Patient Reviews of University Foot and Ankle Institute

Dr. Baravarian is a very caring and patient doctor. During my first visit with him he really took the time to listen to my concerns and talk to me about all my options regarding my chronic pain. I highly recommend Dr. Baravarian.

After seeing Dr. Baravarian for the last 6 months due to chronic plantar fasciitis I am finally able to run again. The staff and doctor are always so helpful, kind, and caring every time I have an appointment. I cannot saw enough good things about this doctor and staff.

I recently saw Dr. Baravarian for an issue I was having with my tibia.  I was referred to him by my primary physician.  I am SO happy that I met him.  After a few office visits with him, and a very successful surgery, I am happy to say that Dr. Baravarian has allowed me to walk again, pain free.  I am grateful for all that he has helped me with and I will continue to refer him to friends and family.

I met with Dr. Bob Baravarian with a broken ankle from a basketball injury. Moments after I injured the ankle and it started swelling I called Dr. Baravarian's office for an immediate appointment. My ankle had swollen to about the size of a tennis ball.

Upon arriving to the office I was seated in a fairly standard waiting room. The receptionist was very polite, took down my information and had me fill out some forms. The appointment was set for 3:00pm, but I was expecting this office to function like every other doctors office I have ever been to, late. But NO! I was taken into a room at 2:55 and the doctor was in the room by 3:00! This was one of the biggest advantages I found in this office, punctuality.

Dr. Baravarian was a delight to work with. He told me that I may need to have an MRI to see the extent of the damage. The office has an MRI machine on site which makes it very convenient as patients are usually forced to go to another hospital for an MRI.

They gave me some crutches and a boot and I scheduled another meeting for a week after. When I came back I was a few minutes early and was seated immediately. Again their punctuality was such a huge plus.

To fair on the safe side I tend to always get a second opinion. At Dr. Baravarian's office there are a team of doctors working together to come up with the best diagnosis for any patient. Upon my second visit I had TWO other doctors (Dr. Briskin and Dr. Little) advise me on how to proceed with surgery.

I would recommend this office to anyone and everyone. One of, if not the best doctors office experience I have ever had.

I've been a patient for a couple of years and last week I took my son in for problems with his left foot. The friendly staff and Dr. Baravarian were very helpful. They even called in another Dr. From their team who confirmed what Dr. Baravarian recommended. I had a second opinion right there and then. Thanks UFAI :}

I've been seeing Dr Baravarian for about a year for a chronic foot injury and I'm very happy with him and the Sherman Oaks office.

The staff at UFAI is knowledgeable and friendly. It's consistently easy to get an early morning appointment so I can make it to work on time. I'm a runner and triathlete, so getting any injuries resolved quickly and effectively is very important to me. I feel that Dr Baravarian understands my needs and does everything he can to help me attain my running goals.

My experience with getting custom running orthodics was very smooth. I would recommend Dr Baravarian and his office!

I used to suffer from bunions for as long as i can remember. I used to dance ballet for 17 years, love wearing heels and both my parents have bunions so my bunions were REALLY painful. i researched about the best podiatrist and Bob's name came up. His name was mentioned by a well respected dr at UCLA. so i went and i met with him. anyone who suffers from a bunion knows how painful it is and knows what kind of surgery will fix it. it seemed huge at first and i cant deny that i was scared. Bob was very reassuring and he explained everything in great detail. after an x-ray it turned out that i have something called a tailors bunion as well as the bunion and he said that if it doesn't hurt then there is no need to operate on it. i have to say i really respected his honesty and integrity. he operated on my left foot almost 3 months ago and my right foot almost 2 months ago. during my recovery i used to see him every 2 weeks and he was always very attentive and would always tell me what to expect next. i didn't feel any pain for both my feet. i could walk from day one and next week i will be back in heels. i read a dozen of blogs about bunion surgeries and the horror stories i have read made feel grateful how lucky i was to have picked him as my dr.
the team there were very professional and helpful. the coordinator that scheduled my surgery went through every detail with me. she explained all the limitations and risks of the surgery. for my second surgery i needed to reschedule and she was as helpful as always.

I highly recommend Dr. Baravarian at UFAI.  After months dealing with another doctor and getting no results (and a really painful cortisone shot), I was finally diagnosed correctly and had a successful surgery.  I found Dr. Bob professional and friendly AND he was always quick to reply to my emails when I had questions.  I have been in the waiting room MANY times the past three months and have not waited more than 15 minutes past my appointment time (though usually going in sooner).  I found the staff to be friendly and helpful with everything from cast removal to processing disability paperwork.

Also, the folks in their physical therapy department are STELLAR!!  Friendly, thorough and on it -- they caught a slight complication that I had (no fault of the surgery) which really saved me.  I cannot recommend them highly enough (and I've had my share of PT)

There were some issues with the billing department but I keep really good records so once I talked to them and compared notes, they were quickly able to clear everything up to my satisfaction.

I am 4 weeks post surgery now and just got my cast off today. Dr. Franson is the BEST foot specialist I have ever been to. He is extremely kind, he's caring and compassionate. He truly cares about his patients and has a fantastic bedside manner, but above all of that, he is an extremely talented surgeon. I was so comprehensive about having this surgery due to all of the horror stories I had read about others who have had the same Achilles' tendon surgery with other doctors. I feel very fortunate to have found Dr. Franson because so far it's been a breeze compared to others. His staff is great as well. They are all very friendly, caring and professional. The wait is never long and I always feel that he spends an appropriate amount of time with me answering all of my questions. I have never written a review about a doctor before but I truly believe Dr. Franson deserves one. I highly recommend Dr. Franson and University Foot & Ankle Institute!

I have been suffering for a long time with pain in my toes. Thought it was just something I would have to deal with, my mom cannot even walk anymore due to her arthritis- I cried with relief to find out that Dr. Baravarian could not only treat the pain, but the cause as well. Thank you for giving me my life back!

After years of chronic plantar fasciitis I'd given up running, stopped going to the park with my kids and couldn't dance with my wife. Grocery shopping meant icing my feet afterwards. I had been to 3 other podiatrists, had 4 sets of custom orthotics, a night splint boot, cortisone shots, bands, creams, you name it. I was told the only option was surgery on both my feet.

Dr. Franson wanted to try another cortisone shot, more pliable orthotics and physical therapy every 3 days for several weeks. It took several months for my pain to go away completely but it eventually did and I got my life back thanks to Dr. Franson and amazing PT Suzanne Hawson. Trips to Disneyland, family outings and dancing with my wife became a reality.

It doesn't end there. Crazy as it sounds, after being crippled for 3 years, 2 years later I began playing competitive tennis!

I've seen Dr. Franson and Suzanne for a tennis related ankle sprain and Achilles tendonitis. I recovered fully from both issues/injuries. I know several other tennis players who have seen Dr. Franson and Suzanne. Whether surgery or less invasive treatment was needed, all have made full recoveries and are back in action.

If you have foot or ankle issues don't even think about going anyplace else!

Dr. Franson is very nice and a knowledgeable physician. I had a pretty bad break years ago and now having complications. Dr. Franson found the problem and gave me answers within days! Office staff is very easy to work with and helpful. I would also recommend his partner I can't think of his name off the top of my head, but I believe he is the only other one that works with Dr. Franson! They are both great! If you need a second opinion in this specialty I highly recommend University Foot and Ankle Institute!!

So fortunate to have found Dr Franson. I was treated by him last year for a torn achilles tendon and today my daughter was treated by him. She's pregnant and he was very attentive to her concerns  about treatment for her toe. He's very knowledgable and a sweetheart too. The staff was friendly too  :)

I am a huge fan of Dr. Bob. I play soccer for fun and have had my fair share of visits to his office. Each time he has been very quick in diagnosing the problem and finding a solution. It is frustrating other doctors aren't as good as him. I have had elbow problems and have gone 2 different doctors and they have not figured it out. I'm thinking about having Dr. Bob look at it.

I honestly wish I never had cause to go here, but I'm very thankful that I saw Dr. Bob Baravarian for a severe ankle fracture. A pal referred me and they also had a great experience with him.

From the start, Dr. Bob was great. He spent a good amount of time with me and made me feel as comfortable as I could possibly be having to undergo surgery for breaking both bones in my ankle, as well as tearing 3 ligaments - ouch, to say the very least.

He has an excellent bedside manner, is warm and funny, and it has to be said, totally gorgeous. He's also an extremely talented surgeon. The incisions on my ankle look pretty good, considering he had to slice into me on both sides of my foot.

The physical therapy center across the hall is also something to rave about. All the therapists here are excellent. Especially Grey, who I saw three times a week and pushed me in the best way possible.

The staff are also great, the techs are very adept at what they do. My only reason for not giving 5 stars is there was a frequent wait in the waiting room. Sometimes as long as 30-45 minutes after my appt time.

All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to refer the office for any foot issues one may have. My ankle is healed for the most part 5 months later and I still have a ways to go before I'm 100%, but I feel confident I'll get there thanks to Dr. Bob's skills.

After 15 years of surgery fear and bad big toe joints I could hardly walk for more than 10 minutes. I have visited many Dr.s but was not comfortable until met Dr. Bob Baravarian 2 years ago in Sherman Oaks.  At 62, I needed a RT toe fusion due to damaged joint, so we scheduled surgery and now healed. Surgery went smooth, quick w/ no pain and minimal scarring. I was extremely pleased as months later I started running again until my LT big toe started being painful with spurs. I scheduled my second visit with Dr. Bob in Santa Monica , a surgery later with positive results of cleaning out the toe joint and therapy, I have full toe action again with no pain and look forward to running real soon. With the exception of the X-ray tech in SO, all the staffing at both locations are very friendly, professional and help full. I do recommend this Dr. and his staff to any one in need.
As far as billing, I asked up front of all fees and costs and there were no issues before or after surgery. All was very good.
Kudos  to Dr. Baravarian and his staff.

Suzanne at UF&AI saved my Ironman!  I started to develop ankle stiffness about two weeks before my first Ironman.  I was referred to Suzanne at UF&AI in Valencia.  With Suzanne's help and some emergency PT, I was able to successfully complete my race pain and injury free!  Suzanne is a triathlete (and Ironman finisher) and her expertise as well as triathlon specific advice were invaluable.

Thanks Suzanne!

I love how Dr. Franson involves his patients in coming up with a treatment plan. I went to him years ago and when I recently hurt my foot, it was a no brainer that I would go back to him.

But the review I really wanted to share is about Suzanne and Jasmine in the physical therapy office. In only minutes, Suzanne was able to pinpoint exactly why I injured myself and give me immediate, realistic tips to fix the pain and prevent it from happening again. The fact that both she and Jasmine were kind, caring and had a great sense of humor were a few more reasons my appointment was so enjoyable.

Dr bob is the only doctor that I would ever let work on my foot or ankle. I have had both ankle and foot surgery by dr bob. Both times I could not have been happier with the results. Dr bob has the best personality and is so down to earth. He takes his time and explains everything to you. The surgery center he uses is top notch and everyone is so nice and helpful. Dr bob is the only doctor for me. His staff is great and friendly......

I was treated by Dr. Franson last summer after waking up to a debilitating ankle pain.  I had been to several doctors in the weeks leading up to Dr. Franson's office visit with no real diagnosis or treatment.
Dr. Franson and his staff were patient and attentive in assessing my pain source.  Within weeks of my first office visit and PT sessions with their excellent on site physcial therapy, I was seeing major improvements. Dr. Franson went the extra mile to not only diagnosis my issue, but to get behind what has caused the problem.  He ordered orthotics and spent months tweaking and adjusting until we got it just right.
I can say 6 months later I have been able to resume all my sports activities and daily routines with a stronger foot & ankle and no signs of pain.
Thank you!

As I waited in the sitting room for my 1:30 appointment, I was thinking about  how many stars to dock since it was now 3:00!!!  As it turns out, though, the problem was with my stupid health insurance, Anthem Blue Cross, and not with UFAI, as I saw about 3 rounds of other patients get called in quickly and then come out looking fairly pleased with their appointments.  

Once I was finally able to get in to an examination room, I was seen fairly quickly.  First a guy came by and asked me some general questions.  He took me to another guy who quickly took some xrays of my foot and took me back to the exam room.  Then someone that works with my doctor came in and asked me some questions and messed with my foot a bit, and finally, I got to see Dr. Briskin.

While all of the other folks that I saw were great, Dr. Briskin was wonderful.  He seemed genuine I didn't feel like he was rushing in to make an appearance before having someone else take over for the rest of the appointment.  I also had some concerns about what treatment he was going to suggest since I knew he is also a surgeon, but he defintiely vered towards non-invasive methods first, which I can truly appreciate.  I also didn't feel like he was just trying to get me some orthotics which is the experience i've had at other podiatrists offices.

All in all, I would say that the experience is positive, and I'm looking forward to my follow up appointment once all my health insurance drama has been worked out!

I broke my foot while working on a film production. One of my friends told me about the Foot and Ankle institute. They provided a great treatment for my foot and I was pain free within a week. I would definately recommend their services to anyone with any feet pains or problems. They will help you "get back on your feet".

Visiting UFAI was definitely a low point of my trip to LA, but only because my buddy managed to get a stress fracture in her foot while we were longboarding, and it kinda ruined our plans.

We ended up looking some stuff up on Google, and came across the UFAI website, which had a lot of really good info on all things related to the lower extremities, plus one of their many locations is on the UCLA campus, so it was convenient to get to and had a good reputation from the students and fellow Yelpers.

All the staff were really friendly and knowledgeable, and helped to make a lame (no pun intended) situation not so awful. We were seen fairly  quickly, especially with how busy they were, and were well taken care of. The facilities are reeeally nice too, though I'm only comparing them to some of the scuzzy walk in clinics I've been to in Canada..

I have had foot pain for more than a year now and was recieving little to no information from my PREVIOUS doctor, and even worse, I did not feel like I was being heard... In doing online reseach about my vaguely diagnosed pain I read an article written by Dr. Baravarian that addressed and explained my somewhat uncommon condition and the treatment options that may benefit me. After spending so much time feeling like there was nothing I could do to resolve my problem I finally have not only answers, but hope!

Although I haven't seen Dr. Baravarian yet, I am greatful for the insight he has provided, and I am confident that he will be able to help me!

Now I just need to navigate my insurance company's complicated and restrictive provisions to see him; I won't trust the care of my feet with anyone else!

I injured my foot last night while kickboxing.  I was afraid I broke it.  I called Dr.Babak Baravarian's of the Foot and Ankle Institute, hoping to schedule an appointment.  Luckily, they were able to see me today.

I know what you're thinking.  Good doctors are overbooked, so if a doctor can see you same-day, something is wrong.  That is true for many doctors, but that did not apply here.

They saw me at my appointed time.  That's right: No waiting in the waiting room.  There were lots of other patients in the waiting room; they were all seen on time, too.

The staff was pleasant, and compassionate.  I am somewhat bull-headed, and tried walking on my injured foot.  The assistant ensured that I remain on my crutches, and he even taught me how to use them properly.  He watched me walk several steps, coaching me as I took each step.  How great is that?

The visit with Dr. Baravarian was pleasant, and the treatment was just what I needed.  He had a good personality, and answered all of my questions.  Great visit.

Everything was great except when it came time to schedule an appointment to pick up my orthotics. The scheduler on the phone gave me an appointment to come in to pick up, but when I arrived at the appointed time, I was told that I had to make a whole new appointment with the technician that would cut the orthotics to fit my shoe. This was very inconvenient to have to come in twice the same week, especially since I was getting ready to head back to college across country, and had very little time left for delays.