Santa Monica Podiatry Clinic Patient Testimonials

Been very happy with everything regarding my bunion surgery. Everyone has been great. Explain everything so I understand. Overall has been a very positive experience and I would recommend Dr. Bob and everyone else to anyone who ever asks me.

Dr Baravarian and the team at UFAI are simply the best. I am 53 and very active. I had surgery to reduce a bone spur that impinged the flexibility of my big toe, and repair the damage to the joint, which made running impossible and walking for long periods very painful. The recovery and healing were absolutely pain free; the entire process was "text book" and I am walking and feeling better than anytime in the last 4 years and fully expect to be hiking, skiing, cycling and running in the next few weeks. You can't find a more qualified team that is more focused on your needs, perfect treatment and your comfort.

I'm not one to usually write reviews, but Dr. Babak Baravarian and his staff have always been exceptional when it comes to the care of their patients. I have had two surgeries done in this institution and they both were done quickly and smoothly. They are a great group of individuals that make everyone feel comfortable and cared for.

This was a few years ago. I saw Dr. Jason Morris (who is no longer there) who I found to be kind of rude and short.  I also had some issues with billing.

That being said, I am upgrading review to 3 stars for efforts by Steve on their end to try to work with me for a resolution, which turned out to be great.

I went here for ankle surgery back in late July 2017. Surgery with Dr. Baravarian was accomplished and swift. He guided me through the healing process smoothly and I healed quickly.

Then I was on to physiotherapy. Gary and his team were kind, thorough and comprehensive in the many ways I could strengthen and heal my ankle. It was a pleasure visiting them and slowly, methodically, working through my treatment program. I was back on my foot in weeks and I am still feeling the positive effects of their work every day months later.

I would highly recommend this business and these professionals.

I highly recommend this place.  They are full service with multiple doctors, X-ray and MRI, and physical therapy across the hallway. There might be a wait - but emergencies aren't unusual for foot issues so sometimes it's even you needing the immediate help! Dr Clark is fantastic! Even though X-rays showed no break, he asked me many questions, listened intently, and felt around my foot to such a degree we discovered two very painful sites. Ordered MRI and lo and behold they were both small breaks that hadn't shown up on X-ray. Save yourself going all over the place for foot and ankle care.

I've known Dr. Briskin for over 10 years now.  They make great orthodics.  They can customize them for whatever shoes you have (office, tennis, casual, etc).  Their staff is super friendly, too.  Thanks, guys!  :)

Dr. Gary Brisken has been my doctor going on two years. He's a very kind and thoughtful physician. The heath of my feet has improved exponentially. It's not just how much I admire Dr Brisken, it's that he has a great staff. From the front desk staff of Teresa to all the the men and women in his office. They really do make a difference. Helping you get your medication to your pharmacy or just be helpful. I would recommend Dr. Brisken without hesitation.
Sincerely
Mark

This place "Rocks" ! I started my journey almost 3yrs ago in search of a practice that would be a good fit for me to have my feet as in both left and right feet bunionectomy.

Dr. Bavarian fondly referred to as Dr. Bob, made me feel comfortable from my very first visit. Straight to the point, explained the procedure, performed the surgery. Cheli made scheduling my surgery quite the breeze. Follow up was easy and precise. Even coordinating with my insurance company. Everything went well. Here is why I decided to write this review. I have been to 2 post surgery appointments and they both have been above par in the level of treatment and care I received. One would expect a certain level of service leading up to surgery, but after surgery follow up has been nothing short of incredible. During my first visit Donald was extremely nice and caring, explaining and talking us through what was going to take place. Once again Dr. Bob was very personal yet professional which I greatly respect. My second post surgery appointment was equally as incredible. I know these words may seem exaggerated but I tell you when you leave you feel like you have been treated very well. During this visit I had the pleasure of Donald, Bernardo, Adrian...all assisting me at some point. Guys kudos for being such professional examples of how to treat, talk and interact with patients. Once again Dr Bob with straight to the point advice which I always appreciate and instruction on what I need to be doing. Last but certainly not least, but because he was the last person to actually meet with me was Dr. Ali. Professional, personable, yet confident in his ability as a doctor. One might think putting a cast on is a simple routine and I am sure for these docs it is...however, the time they take and the care, attention to detail is all a part of the healing process that so many take for granted. Dr. Ali you rock brother! If you are looking for a place to have any sort foot surgery done look no further. I can only speak to my procedures, but if their approach is like it was with me I am confident in saying if you chose them this would be a wise choice. Before I forget, the call center first point of contact is where it all starts. They are awesome...every time I call never long waits and extremely proficient.  I never thought I would say this but I can't wait to have my right foot surgery in December this year.

SDN

This updated review is for the Physical Therapy Dept. only.
I had my first appointment with them yesterday. I found Gray & his colleague to be very pleasant, professional & responsive. The ankle area sure felt better after the massage, icing & exercises. Gray gave me some exercises to do at home.
I've never had tendonitis or physical therapy before. I wasn't sure what to expect. After yesterday's appointment, I know that the recovery does take time & I am on track. This information & encouragement are priceless.
All in all, a really great experience at this office. :)

Got my foot surgery done by Dr. Briskin and follow up PT across the hall with Gray and these two are top notch. I had some hesitation with getting surgery on my feet after a bad experience in Burbank but I'm so glad I went with this office and this doctor. Staff is excellent.

I saw Dr. Briskin two years ago for a sharp pain in the ball of my foot.  After x-rays, he diagnosed me with a fractured sesamoid bone.  He placed me in a walking cast for 2 weeks and saw me for a follow-up afterward.  I had custom orthotics that I had been wearing for 5 years.  They were old, but Dr. Briskin noted that my insurance had a high deductible and made repairs and adjustments to my existing orthotics to spare me from spending a lot of money.  I was grateful and was able to wear those orthotics for another year.  

Last year, my sesamoid bone and the surrounding tendon became inflamed again.  I decided to get new custom orthotics made and I couldn't be happier with the ones made by Dr. Briskin and his team.

I just saw Dr. Briskin today for a follow up on my ankle, which I fractured 2 months ago. He was as pleasant as always and positive.  Where another podiatrist in the practice mentioned the possibility of surgery at only 6 weeks post injury, Dr. Briskin (along with my orthopedic surgeon at Cedars) was not aggressive and informed me that it will actually take 6 months for the broken bone to completely heal.  He reassured me that everything was aligned in the right place and I just needed to be careful, and give it a total of 6 months to heal.  

I HIGHLY recommend DR. BRISKIN and his staff!  He is THE ONLY doctor to see in this practice!

This is my second experience, first plantar fasciitis, now my Achilles, lucky me. :(I would not go anywhere else and my feet are glad. Both times I have totally avoided surgery and for the Achilles, I was REALLY concerned that would be the case. An amazing thing called PRP (don't ask me to spell what those letters mean), where they spin my own blood down an then re-inject it in the Achilles to tell the body to get its act together and heal the area, is amazing. And it's working, which is the most amazing thing of all.I am thankful for UFAI and that I don't have to think about my Achilles pain anymore.

This review is for the Physical Therapy group...Jason is amazing!  I had pretty severe tendonitis in my ankles and he got me back to healthy and active.  He knew exactly how to treat the problem.  I would always come back to him for any foot or ankle problem in the future, no doubt. Thank you!!

I had been dealing with bilateral Achilles tendonosis for about 2 years and had gotten to the point where I was in pain whether I was walking or sitting. Also, when I did walk I had extreme pain and limited mobility.

When I started PT with Jason Tanaka I had two half marble sized nodules on both of my Achilles. After  just a few months of Jason utilizing the Graston technique the right nodule disappeared and is completely healthy with the left on its way. My mobility is immensely better and I am extremely grateful to Jason and his team for getting me better.

Please note: The Graston technique is really painful but it really works. If you have the patience to stick with it you will no doubt see great results.

Thank You Dr. Tanaka

Great experience! From the phone consultation to appt scheduling, same day, by the way, to the super friendly and professional staff.  Dr. Bob Baravarian is kind, generous and a professional besides being fully credentialed. You're in good hands there.

Surgeons are in a position of moral hazard. They make more money from surgery than from a low-tech solution. I was impressed that Dr. Baravarian suggested starting with the low-tech solution, leaving the two surgical options to be decided if this doesn't work. He was very pleasant, very professional, clear in his explanations, and answered all my questions. His office  seems very organized and well run, and the staff treated me well. I would have no hesitation in recommending Dr. Baravarian.

I am an avid runner but had a foot injury that made even walking excruciatingly painful. I went to University Foot and Ankle Institute after being misdiagnosed by another doctor. Everyone in the office is so nice, from office staff to the technicians. And Dr. Baravarian quickly diagnosed me with a bone spur and recommended orthotics. The orthotics have changed my life! Not only am I completely painfree and enjoying running again, i am training for my first marathon! Thank you Dr. Baravarian!

I really like this group. Professional, great service, great atmosphere and just pleasant to be around. I saw Dr. Baravarian and he did a great job diagnosing my problem and taking care of me. I eventually had surgery with him and then went to physical therapy and the entire experience has been exceptional. I highly recommend this group and Dr. Baravarian. I also want to note that they are very professional with their billing. The accept insurance and only billed me what the insurance allowed which was not much considering the quality of care.

Dr Babak Baravarian is excellent! I had a longstanding ankle injury and was in a lot of discomfort with a torn peroneal tendon. I went to several doctors, but when I read about Dr. Baravarian's experience and some articles he had written regarding this injury, I came to University Foot & Ankle Institute. The staff was great and after meeting him, hearing his expertise and feeling comfortable, I knew he was the right doctor to have perform the surgery. With his help and care, I am now feeling back to my active self after a very successful surgery. I give University Foot & Ankle Institute my highest recommendation. I am so grateful I found Dr. Baravarian to perform my surgery. He is trust-worthy and a true expert in podiatry. You will be in good hands with him as your doctor!

After suffering with a 20 year old ankle injury, I reluctantly agreed to consider PRP treatment. I was very skeptical that I could get significant results. I am ecstatic to report that after receiving two PRP treatments, in less than one year, I have days when I am pain free. The healing continues. I am looking forward to easing back into running. Thank you Dr Briskin and UFAI staff. I would recommend UFAI to anyone with ankle issues. The great outcome from two treatments far exceeded my expectations.

I have been suffering from some nasty plantar fasciitis for some years now, and after orthotics and doing my own stretching, I was still in agony. Dr. Briskin, (who I call Dr. Chevy Chase, if you meet him you will know), has sent me to PT to see if I can get some relief before we get invasive and pull out the knives.  Now I am doing PT with the good folks there. I have had only 3 session, and already can feel the difference.
Grey, and the rest of the crew are the sweetest bunch of folks as well. It's such a nice atmosphere, fun music playing, and lively conversations. I recently needed to change my appointment, and was worried that it was exactly 24 hours to the min when I called to change it, I said, " I know it might be too late, it's exactly 24 hours prior, but can I move my appointment?" Ali, or Ollie, (not sure which) said, "Well.... for you, ok".
That's good costumer service.

I have been going to the PT department for the last few weeks and the results have been amazing. I have been dealing with insertional Achilles tendinitis for a few years now. Jason and the team really helped me see vast improvement. Using cortisone patches, ultrasound, exercises, etc.. it really seemed to spark healing in my heel.  I am running and feeling pain free throughout the day. Thank you guys.

Dr Briskin is amazing. He's been my foot doctor for about 3 years. He truly listens and is so down to earth. We finally figured out my latest issue, which is a muscle on my leg effecting my ankle. He ordered physical therapy and I feel 100% better. He's the best!!!

Dr. Baravarian was great in explaining to me the window of time I have as a 51 year old to increase mobility in my left big toe. And just as important as surgery to remove the bone spurs was the physical therapy after to gain back full mobility. Jason is awesome and truly cares. I had lost the ability to bend my toe up due to bone spurs rubbing on my foot bone. Over a period of 6 months my heel height went down to only 1 1/2 inch high heels. And I was compensating by rolling on the outside of my foot which caused heel pain and plantar fasciitis. Dr. Baravarian explained if I chose to do nothing, over time my bones would have fused together and I would have no mobility. He was very clear and  told me before surgery that he would either shave off the bone spurs seen in the X-ray and cut back some bone depending on how bad it was once he went in. By doing this procedure, I would prevent the bones from fusing together and ultimately be a candidate for an FDA approved gel joint transplant. Luckily for me, he only needed to shave back the bone spurs and didn't need to cut into the bone. Post op physical therapy with Jason was crucial for me to get my full mobility back. After 6 weeks I am now able to walk in 3 to 4 inch heels.

I started going to Dr. Briskin over 10  years ago when the practice was much smaller.  He took care of my problem (plantar wort) with such care and competence I was amazed.  Plus he has a great sense of humor. The office was spotless, and the staff was wonderful.  The practice is bigger now and as good as ever. I have been back several times for other small things and he has always been such a pleasure to deal with.  I have sent many people to him over the years and now my entire family goes to him for various things. The office takes medicare, they handle all the paperwork, and has always done a good job with insurance. Everyone there is a pleasure to deal with, exhibits intelligence, attention to detail and genuine concern regarding your issue.  I can't recommend the office enough.