I would like to thank everyone who gave reviews on Dr. Chen because after I read them I already knew he was going to do the surgery on my right elbow. My looking was over, and for anyone who has tears in your tendons and muscles, he's the man. I've been a waitress/bartender for 30 years. Great fun but a lot of wear and tear, but when I had a horrific fall last year I tore everything and suffered excruciating pain. The doctor I was seeing, who shares an office with told me I had a perfect elbow and after 4 cortisone shots that did nothing, I asked him to take an MRI. That changed his opinion real fast. To make a long story short he suggested I see Dr so and so because he didn't do this surgery anymore. I did my own researching since I had no trust in him. The first day I saw Dr. Chen with my MRI he explained what had happened and I asked when he do it. I think he was a little shocked about my decision but I already knew when I walked through the doors, shocked to find he was in the same building and same office. Yet the other doctor recommended someone else. Just Love him. Young, knowledgeable, funny, warm, and lets you know that he cares. And love those pin stripes. His staff is quite entertaining, but only 1 Star on that ship. Our visits are so enjoyable I wish I could stay longer, but you know ins. time. They say 20 min. By time I leave I remember I forgot to ask him some questions. Dr Chen is one of a kind, wish he could be my gp,, read more

Great bedside manner and very knowledgeable. Their office staff is also very friendly and professional

Dr. James Chen is the best doctor we've ever seen! Over the years, he treated my mother's knee but never pushed for surgery. Finally it was the time that my mother had to do the total replacement surgery. The team worked seamlessly before and after the surgery - everything got taken care of perfectly. The surgery was a big success - Dr. Chen is really the best doctor in town! More than everything else, I'd like to say that Dr. Chen has a "Buddha"'s mind - he is extremely kind and he really understands and sympathies patients. I remember that he came in to the waiting room right after the surgery to let me know that all went well with my mother's surgery, and the following day he came to the hospital 6am to check on my mother, and many others ... We'd highly recommend Dr. Chen to everyone! read more

Dr. Chen is one of the best in his field. I broke my collarbone on a Saturday and was luckily able to make a same-day appointment on Monday. He was able to get me into surgery the next day and everything went smoothly. It's been about 6 months and my shoulder is feeling great! read more

so this is a double review in that i originally has a tear in my meniscus. My wife did an exhaustive review to determine where i should go and decided on Dr Chen. 12 weeks later i was back dunking on the court (part of that might be a lie). Notwithstanding, all went well. The real reason for the 5 star, if that was not enough, was that a couple of years later I blew out the Achilles. After initially going to the st Francis hospital and getting absolutely getting nothing other then an expensive invoice, on a Sunday i called his office number to see if i could get an appointment for the next day. i never expected a call back directly from Dr Chen within 3 hours. Not just a callback but he asked about my knee. He told me to come in the next morning. and within 20 minutes, he saw me and within a minute, provided the diagnosis. I was shocked, not because of the expedited efforts but rather because the hospital wasted several hours of time without a diagnosis. He did it in minutes. and actually used my phone to video how he did the assessment. the surgery was five days later. and now i am back to dunking again.....His professionalism is outstanding, his skills are outstanding, his personal nature is outstanding and his staff is outstanding. I know that it would be great if you never have to meet him but if you need an orthopedic doctor, run. well okay may be not run, to his office. read more

They fixed my De Quervain in my thumb....so....5 stars! Thanks for curing me! Now I'm pain free and didn't even require surgical intervention read more

Very attentive, didn't wait long. Knowledgeable. Would go back. My son had knee injury we got in quickly, got orders for mri and had a diagnosis not necessitating knee surgery. Thank you! read more

From start, making the appointment, to finish this was one of the doctor visits I've ever had. I'd give him and his team six stars if I could. read more

Dr. Chen is a terrific physician, and he and his staff provide excellent care. I was mis-diagnosed with LLD, and Dr. Chen sent me for a sonogram. He later found that there is no LLD, which is a really important distinction from my earlier diagnosis. I genuinely appreciate his help and high quality of care. read more

Dr. Chen performed ACL reconstruction on my left knee. I am 57 and I tore my ACL 37 years ago, and back then - often times it wasn't fixed. The knee is bone to bone with no meniscus or cartilage. He could have done a partial knee and ACL, but fortunately for me he recommended only the ACL, due to my active sports that I do( Fencing, etc..) as the partial knee would be limiting and he didn't think I otherwise needed it. I am now 9 months post surgery, and I have been Fencing for two months. My knee feels great, I have no pain. I worked hard on knee rehab, I have strong legs, and no pain! I am very happy that he picked the right solution and did a masterful job. After getting around with a bad knee for many years, It is an amazing difference, and I appreciate what Dr. Chen has done for me. I highly recommend him read more

I am very active so I occasionally get injuries that eventually require medical attention. I have seen Dr. Chen twice, now, in 2 years and I never regret going to him. He and his staff are punctual, polite, knowledgeable, and kind. He always seems to prefer PT to surgery, which is refreshing, considering my interactions with other orthopedic surgeons. The first time I saw him (ankle) he made sure to call me on my cell phone with my test results even though it was later at night and I'm sure he had a long day. Today (shoulder and knee) he again made sure to explore the options and tailor initial treatment for my body's needs. I would recommend his office to the casual athlete any day. read more

Dr James Chen was great at explaining everything and making sure I understood what the problem(s) and treatment options were. In my case surgery was not the first option so he illuminated all the things for me to do and how long it would take to see progress. I highly recommend Dr. Chen for both his professional excellence and personal warmth making sure you understand what's going on. read more

Dr Chen performed an ORIF surgery on my ankle after I broke it on a trip to San Francisco. He schedule the surgery on the same day I went in for a consultation. (which I was thankful for) Dr. Chen and his nurses were very friendly and the wait time was minimal. Even after the surgery all questions were answered in a timely manner. I would highly recommend Dr. Chen to anyone. read more

Dr. Chen and his team were an absolute pleasure. After dealing with a nagging shoulder impingement for years, I decided that I wanted to get it taken care of permanently. Dr. Chen explained several options, including PT. I asked him to take a look inside with the arthroscope. He found a badly torn labrum and a bone that was pinching another tendon. He fixed me right up, and I'm better than new! Total recovery was less than 12 weeks, but I was mobile just a few weeks later. His team provided excellent after care, and he made an outstanding PT recommendation (GSports). I have already referred two coworkers to Dr. Chen and will continue to do so for any knee or shoulder concerns. Thank you! read more

My name is Matthew Murray & I have never written a Google+ or Yelp review. So I have to feel VERY strongly about something, or someone - to ever do so. Dr. James Chen & his excellent staff, are the reason I am doing so, today. I injured my shoulder surfing, a year ago last August. Mainly due to years of wear & tear (I am 48 years old and very active) and getting crushed by a wave. An MRI confirmed my fear that the pain I was having was in fact a partially torn rotator cuff. I once fully ruptured my Achilles tendon, on the east coast 20 years ago - and knew that surgery could be painful & rehab could take up to a full year - when regarding tendons in the body. My broken collar bone took less time to heal than my Achilles tendon. But that other doctor did an excellent surgery & I was able to run the NYC Marathon, a year & a half after the surgery. James Chen was recommended to me by my doctor at OneMedical. And it turns out that a family friend whom is a radiologist also confirmed that he is an excellent surgeon. A great guy to boot. I will not going into all the specifics. But I did move forward with the surgery through Dr. James Chen. And glad I did so. The rehab & healing process on a rotator cuff, can take a long time in my experience. And at month 6, I feel like my shoulder is basically perfect. Allowing me to do the things I love to do - like swim a mile in Aquatic Park. I was able to do that a month ago for rehab - and as I can do today - just for exercise. All because Dr. Chen is an excellent surgeon. I highly recommend Dr. James Chen. read more

I sustained a contact injury playing ultimate frisbee, one that I (and my primary care physician) thought was a Type II MCL sprain. After three weeks and limited range-of-motion, my PCP referred me to Dr. Chen, a doctor she had worked with in the past and thought very highly of. From reading about him, I could see that he shared my values of conservative treatment but with a priority on a 100% recovery. Dr. Chen could feel the MCL laxity, but given the limited ROM felt that there might have been other damage as well. He ordered an MRI. I had an MRI at 5:30p the next day; much to my surprise, Dr. Chen called me at 8:30p with the results. The results were not good: what I thought was just an MCL sprain was actually the so-called "terrible triad" of a complete ACL rupture, meniscus damage, an MCL sprain -- and bone contusions for good measure. Knowing how crippling ACL reconstruction is, this was very much the news I did not want to hear; Dr. Chen was very humane about relaying it, and despite his full schedule the next day, suggested that we meet at 7:30a the next morning to discuss. We discussed my options; I opted for the surgery. Even though my experience with Dr. Chen had been superlative, I wanted to consider my choice of surgeon carefully, so I followed up with my PCP on her experiences with him surgically. What she said was very consistent with my experience with Dr. Chen (though not necessarily typical of surgeons): she liked him because he was very good on post-op follow-through. She had had another patient who had had an ACL reconstruction with Dr. Chen, and that patient was having great results. That sealed it for me; given Dr. Chen's obvious intelligence, excellent background and terrific follow-through, he was a clear choice to perform my surgery (an allograft ACL reconstruction and lateral meniscus repair and debridement). He performed the surgery one week ago, and I had my first post-op appointment today. Considering I'm one week post-op, the knee looks and feels great -- which is a tribute not only to Dr. Chen's surgical ability, but also to his clear protocols on rehab (which I have followed to the letter). I don't anticipate any issues going forward, though it must be said that the path to full recovery of an ACL reconstruction is a long and arduous. I will continue to update this review over the course of my (lengthy) rehab, but at this point I can't imagine my opinion on Dr. Chen changing: I would recommend him without reservation, especially if you want to get back to your previous levels of activity. Update: I just had my eight week post-op appointment. My knee is doing well: it's stable and I have full extension and good flexion (136 degrees). My only issue cropped up about a week ago: a slight popping on extension and then again on flexion. My physical therapist and I concluded that this was likely a slight patella mistracking due to a VMO/VLO imbalance (the VMO is the last of the quad muscles to come back), as the popping always improves (or goes away entirely) when I work the VMO. Upon examination, Dr. Chen agreed with this, but as a precautionary measure, he took an X-ray. The X-rays showed that both the screw and the button of my reconstructed ACL were perfectly placed -- and in particular, the button (which anchors the ACL) was perfectly flush against the bone. (And that the popping is certainly the patella and that I should continue to build the VMO.) Both the precautionary X-ray and the careful craftsmanship of the surgery itself embody why I so highly recommend Dr. Chen! read more

Dr. Chen performed a total hip replacement for me about four months ago (I tried physical therapy and cortisone shots with minimal relief for two years before finally visiting his office). I had garden-variety osteoarthritis that was getting progressively worse. I received absolutely first rate treatment every step of the way. Office was efficient. Use of Healthloop message system was excellent (thank you Sara). Dr. Chen was always accessible, responsive, respectful, professional, caring and smart. The staff at CPMC California Street hospital were great. I'm a rather fussy and demanding patient (I teach medical malpractice as a law professor). I know how important it is to have a trustworthy, diligent and competent doctor. Dr. Chen totally fits the bill. I would recommend him to any family member or friend without any hesitation or qualification. I have no pain whatsoever in my hip and I have resumed normal activities. No adverse or bothersome residual effects. If my other hip needs treatment down the road, I feel fortunate that Dr. Chen is available. I know there are many competent orthopedic surgeons, but for me, Dr. Chen's combination of expertise, experience, good judgement, and attentiveness make him tops on my list. It's not surprising that so many patients rate him so highly. read more

Following a rollover accident that left my right leg crushed I went through a lot of pain, frustration and misery. Eventually I got signed up with Dr.Chen and immediately I felt in good hands. It was refreshing to deal with someone with a genuine concern and interest in helping me recover. He was practical, straight forward and willing to listen and answer any questions I had. He was patient, down to earth and above all a true professional. His staff were awesome and seemed to enjoy working with their doctor and patients. We set up email correspondence which is convenient for both of us. I left feeling like we had a plan and strategy for me to get back to 100%. I'm not finished with Dr. Chen and I hope to be adding more positive info here later. I really feel like this guy knows what he is doing. read more

Was referred to Dr. Chen by my trainer, extremely professional and to the point. I had ACL and meniscus surgery in February, was told i would be cleared in 8 months in October, got clearance a month early in September! He could see that I had confidence in my knee and was ready to get back to sports. excellent doctor and surgeon, completely satisfied. read more

Great staff and great doctor! Dr. Chen has great bedside manner and very knowledgeable.

I came here after an awful experience at Easy Bay Hand Medical Center. Wow, what a difference. Dr Chen diagnosed my wrist issue and sent me off for PT. No surgery needed unlike the suggestion from Dr Stein at East Bay. Great place, great people and a fantastic Doctor. thank you. read more

I've seen Dr Chen a few times and he's a super solid practitioner - quick to identify a problem, pragmatic and efficient in his approach and committed to seeing it through. The real piece de resistance is his Chinatown office staff who are incredibly flexible and accommodating. I utterly forgot about an appointment today and they handled it with total aplomb when I called. Showed up 40 minutes late and was out in a half an hour with zero wait - I actually got away with paying that "teaser" $2.50 minimum rate at the garage for the first time in my life. Never a problem fitting me in. Dim sum was great too...oops, guess I can't count that although I always pick some up nearby. But why would I choose any other place over this? read more

You will be in good hands with Dr Chen. I had complete tear of AC joint (shoulder). Dr Chen repaired it and it is fine now. He will tell you like it is. He did not try to push me to surgery and actually explained that I could get buy without it. I think he erred on the side of not trying to sell the surgery but I know I made the right decision to go through it. Also, I want to say that the California Surgery Center (Dr Chen has office there) are great people and made my surgery such a pleasant event. In less than a year, I am pretty-much back to normal and doing everything I did before in my weight training. Thanks Dr Chen! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Chen for the last couple of months about some tendonitis in my wrist. He and the rest of his team have been wonderful. Dr. Chen listened to my current problem and understood what level of physical activity that I wanted to return to for my physical activities. He manner and knowledge are excellent. He left no question unanswered and wasn't afraid to present me with a variety of options which he helped me evaluate. Finally his staff is friendly, nice and always willing to go the extra mile to help. read more

I went to Dr. Chen on a strong recommendation from a close friend to have my ACL repaired. 5 months out and my knee feels great! I compete at a high level athletically and Dr Chen gave me an easy to follow program to get my knee back to that level. He is very personal and truley cares about his work as I always felt that I had his full attention and ear whether it be in person or via email. He also did a great job communicating and working with my therapist which really sped things along. I strongly recommend him to everyone but especially to athletes looking to get back on the field. read more

Dr. Chen is an outstanding surgeon with also has great empathy. I was referred to him for treatment of a third degree shoulder separation caused in a biking accident. I was anxious about undergoing surgery and whether I could return to activities like Yoga and lifting weights. Dr. Chen evaluated me and explained the surgery he would perform that would enable me to regain normal function in the AC Joint. While undergoing pre-op at the hospital, I was asked who my surgeon was. When I responded, "Dr. Chen" they praised him. The surgery performed in January 13 was successful. Dr. Chen evaluated me post-op several times and patiently answered all my questions. His staff made the entire process comfortable, scheduling appointment and the surgery. They also gave me a referral for physical therapy. While it would have been wonderful not to have had an accident where I separated my shoulder, I feel grateful that when I needed surgery I had it performed by Dr, Chen. I would recommend him to anyone in need of orthopedic surgery. read more

I've been meaning to leave this review for awhile. Dr. Chen was everything I want in a doctor, such that I wish he did more than just sports medicine/orthopedics so I could see him for everything! What I loved was that he took time with me during the appointment rather than rush, gave me a thoughtful examination, and then patiently explained to me the big picture concept of what was wrong rather than only telling me what he thought I should do about it. As in, rather than just tell me, "The problem is ___ so you should ____" he actually explained to me how my knee worked, what problem I was having, how I had developed it, and in the long run how he would suggest I treat it. I also really appreciated that he took a more conservative approach and thought I could address my problems through physical therapy alone rather than draining fluid found in my knee. read more

I have been meaning to write this review for a while. I dislocated my shoulder in October 2015 and ended up getting a Bankart Repair from Dr. Chen at the end of October 2015 to stablize my torn glenoid and labrum. The emergency room doctor recommended another surgeon, but I opted to go with Dr. Chen after reading his favorable reviews on Yelp. I was able to get an appointment with him within days after my dislocation and an MRI in a couple of days afterward. He was always on time for his appointment, like to the minute, and I never had to sit in the exam room waiting for him. I have to admit at first I was shocked when he broke the news after getting my MRI results that surgery was my best option after my dislocation. However, I am glad I went with his recommendation, the surgery was an out-patient procedure and went really well. Also, Dr. Chen uses this software program call Health Loop (Pre-Op and Post-Op) which was wonderful. Whenever I had a question, I would send him a message through Health Loop and he would respond within several hours and it was reassuring that he was available to answer questions with only a click of a button. After the surgery recovery period and removing my sling after 6 weeks, I was really discouraged since I could not raise my arm at all! Dr. Chen reassured me that this was normal and that my shoulder had to heal and the tighter my shoulder was the better. After 2 months of physical therapy, and staying the course and keeping up with my rehab exercises, Dr. Chen was right. Now, 7 months out after my surgery, I have pretty much full movement of my shoulder and I am back to my regular active schedule. I would highly recommend Dr. Chen to anyone who has to go through this surgery. (Amy Y., aka, Toby G.) read more