.
He's fantastic. So glad to be in his care.
Steve Isono is a truly great physician. SHC is lucky to have him on the team!
His personality really made u comfortable
Terrific, personable, kind doctor. Best!
Dr Isono is THE BEST, period.
He is a very nice & professional doctor
He seems very knowledgeable, explains things very well and is nice. I really like him
Couldn't be better, a treasure for Stanford and the rest of us.
Dr. Steven Isono is extremely caring and knowledgeable doctor. He takes the well being of the patient very seriously and is a great listener. Before recommending anything invasive Dr. Isono would talk about the current problems and concerns that the patient is having and then look at treatment options with invasive procedures being the last resort. Dr. Isono is simply an amazing doctor!
He’s great
He’s great! Really listens and understands my perspective. Very Practical and reasonable approach
He is so nice and helpful.
Dr Isono is a rockstar physician with whom I have been very fortunate to consult for 30 years. He has provided medical care for me that is beyond comparison. He has performed numerous surgeries on me over the years. I have recommended him to my colleagues, and they have all been equally ecstatic. He is the gold standard in the SF Bay Area.
good experience
Dr. Isono best ever in all respects!

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