Santa Monica Podiatry Clinic Patient Testimonials

Each of our feet is made up of 26 bones, 30 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which work together to provide support, balance and mobility.In the same way you wouldn't drive an unsafe car, it makes no sense to walk around on feet that aren't in excellent working order.I am a woman in my mid-seventies, was a runner for many years, and although my running days are over, by choice, I remain determined to keep my feet in exceptional condition going forward.Between 10% to 25% of people develop bunions, and despite countless advanced techniques, bunion surgery continues to take a bad rap and is avoided like the plague.Which leads me to assume that there are far too many people who are unnecessarily putting up with significant pain and discomfort or settling for feet which are functionality-challenged.Seventeen years ago, my left foot developed a painful bunion which compromised my running. I made an appointment with Dr. Bob Baravarian, who came highly recommended by a fellow runner. Dr. Bob was professional, empathetic, thorough and optimistic, so I committed to bunion surgery on my left foot.The surgery was almost completely painless due to Dr. B's impressive skills, in addition to the state-of-the-art procedures he and his colleagues have developed based on their sophisticated understanding of bone pain and how to mitigate it.The surgery was a complete success, and while the rehabilitation was challenging, I soon returned to running.Fast forward to this year when I began to experience discomfort in my right foot. I saw Dr. B. and after considerable discussion - he does not rush you and answers all your questions thoughtfully - we together decided that bunion surgery was appropriate...not only to eliminate the pain, but also, to assure me that my foot would maintain its functionality as I approached my senior years.It's eight weeks since I had the surgery at the small, personal surgical facility that Dr. B and his colleagues work out of in Beverly Hills.I wore a surgical boot for 5 weeks, was equipped with a special driving shoe after 2 weeks and followed an indispensable regime of physio therapy managed by Gray O'Brien, the Institute's focused, hands-on, dynamic and highly effective program director who is located directly across the hall from Dr. B's offices. I saw Gray twice a week, did the exercises at home daily and it worked!!I have gone from a pre-op situation to a successful outcome in two months, with the bare minimum of inconvenience or discomfort.Dr. Baravarian is an incredible podiatrist / surgeon whose professional attitude and warmth is mirrored by the entire staff at University Foot and Ankle Institute.

The receptionist are polite, respectful and helpful. The medical assistants are friendly and understanding. I needed a travel letter and a letter for my work and they were able to provide it the same day with in 5-10 minutes. The doctor listen and take the time to answer questions. During the treatment he was supportive. Overall it was a great experience. The only annoying thing is the cancellations of two of my appointments, but I understand that stuff happens.

A scraping procedure on both heels - less than ten minutes - and the sharp pains are gone. Not only is walking back to normal, so is running - resumed next day. Fantastic treatment! Cannot be happier. Many sincere thanks.

I couldn't ask for better care. I'm so grateful and fortunate I was able to have my bunion surgeries performed by Dr. Baravarian and Dr. Johnson. They are topnotch...the Doctors you have always wished you had... elegant, dedicated, kind, with a gentle sense of humor that makes you feel totally taken care of... All of my questions were answered... The entire staff is just as awesome. (I was able to have my pre-surgical visits at the Sherman Oaks location and my actual surgeries in Beverly Hills.)

I couldn't ask for better care. I'm so grateful and fortunate I was able to have my bunion surgeries performed by Dr. Baravarian and Dr. Johnson. They are topnotch...the Doctors you have always wished you had... elegant, dedicated, kind, with a gentle sense of humor that makes you feel totally taken care of... All of my questions were answered... The entire staff is just as awesome.

Dr. Baravarian was incredibly informative and thorough and his expertise revealed a special condition of my injury that another specialist did not see. My favorite part of seeing him is that he specializes in minimal invasive surgeries because who wants to have their leg unnecessarily opened or have a gigantic scar on their leg? Also: he has optional therapies to increase healing but doesn’t pressure you to use them. I opted to do it for the best results though. He also immediately took action to get me scheduled for surgery which showed his commitment to my case and Cheli is amazing in explaining everything. Lastly, I appreciated that he allowed me to ask as many questions that I needed without feeling rushed. All in all, will always come back here for any foot or ankle injuries.

Over the course of two years, I broke three toes on my right foot. I was referred to University Foot and Ankle Institute by two doctors. Dr. Baravarian is awesome. Totally understood my situation and we discussed his recommendations. He always responds to my questions almost immediately and is a great source for referrals. He treated my feet as if they were his own.