Biography


Orthopaedic Surgeon Specializing in Arthroscopy and Sports-Related Problems of the Hip, Knee, Shoulder, and Elbow.

Dr. Safran is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with specialty certification in sports medicine. He is Chief of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine Surgery, and a professor of orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Safran is recognized worldwide as a leading innovator in the fields of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine.

In his clinical practice, he specializes in hip arthroscopy, treatment of elbow pain, knee ligament and cartilage surgery, and shoulder surgery. For each patient, he prepares a precise, comprehensive care plan. His goal is to help every individual enjoy the best possible health and quality of life.

Dr. Safran conducts extensive research and has authored more than 275 articles for peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Bone & Joint Journal, Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Arthroscopy and Related Surgery, Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery, and many more. Topics include advances in techniques and technology to improve patient outcomes.

He has written nine books on sports medicine as it relates to the shoulder, elbow, knee, and hip, as well as tennis injuries and biomechanics cartilage research. He also has written more than 150 book chapters on these and other subjects. He is on the editorial board of many journals, including the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery, and Journal of ISAKOS.

Dr. Safran is a diplomat at the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a member of prestigious societies such as the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM); the ACL Study Group; the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Society (ASES); the Herodicus Society; the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS); the International Society of Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA); and the Society of Tennis Medicine and Science (STMS).

In addition to having served as President of ISAKOS, ISHA, STMS, and the Northern California Chapter of the Western Orthopaedic Association, he has served on the Board of the AOSSM and ASES.

Professional Summary


Education & Certifications
  • Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (2007)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (1996)
  • Internship: UCLA Registrar (1988) CA
  • Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh (1994) PA
  • Medical Education: Duke University School of Medicine (1987) NC
  • MD, University of Pittsburgh, Sports Med. & Shoulder Surgery (1994)
  • MD, UCLA, Orthopaedic Surgery (1993)
  • M.D., Duke University (1987)

Honors & Awards
  • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Clinical Exchange Scholar, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (2001)
  • American Heart Association Student Research Fellowship, American Heart Association (1982)
  • American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) International Traveling Fellow, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) (2002)
  • Best Clinical Science Fellow's Paper, 1ST Place, University of Pittsburgh (1994)
  • Best Resident's Paper, 1ST Place, Western Orthopaedic Association (1993)
  • Best Resident's Paper, 3RD Place, Am. Acad. Ped., Orthop. Section (1990)
  • Guest Reviewer, Aircast Foundation Granting Board (2004)
  • Honor Student Society, UC Berkeley (1979-1983)
  • Irving Glick Award, Physician of the Year, Sanex WTA Tour (2001)
  • Magna Cum Laude, UC Berkeley (1983)

Memberships
  • President, International Society for Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (2017 - 2019)
  • Vice President, International Society for Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (2013 - 2017)
  • Vice President, International Society of Hip Arthroscopy (2014 - 2015)
  • President, International Society of Hip Arthroscopy (2015 - 2016)
  • Editorial Board, American Journal of Sports Medicine (2002 - Present)
  • Deputy Editor, Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery (2014 - Present)
  • Board Member, Chair, Council of Delegates, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (2012 - 2014)

Administrative Appointments
  • Board Member, Chair Council of Delegates, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (2012 - 2014)
  • Chief Orthopaedic Consultant, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) (2011 - Present)
  • Consultant, NHL Players' Association (2014 - Present)
  • Consultant, NBA Player's Association (2016 - Present)
  • Consultant, Beijing Ducks Professional Basketball Team (2018 - Present)
  • Past President, International Society for Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA) (2015 - 2016)
  • Past President, International Society for Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) (2017 - 2019)

Publications

Practice Locations


Sports Medicine Clinic Redwood City, CA
Redwood City, CA

450 Broadway Street

Redwood City , CA 94063

(650) 723-5643

Make An Appointment More Clinic Information » Getting Here »

Child and Adult Hip Preservation Center Redwood City, CA
Redwood City, CA

450 Broadway Street, Pavilion A

Redwood City , CA 94063

(650) 723-5643

Make An Appointment More Clinic Information » Getting Here »

Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Redwood City Redwood City, CA
Redwood City, CA

450 Broadway Street

Redwood City , CA 94063

Make An Appointment More Clinic Information » Getting Here »

Patient Ratings

(259 Ratings)

Overall Rating
4.7/5

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4.8/5
Friendliness
Friendliness/courtesy of the care provider
4.8/5
Recommended to others
Likelihood of your recommending this care provider to others
4.7/5
Explanations
Explanations the care provider gave you about your problem or condition
4.7/5
Listens
Concern the care provider showed for your questions or worries
4.7/5
Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your care
Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your treatment
3.8/5
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Wait time at clinic (from arriving to leaving)

How Our Ratings Work

The Patients Ratings and comments are gathered from our Patient Satisfaction Survey and displayed in their entirety.

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Patient Reviews

(28 reviews)

He didn't have my physio therapy reports in front of him, which was frustrating as I took great care to get them to him as my progress isn't going well and i really wanted him to READ what the physio had written in detail. That annoyed me b/c i couldn't describe it well and feel like we missed a moment of opportunity there.
Safran is awesome. I really like that he can just talk to me and he listens!!!
When he came in to the exam room, he was relaxed and very engaged with how I am recovering.
Dr. Safran very helpful and took great time to explain and help w/ follow up.
Consulting with other physicians giving care was extremely helpful
Dr. was great, nurse was great resident was OK.
I was given a lot of time for questions, which I appreciated. I am uneasy that the conclusions drawn were based on a vaguely quantitative foundation that was at best not rigorous and at worst subject to quotidian variance: there was a test of strength where the doctor pushed on a limb and assigned a numerical value to the force I applied in the opposite direction, which is subjective, could be affected by an infinite number of confounding factors on either his or my end (time of day, sleep duration, food consumption, etc.) There's no way to make this a completely controlled setup, so the best suggestion I have is to ask whether there's anything temporarily affecting baseline force output and to provide dedicated instruments for measuring force rather than relying on a person to try to decide whether the amount of force output is constant across visits separated by months.
Dr. Safran seems a capable surgeon, but his arrogance and indifference detracts from the post-operative experience. Neglecting to answer questions or responding with one or two word answers does not inspire confidence or gratitude.
Dr. Safron was great. First time meeting him and he was awesome!
Doctor didn't know my history, didn't go over MRI, rushed through my appointment, ignored my concerns, spoke too quickly to understand.
On this visit he did not seem to be listening to what was going on with my progress. He seemed to have a pre-conceived notion of how he felt I should be progressing and not with what was actually happening with my recovery.
I am very happy with the way the appointment went. I didn't get a lot of information about my condition, but it was my first appointment and he isn't sure what's wrong yet.
Dr. Safran is a personable, excellent doctor. I have already recommended him to a few people who have the type of problems that he deals with... Top Notch doctor!
Exceptional willingness to answer my questions in a way that works best for my mind, and excellent understanding of what level of technical detail I need to hear. Took time to answer every question carefully and thoroughly to ensure I was comfortable and satisfied. I did have a sense that I should rush. When I pushed back about treatment recommendations to say I'd already tried some, did not ask very many details about how I tried them or their quality, which left me uncertain.
I was not prescribed anti-nausea meds and vomited for hours the day getting out of surgery.
He only discussed my right knee issue, & did not follow up on right shoulder issue.
X-rays and MRI of the left hip were not reviewed and explained. More emphasis on the hamstring repair instead of the hip for which the studies were ordered for. Needed to go for a 2nd opinion to get a clear diagnosis and treatment plan for the hip
Safran is awesome, glad to have him as my doctor.
Very condescending, made me feel less important as a patient because I'm not a "pro athlete."
I was blown away by Dr. Salran's competence and geniality.
Dr. Safran quickly understood my level of technical understanding and adapted & explained my condition & treatment.
Brief, curt, had his mind made up & did not listen to me.
Excellent care & attention.
Would have liked warning that severe knee pain possible 4 hours after injection. Actual injection was very smooth.
The provider was fantastic!
My doctor made me confident he knew what he was doing.
Great guy but more interested in talking than in listening.
Excellent all around provider, best I've ever had.

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