Sports Medicine Testimonials

"If I don't wake up in the morning passionate about something, then the aches and pains aren't worth it. But if I wake up with a smile on my face and I'm ready to go out there and compete against the best in the world, then everything I've done is just a building block for what I'm going to do. I had surgery and it was as simple as replacing the bad ligament. It was over in no time. Dr. Chao always made me feel a million bucks!"

-Travis Pastrana, ACL Reconstruction and Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

"Within 48 hours of the meniscus and cartilage tears in my left knee, I went under Dr. Chao's knife for a knee arthroscopy, trimming the tears and smoothing the cartilage. As soon as I came out of surgery, Dr. Chao hooked me up to a knee-motion machine and began icing my knee, telling me that I should start rehab from moment one and set attainable goals, so I can see that I'm achieving something. He was very supportive and professional, I highly recommend him."

-Tony Hawk, Knee Arthroscopic Surgery and Cartilage Repair/Re-growth

"My knee was badly hurt after a match and X-rays showed that I needed to have surgery right away, rehab and physio in order to keep playing. There wasn't much I could do, so surgery was definitely going to happen! Dr. Chao took care of my knee and performed an arthroscopic surgery - I was back on the field in a short period of time and my knee feels normal."

-Todd Clever, Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

"My right wrist was very painful after a competition, and this pain was something I've never experienced before. I was getting really worried and nervous because it would be very hard for me to stop windsurfing, it's my passion and life! I found out that I needed wrist arthroscopic surgery and as much as I'm afraid of surgeries and hospitals, it was something I had to do if I ever wanted to windsurf again. I only had a few small cuts done and I was good to go."

-Tanya Saleh, Wrist Arthroscopic Surgery

"I'm glad I've chosen Dr. David Chao for my shoulder surgery. I could barely lift my arm up or use it, that's how serious my condition was. After he checked my X-rays, he explained to me how the process will unfold and estimated how much time I'd be spending away from the field. I had the surgery and the incision was only superficial. Physio was tough work but now my shoulder feels a million and I can play with my team."

-Sean Canfield, Shoulder Arthroscopy

"My hour-long surgery to repair my torn right bicep was performed by Dr. David Chao, and I recovered well after the procedure. Although Dr. Chao said that the tear was one of the most significant he has seen, because it was a complete rupture of the tendon, he managed to perform a miracle on my bicep. He brought the tendon back down to the elbow bone where it was needed and then used suture anchors to keep it in place. I definitely recommend him!"

-Rey Mysterio, AC Joint & Bicep Injuries

"The pain was just horrible! Those rotator cuff muscles are important in shoulder movements and in maintaining shoulder joint stability. Dr. Chao helped me with a non-operative treatment for my shoulder and after 4-5 weeks of rehab, I was back in the game. You have to deal with the pain for a while but the function gradually returns. I'm happy I chose him for my treatment, he's dedicated to what he's doing so I never had to worry."

-Reggie Bush, Rotator Cuff Repairs

"Dr. Chao performed surgery to fix my torn ACL in my right knee back in 2008. The surgery went just as planned. The graft went in without a problem and even if there was pain to be endured for a while, the function was restored. In total, my rehab lasted for about 6 months. I'm very thankful for Dr. Chao's help with this surgery, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Top quality medical care!"

-Philip Rivers, ACL Reconstruction

"The injury was pretty severe, but I had some great help from Dr. Chao and physios. I destroyed the cartilage which formed my ankle joint. The doc had to go in and do what they call a microfracture. The cuts from the surgery are barely visible anymore. I had regular check-ups during the period after surgery, rehab and physio got me walking again. Dr. Chao is a professional!"

-Matt Hawkins, Ankle Arthroscopic Surgery

"I underwent surgery to remove loose cartilage from my right knee, an injury that forced me out of a game a day before. Although I had the knee drained a day earlier, it began to lock on me and MRIs showed that I had torn scar tissue and an enlarged bruise in addition to the loose cartilage. Dr. Chao later looked at it more carefully with the tiny camera during surgery. I was very pleased with the outcome since there were no scary large incisions. The doctor knows what he is doing."

-Marshall Faulk, Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

"My left ankle was badly injured a couple of years ago and after some thorough investigations, it looked like I needed an ankle arthroscopy. I chose Dr. David Chao for my procedure and I went into surgery the next day. There was no great pain afterward since the procedure doesn’t involve big cuts. The recovery was, however, difficult but I managed to get up on my feet and resume my training in a short amount of time. He's a great doctor, very professional and knowledgeable."

-Kevin Swiryn, Ankle Arthroscopic Surgery

"My right shoulder was killing me! I had so many issues with it that I lost count. It started dislocating more and more often and surgery was something I had to do. Dr. Chao performed arthroscopic surgery and so he was able to take a look at the joint by using the little camera from the medical equipment. I had to spend some time away from my bike to recover and gain some strength in that shoulder. I don't know if this nagging shoulder pain will ever go away, but I can see increasing function."

-Kevin Robinson, Shoulder Arthroscopy

"There's no grace time there. I was caught in a wrong position. I just fell on it awkwardly. I felt it and it didn't recover. So I had to deal with it. Dr. Chao performed a surgery on my left rotator cuff and everything was ok after that. I did dislike the idea of having to wait a while until I fully recovered, but after all, I did just have my tendons reattached to the bone. It was for the best anyway."

-Junior Seau, Rotator Cuff Repairs

"I had three knee surgeries from shattering my knee cap and 4 shoulder surgeries from a bad collarbone break. The procedures happened fairly fast. I started seeing improvement right away but I just have some bad arthritis… takes me a bit to warm up whether it be skating, surfing, riding… it’s always pretty painful. Dr. Chao took great care of me when I needed it so I'm very grateful for his help, he's a great doc!"

-Eddie Wall, Shoulder Arthroscopy

"They took me behind the bench, and Dr. David Chao felt around the injury. He winced as he examined me, and then he looked straight at me. Drew, you’ve dislocated your shoulder. I need to pop it back in place. You ready? I nodded as his prognosis confirmed my worst fear. The next day I would have an MRI. Basically, everything that held my shoulder together was shredded. I was in need of arthroscopic intervention. It restored function even if one out of five hundred shoulder dislocations were like mine."

-Drew Brees, Labral Repairs & Rotator Cuff Repairs

"Dr. Chao performed a knee arthroscopy on my left leg. I was in terrible pain, icing that knee all day without any results, I could barely walk and not to mention play in a game. The procedure lasted about an hour and it only consisted of a few small cuts. I could feel an improvement right away. I've started physical therapy after the surgery to regain the strength in my knee and after a couple of months, I was back with my team. Dr. Chao's experience with these injuries is a big plus, he can definitely handle anything."

-Charlie Joiner, Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

"I've had countless orthopedic surgeries done during my life and wrist arthroscopy was one of them. Dr. Chao helped me to overcome the pain and regain my mobility in my left wrist. The procedure was fast, safe and I am very pleased with the outcome. The doctor is very supportive and it was a real pleasure to meet him. I definitely recommend his services to anybody."

-Bill Walton, Wrist Arthroscopic Surgery

"I suffered a broken radius bone in my wrist and was forced to withdraw from X Games Barcelona and Munich. One week after returning home to San Diego, I went in for surgery on my right wrist, which was stabilized with five screws and a plate. Then I entered therapy to begin the healing process, and I wanted to be back riding for X Games Munich, but the healing process took longer than expected. Nevertheless, the wrist healed great and I owe it all to Dr. Chao and his team. Thanks, doc!"

-Dennis Enarson, Wrist Arthroscopic Surgery