Dr Ratcliff helped my plantar fasciitis out and gave my foot so much relief in a matter of weeks! I had been dealing with it for almost 7 months before I finally got help. I tried new shoes, better insoles, massage rollers and nothing worked. He used a shock wave type of therapy on my heel and after 3-4 session I felt a noticeable difference! I am a speed coach so being on my feet is my job and to be able to no longer hold back running with the kids I work with is amazing!! I definitely recommend!! read more

Their office was able to get me in immediately for a seemly minor issue that could have been devastating to my immunocompromised daughter. They took the time to understand the gravity of the situation and took action. Deeply grateful!! read more

I've had good luck with doctors in the area until I came to his office. I had a broken toe, which he dismissed with an arrogant attitude. After only two weeks post-injury, he told me to stop buddy-taping, and I reinjured it within an hour after leaving his office. He suggested this without a proper exam of my foot and only asked how I broke it at the end as we were walking out of the office. I am now being treated by a great podiatrist who put me in a boot as it was not appropriately immobilized, and it is now healing. read more

My experience with this doctor was amazing. He is the best podiatrist, doctor, and surgeon. I had a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend this doctor to anyone for their procedures Sherry read more

Too slow to be of any meaningful use. By the time he decides to help you've probably moved on and got things done some place else. That's just a polite way of calling him a moron. read more

Had plantar warts on two spots, one on each foot for more than 20 years. Over time tried over the counter freeze and acid many times. Didn't fix the problem. Went to Sutter doctor two years ago. Was put on very painful treatment every two weeks for eight times. Did fix the problem. The doctor gave up and suggested surgery for removal. Found Dr Ratcliff through Swift. Was quoted 2-4 treatments monthly. Ended 6-7 treatments. But, bingo!!! Finally the warts were killed!!! Treatment no where close to painful as compared to the other treatments I had. Very good doctor that invested in technology that he found and believed in. I think he might be the only one in Bay Area that offered the treatment. Solved my 20-year old issue. Thank you thank you thank you.... read more

Is it just a personality problem with podiatrists? I have been to 3 or 4 different ones now and one is weirder than the next...and sometimes snarky and rather unkind like Dr Ratliff was to me. I made an appointment on the phone because of curvature of my great toe that was causing an ingrown toenail. now if this not the kind of patient Dr Ratliff doesn't want to see why not explain that to the person presumably screening patients and let them find another practitioner who is helpful. But no, I suppose Dr Ratliff prefers to ridicule the unsuspecting patient. Right out of the gate he said to me "I didn't go to school to cut toenails" (ZING) Then without saying another word he grabbed an instrument and started cutting. I said " I read somewhere where there is a procedure that would flatten the nail which would prevent ingrown toenails. "Well, you read wrong". He then grumbled something about all the toenails on the old folks from Atherton he has to cut. He then told me to get a pedicure. Fair enough But rude. would I consider letting him cut my dog's toenails? I think not. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. And I won't be going back! read more

Dr. Ratcliff helped my husband and I get rid of our planter warts with his swift machine. He was knowledgable and worked with us until the problem was resolved. I am glad he invested in the swift machine and even though sometimes it was painful it was bearable and Dr. Ratcliff helped distract us during the quick swift sessions. If you have planter warts I highly recommend going and seeing Dr. Ratcliff. read more

Dr Ratcliff was great, very attentive, empathetic and willing to help is find a solution for my wife's rare injury.

Awful. Dr. Ratcliff obviously missed the class in med school about how to interact with the patient in an appropriate manner (and according to some other people I know, he also missed they day they went over how to read an X-ray and MRI pictures). I went to see Dr. Ratcliff for pain in my big toe. I ended up leaving with two sets of X-rays and a funky looking boot that I had to wear for weeks. Once I stopped wearing the boot the pain came back. At my follow up appointment Dr. Ratcliff was incredibly rude to me. I was told (not so nicely) that I should have come back sooner (I came in when the pain returned), and that he might have to do some sort of invasive surgery on my foot!?!?!? At that point, I made an appointment for a second opinion with Dr. Lehnert over at Pacific Foot and Ankle. He reviewed the films of my feet, made me some inserts for my shoes, and told me that no crazy surgery was needed. My foot pain is now gone, no thanks to Dr. Ratcliff. If you need to see a podiatrist go see one of the people at Pacific Foot and Ankle instead. You will receive excellent medical care from a doctor who knows how to politely and professionally communicate with his or her patients. read more

James Ratcliff, DPM - Podiatrists Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I saw Dr. Radcliff in 2018 for custom orthotics to replace a pair that I originally ordered from SOAR (a sport clinic). Right off the back, his orthotics were totally comfy despite my physical issues (flat feet, weak ankles from archaic shortened tendon surgery back in the day, and because of a reconstructed ankle after a complete triple break (aka bone:bone) which makes my alignment/gait/balance wonky, not to mention hip and SI pain. These orthotics allowed me to continue traveling and to run errands without back/hip pain/fatigue. In Oct. 2023, I saw Dr. Radcliff again because of foot pain on my outer right foot after hiking in Patagonia with heavy wildlife photography gear at 74 y.o. I also needed him to assess my bunion, flat feet, old orthotics and because I wanted new half orthotics for street shoes/booties. Because of this new acute foot pain, I was worried that my wildlife photography passion was over. But Dr. Radcliff eliminated my tendon pain after a series of 4 shockwave therapy treatments (EPAT) and verified that I was doing everything possible to prevent further injury (i.e., he checked my travel ankle braces, recommended specific indoor shoes and toe/feet strengtheners, and verified that my new half orthotics fit my booties. He also recommended higher levels of vitamin D to reduce hip fractures which I appreciated. I like Dr. Radcliff a lot because he's very holistic and gives you practical solutions via the use of tools, exercises and other preventive measures. It's the same protocol that he uses to maintain his own strength, well being and youthfulness. He listens to your concerns and is very patient. He advocates "use it or lose it" - the opposite of what SOAR told me after my 1996 complete triple complete ankle break reconstruction - and the importance of core, balance and strength training. So yeah, I have a lot of catching up to do and he gives me faith that I can still live life to the fullest. I also had some issues with the Stanford billing department and he and his excellent staff rectified that problem. He's a class act IMHO. read more

Dr Ratcliff is the best....skilled, caring , and pleasant. I was fortunate to have him address my foot issues which I had neglected over the years. I recommend him highly. With lots of thanks. ed read more

Waited nearly a week in intense pain to see this guy on referral (for reasons still very unclear and ultimately unnecessary, insulting, irritating, costly to me individually and to SHC's utilization management AND finally, worst, unproductive). Best advice to you sir: your responsibility as a respected and well-paid health care provider does NOT end, even as a siloed specialist, by coldly telling a patient "you should get that looked at dude' if it may/may not in your mind be only related to the FOOT in front of you. read more

Reassuring, appreciative that I had come in for what seemed to be a really slight issue. It's the next day and my broken toe already feels better! I might be in a better place to judge and write a more complete review if I had had a more serious injury-- knock on wood! The three-star rating is just because I had a 10:00 am appointment but didn't see the doctor until 10:25. He got me out quickly, though, so it really was A-OK in the end. PS- he looks nothing like this photo! read more

Dr. Jim Ratcliff is the best there is! I was surprised to read some negative reviews after just having surgery for an osteochondroma in my foot, but I'm certainly thrilled I didn't take them to heart. Dr. Jim has an amazing nurse who takes care of everything for you. Unlike other procedures I've had done with other doctors and facilities, I didn't have to spend one minute on the phone with my insurance company thanks to her. She booked all of my post-op appointments well in advance of my surgery so I could make accommodations at work and answered all of my questions. Most importantly, Dr. Jim knew what was wrong with me in two minutes. I got an x-ray during my appointment and received an immediate diagnosis and scheduled surgery. This was an issue that went misdiagnosed by three other podiatrists and took me nearly four years to finally get resolved and Dr. Jim was the only one able to handle it. The day of my surgery, he called me personally to see how I was doing. He answered all of my questions, and even reviewed what happened during the surgery with my fiancé who was in the waiting room the entire time. Exactly what he had told me in our pre-op appointment is what happened. I had pain that was expected, but I recovered completely normally. The day after my surgery I got another follow-up call from one of the nurses at the surgery center where my procedure was performed, to further ensure I was doing okay. I have had pain from this osteochondroma for years and didn't even have a proper diagnosis until seeing Dr. Jim. Now I can go on all the runs and hikes and practice as much yoga as I want with comfort and ease. Anyone with any kind of podiatry issue should see Dr. Jim! read more

The way healthcare should be! Hands down the best podiatrist I've ever met. I cannot say enough good things about his attention to detail and level of care. read more

Dr. Ratcliff is the best podiatrist around. He has been mine, my husband's and mom's podiatrist for years!! We recommend him highly and he knows his stuff:) thank you doctor and thank you to your well trained and kind receptionist Noosh(not sure of spelling), always accommodating us! read more

Dr. Ratcliffe is an excellent practioner. He is knowledgeable about everything related to feet, and how to maximize comfort. He is kind, caring and empathic. He unfailingly has helped our family with treatment from everything from flat feet to plantar fasciitis. Dr. Ratcliffe is trustworthy. I recommend him highly. read more

Dr. Ratcliff is simply the best! He performed two surgeries on both of my feet, one of which was quite a challenge. I am very happy with the results. During the whole time, he was very kind, caring and reassuring. He patiently answered all my questions. I feel like I've new feet, all thanks to him. I highly recommend Dr. Ratcliff, he is a very skilled surgeon. read more

My teenage son has been suffering foot pain for years. When the pain also led to an ulcerated toe, we got a referral to see Dr. Ratcliff. In addition to the ulcerated toe, son had trouble walking barefoot without pain, etc. When he walked into the office, Dr. Radcliff just took one glance at the sore, said get a better fitting shoes and ushered us out. He didn't check my son's stance, foot alignment, ask for detailed history, nada. I think we only spent 5 min in the office with him with most of the time him referring us to a shoe store. I think we spent more time with the nurse who took his vitals, weights, etc than with the doctor. Only x-ray taken was a lateral on one foot and during our visit he didn't even look at it or mention any problems. At best, he was dismissive, unsympathetic, and made a superficial judgement that "it's the shoes" and didn't bother looking any further. It was far the most unhelpful doctor visit I've observed. So after that useless appointment, we tried to get my son better fitting shoes, but he continued to have problems, and PE running/swimming was excruciating. Then came COVID19 school shutdown and distant learning, where my son didn't wear shoes for weeks, stuck indoors, happily hacking away on a computer in his PJs. Then one day we decided he needs to get off the computer and get out so tried to usher him outdoors on a walk. But his foot hurt so much he couldn't even put his shoes on. A quick glance showed an angry red inflammation on his foot joint. Then it was clear it wasn't his ill-fitting shoe causing the pain, but something is fundamentally wrong with his foot that walking around bare foot (but sitting down most of the time indoors) would cause such painful swelling. So we asked our PCP to get us a referral to another podiatrist since Dr. Ratcliff was useless. This other doctor was more thorough. Aside from taking x-rays from multiple angles, etc. spent good 45min taking history and asking questions, and answering ours. Result of this other doctor's consult? He has severe flat foot plus deformity on his toe bone causing excessive irritation and inflammation at the joints that was clearly obvious comparing the left and right x-rays. The ulcerated toe was caused by him over-compensating his stance/gait trying not to irritate that deformed joint, and instead putting undue pressure on the opposite side! Only way to truly correct it is through surgery (he's already wearing 4W shoes one or two sizes larger so can't get wider than that, and he can't live not wearing closed toe shoes all his life). Gee. thanks, Dr. Ratcliff. You made my son suffer for another year of pain because you didn't want to deal with him and only cared enough to look for a easiest explanation one doesn't need an MD for. I'd avoid this doctor. He's clearly the type who will write you off based on superficial observation, and dismiss you quickly if he thinks it's an uninteresting case. Only positive having met Dr. Radcliff? That my son got a first-hand experience of comparison between an uncaring/dismissive doctor and a caring/sympathetic/thorough AND concerned doctor. Even as a teen, he could tell a big difference in the quality of care. read more

Like other reviewers have mentioned, Ratcliff is arrogant and dismissive. I went in with an obvious case of plantar fasciitis, he confirmed it, but then proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes talking about how much he surfed and how he has special shoes to avoid it. I inquired about getting orthotics made (I'd had this before and that was the solution then, which worked well). He seemed annoyed at the suggestion, but agreed to have their office look into what the cost would be for me on my insurance. Meanwhile he kept pressuring me to go and buy this brand he recommended. One look at Open Payments shows he has a history of accepting "gifts" from pharma companies, which is hardly surprising given how much he pressured me into looking at this other brand: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/241194. Meanwhile, his office never looked into orthotics cost or got back to me, and also are charging my insurance $645 for this useless 15-minute consultation, and appear not to have given them full information, which I'm now having to appeal to get fixed. read more

Dr. Radcliffe, is a straight and to the point doctor. He will tell you want you need to do to get better. And if you do it. You will get better, it takes time to heal and you need to be patient, nothing happens over night.I really appreciated that he does not jump to medication , shots or surgery. As for my progress it slow but steady and I am able to walk better work better and have l less pain. very grateful to you Dr. Ratcliff. Thank you. Your a great Doctor. I will refer anyone that has a podiatrist to you. One note: when talking any doctor Let them know all your symptoms it helps-. Thank you again I am so grateful read more

Liked him, he listened, and spent a good deal of time with me. If he recommends graston google it and watch the videos online and do it yourself:) Really like he didnt want to custom orthotic me:)but likes superfeet DPM like most pt types wants to get the foot strong and not overly supported.... read more

Saw him twice for plantar fasciitis. The first time he took a cursory look at my foot and said all I needed was to do stretches and wear good footwear. I came back a second time several months later because my plantar fasciitis has worsened. This time, he didn't even look at my foot and instead gave me a complimentary shockwave therapy treatment for a few minutes. Same advice of stretching and good footwear. My foot felt worse after the visit. 2.5 weeks later, it hasn't gotten better so went to see another podiatrist who took x-rays, analyzed my foot and how I walked. It turns out I have asymmetry in my legs that contribute to plantar fasciitis and other conditions. I will be getting custom orthotics. He also showed me how to tape my foot which is helping. read more

Dr. James Radcliff just performed a surgery yesterday and I only can say good things about his professionalism, his knowledge and his bedside. He is very passionate about what he does. He First day after surgery and my foot feel great, little to no pain. This is now the third surgery that Dr. Radcliff has performed on my foot, the last two recoveries were quick, with low to no pain, and without any issues. Dr. Radcliff is an honest, empathetic, genuine doctor and I highly recommend him for any issues you may have with your feet. read more

I can't recommend this doctor enough! I went to see Dr. Ratcliff after being told from another well-respected foot specialist that I'd need surgery to extract a cactus thorn that was embedded deep into my heel. Although I was scheduled for the surgery, I decided to get a second option as I thought that surgery (with anesthesia, a local block, stitches, antibiotics and follow-up visits) seemed like overkill. In about 20 minutes, without even a painkiller or something topical to numb my foot, Dr. Ratcliff had the thorn out! He saved me a lot of $$$ and time, and I was able to avoid a surgery I didn't need. An added benefit was that my foot healed a lot faster since I didn't need stitches. If you're looking for a top-tier podiatrist who really cares about his patients' outcomes instead of recommending unnecessary procedures, you should see Dr. Ratcliff! read more

I've been playing basketball on a painful heel for the better part of a year. Was told I need to stretch my achilles, or have someone inject my heel with something that sounded excruciating, or take pain meds, or pick another sport. Challenge was that if I quit the game I do think that the pain would have eased (not gone away) - but a major joy in my life would have now been gone. So my choices were to quit, try to get better without surgery, or go the surgical route. Dr. Ratcliff knows how important quality of life is, especially in No Cal. He was able to empathize with me in that he surfs and is not ready to give it up. He told me that he thought that with the right surgical intervention I could be back on the basketball court. He also shared that the X-ray and MRI revealed that anything short of surgery would not work as I had a structural issue. I went for the surgical intervention. The surgery took 4 hours as they had to shave a heel spur and clean up all kinds of scar tissue from 40+ years of basketball. The anesthesiologist was awesome - set me up for a no pain recovery with a does of whatever that numbed my leg for the better part of 3-4 days. Dr. Ratcliff saw me, emailed me, called me, and explained what I'd feel, when I'd feel it, and why I'd need to be careful in my recovery. The man gave me his cell phone number and an invitation to call him at any time. The surgical center called 3-4 times just to ask how I was feeling. Amazing! It's been 3 months since surgery and the pain in my foot is gone with the exception that I'm still in recovery and need to ease myself back into high impact exercise. I started a light treadmill jog last week and am trying to hold myself back from rushing things basketball wise. Throughout this process I've found Dr. Ratcliff to be honest, empathetic, and genuine. He invited my wife in to sit with us for each post surgical visit and treated her questions with respect and compassion. After each visit we marveled at how he gave us his undivided attention. Not sure I could have asked for much more than what Dr. Ratcliff's has offered. He's a genuine person who helped me get better. Hope I never need him again but if I do I'd return in a heartbeat. read more

Dr James Ratcliff is phenomenal! He was the ONLY doctor highly skilled and able to perform the complicated foot surgery my husband needed. The surgery was a success and my hubby is finally on the road to recovery after 5 years. I would refer everyone to Dr Ratliff. He showed my husband and I nothing but compassion and sincerely caring and listening to us about our concerns and took the time to make sure we were comfortable and well educated on the whole process. He is an excellent surgeon. read more

I was referred to Dr. Radcliffe by my Rheumatologist. I had damage on my toes due to arthritis and it was becoming hard to walk on my foot. I read his reviews just before my appointment and It made me a bit cautious. I was happy that it went well. Once X-rays were in he was able to thoroughly explain what was going on. I needed a bunionectomy because my bones were already splitting, and on my second toe both of my bones were crushed together from a recent accident. My surgery was scheduled within two weeks. It went well. When I woke up from surgery he standing next to me making sure I was ok and that my pain was controlled. I have now seen him 3 times since surgery. Dr. Radcliffe and his nurses are all very kind, they care about their patients and go the extra mile to make you comfortable. I HIGHLY recommend him!!! read more

Um, don't go on a Monday. I went there for the first time on a Monday and had to wait for over an hour. The receptionist told me that this was "typical" for Mondays. What the heck?? Schedule fewer people, then. Dr. Ratcliff was still great and all (see my original review), but was definitely rushed and had less time to spend with me than has been true in the (non-Monday) past. read more

If you want a doctor that talks, walks, looks and acts just like a doctor, Dr.Ratcliff is not your man. He is much more intuitive than that. He takes awhile to figure each patient out...what makes them tick and he thinks about what their specific needs are, their lifestyle and what they can or cannot afford. He offered different solutions to my foot problems that were not easily fixed. Most foot and ankle issues are complex and are not easily remedied. I thought he was terrific! Refer back to my first sentence...give him some time and he will give you his time too. read more

I have goofy feet. They turn out. Which makes it hard to skate or ski. So I wondered if there was anything to do about it. I went to see Dr. Ratcliff. He said I could spend hundreds of dollars on inserts, or I could just buy an off-the-shelf product called Superfeet. He even gave me a free pair. Fabulous, caring guy. Saved me hundreds, probably thousands of dollars. Not something you'd expect from a doc. Many thanks to Dr. Ratcliff. Highly recommended. read more

Dr Ratcliff is great. He took a measured approach to my heel spur issue, and we tried a few holistic measures to help my pain. Rather then just resorting to the standard cortisone-shot-then-imminent-surgery treatment, he introduced me to a device that loosened my tendon with a german vibration tech. I plan on using him again for my *other* plantar fasciitis issue soon. Bonus points for being a fellow Gaucho! read more

Dr. Radcliff is kind and reassuring. I had managed to smash my toe which split my toenail and lifted it up. After several days of discomfort every time I bumped it, along with bleeding, I called and he took me the same day. He explained what he was doing as he slowly and methodically cut off my toenail bit by bit. Then he explained what was going on with my toe and what to do to treat it. read more

Dr. Ratcliff saved my life. I had a foot issue and he provided me with a treatment that worked & helped me to be able to feel well! He is very kind and very good at what he does. read more

I've been a runner/swimmer/triathlete for ... oh gosh, almost 30 years. I've had various aches and pains in the past, but nothing very serious. Last year, as I was just about to turn 40, I started having a pain in my right heel. Very painful... I just couldn't run. I tried resting and stretching and icing, and not much helped. I finally gave in and called Dr. Ratcliff, who diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis. After 3 or 4 treatments with his shockwave therapy, along with some Superfeet, my pain went away, and I was able to run again... My 11 year old son was having foot/heel pain as well. Dr. Ratcliff treated him very kindly and professionally, and was able to explain to my son in language he could understand (i.e. not Latin) what was going on with his feet (growing pains). Dr. Ratcliff was very professional at every visit, and smiley, too! And to round out the family visits, Dr. Ratcliff also assisted in my husband's ankle surgery a few years back (performed by Dr. Bruce Lehnert). Again, Dr. Ratcliff was very professional and very helpful on follow-up visits and calls for advice. Finally, whenever I hear of a friend or acquaintance that has foot or ankle issues, I always recommend Dr. Ratcliff. read more

I visited Dr. Ratcliff for an ankle sprain. I was more than 1 hour waiting and he only took 2 minutes to overlook the ankle and charged more than 600 dollars for that useless visit + 200 for the x-ray. I told him I had a strong previous sprain 15 years ago and that the ankle was not probably fully healed since then. He looked at the swollen ankle and said "yes, it doesn't look healed". He was arrogant and clearly unable to treat patients with care and respect. He was treating several patients simultaneously going back and forth probably because he was extremely late. I wouldn't recommend him. 2 minutes=$625. I felt completely deceived read more

Didn't even look at my foot and made a diagnosis!!! Then told me what running shoes to buy when he didn't even see the shape of my foot. I bought those shoes and threw them out because they made my problem worse. He is just one of those docs that have been good in the past. He now finds his job mundane and boring, and is just passing time. Run, don't walk from Ratcliffe. read more

Without question, the worst doctor I've ever visited. He berated me for not knowing that I had flat feet. How the heck am I supposed to know this? I see an arch myself, but I'm no expert. Very condescending attitude. I'll never go back to this jerk. read more

My son saw Dr. Ratcliff for infected ingrown toenails, and he was compassionate and very helpful. He wasn't in a hurry like most doctors to get in and out. He explained the cause of the problem and how to prevent it. His calm and kind demeanor put my son at ease. I highly recommend him. read more