Bio
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.
Clinical Focus
- Sports Medicine
- Knee and Shoulder Surgery
- Orthopaedic Surgery
Administrative Appointments
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Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (2017 - Present)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Orthopedic Surgeon, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (1992 - Present)
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Orthopedic Surgeon Consultant, National Football League Player's Association (2019 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, National Basketball Association Golden State Warriors (2011 - Present)
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Executive Committee, NBA Team Physicians Society (2015 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Men's Swimming (2017 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Rowing (2018 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Boxing (1996 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Judo (1994 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, Laney College (2005 - Present)
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Expert Medical Reviewer, The Medical Board of California (2000 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Taekwondo (1997 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Track and Field (1996 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, USA Triathlon (1994 - Present)
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Qualified Medical Evaluator, State of California (1991 - Present)
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Team Physician and Consultant, Association of Volleyball Professionals (2007 - Present)
Professional Education
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B.A., Harvard University, Biochemical Sciences (1978)
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M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Medical School (1982)
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Internship, Stanford University Medical Center, General Surgery (1983)
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Residency, Stanford University Medical Center, Orthopaedic Surgery (1987)
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Board Certification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (1989)
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ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (1999)
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Certicate Added Qualification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine (2007)
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ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (2009)
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ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery (2018)
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ReCertification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine (2018)
Community and International Work
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One Nation Project, Oakland, California
Topic
Integrating Sports and Education to improve their lives
Populations Served
Kids-at-Risk
Location
Bay Area
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No
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Civic Assets
Topic
Veteran Integration into Society
Partnering Organization(s)
Marines, Air force, Army, and Navy
Populations Served
Veterans
Location
US
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No