Dr. Stetson, and his team provided excellent care which included a thorough examination, imaging and MRI (if necessary) in his office. Having the imaging readily available provided instant results making each visit extremely productive. The office is a best in class experience, from administrative processes and realtime changes while in the office. I highly recommend Stetson Lee Orthopeadics. I am fortunate to have found this practice. read more

Just the best doc with an incredible beside manner. Incredibly knowledgeable and doing what he can to get my old body back on the court. His staff is lovely and the interns seem to enjoy working there. I go out of my way to recommend him as people did for me. read more

Doc Stetson takes the time to explain to you what is going on inside your shoulder and has great recommendations of what to try and do to fix the problem. The people working there are all very pleasant and professional. Great office! Highly recommend. read more

2023 Update: My experience with Dr. Stetson has not changed - great results! Just a heads-up: The Dr. that provides the Anesthesia services for Dr. Stetson's services, Dr. Nigro, does not work with Bluecross PPO's even though Dr. Stetson does. This means that the surgery's anesthesia is likely not going to be covered by your insurance. I just got hit with a $1,200 bill about 18 months after the surgery. I had a main insurance (Blue Cross PPO through the State of California) and a secondary (Blue Cross PPO through the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Fund) and have to pay full amount. Bottomline: If you have any of these insurances (probably a large number of people), factor this into the total cost of the procedure and decide based on this. read more

Dr. Stetson was recommended to me by two acquaintances who teach yoga. He performed surgery on one and worked in conjunction with a physical therapist to help strengthen the shoulder of the second. Both had excellent outcomes. Dr. Stetson was methodical in his examination of the cause of my shoulder pain and used an MRI to help determine the need for surgery. His calm, professional 'bedside manner' put me at ease during our first appointment. I was grateful for his level of expertise, his vast experience and his ability to explain the process clearly and fully answer all of my questions. I was eager to have him repair my torn rotator cuff so that I could proceed with the healing process and entered the surgical suite on the morning of the procedure absolutely confident that Dr. Stetson would perform flawless surgery. He did. Dr. Stetson cares deeply about the well-being of his patients and is one of the kindest people I have ever met. I can't recommend him more strongly. read more

I can't thank Dr. Stetson enough for the special, excellent care he provided to me. My shoulder surgery and recovery has been fantastic. He truly has a unique gift. I am so blessed that you are my doc. I would highly recommend him to everyone. Thank you Dr Stetson so much for your great care and easy surgery. You ROCK!!!! read more

Although I concur with some of the comments regarding Dr. Stetson's bed side manner, charming and friendly when selling himself, somewhat arrogant by continuously promoting his volleyball past, and condescending and aggressive when challenged, this is not the reason for my disappointment. His poor decisions during my surgery, either due to his lack of good medical-surgical judgement, laziness, or because he was pressed for time by the surgical-center (I went into surgery long after it was planned), resulted in an unsuccessful surgery and the need for another shoulder surgery to repair the very issues he and the MRI diagnosed. These were issues he saw during the procedure, commented on, and elected not to repair. When confronted with the poor results, and in face of the video of the surgery showing not much was done to fix the problems with my shoulder, Dr. Stetson angrily and condescendingly attempted to blame me for his poor decisions. This was in-spite of the fact that he was authorized in writing to perform all the necessary procedures to properly repair my shoulder. When I asked prior to the surgery what he planed to perform, he responded that he will decide during the arthroscopic inspection, and asked to trust him. After months of PT without success, I sought a second opinions. I was who sent for a contrast MRI which confirmed that all the previous diagnosed issues remained, now somewhat worse. The end result is that, adding to the loss of income, I must face the pain and costs of a repeat surgery. Dr. Stetson's decisions and behavior are unjustifiable, and show disregard to me as a patient. Although I found Dr. Stetson through the recommendation of a satisfied patient, I suggest you seek a surgeon with verifiable consistent good results, not just a single recommendation, or fall for charming self promoting pictures on the walls of a fancy office. Choose carefully. Good luck. read more

Dr Stetson has been my orthopedic doctor/surgeon for over 15 years! He has done surgeries for me as well as a few friends of mine. I am writing this review to attest to his great ability as a surgeon as well as his quality of character. I recently came to the office to evaluate the condition of my left knee (3 previous surgeries!) They did some x rays in house and we went over the images same day. Dr Stetson let me know he could do a clean up of the knee and I would have 50-70% chance of improvement. I thought about it for a month and decided to move forward with the surgery. During our discussion at the pre op appointment Dr Stetson took into consideration the factors around the current status of my knee and actually advised me to hold off on the surgery! It is so refreshing to know that patients well being is more important to Dr. Stetson than selling a surgery. I am really grateful. The office staff is courteous and I love the fact that they are educating students as interns. Dr Stetson, thank you so much for your honesty and I would recommend this office to anyone in need of orthopedic help! read more

Dr. Stetson is one of my favorite doctors that I have gone to. I was in an accident and started having major shoulder pain, my Physical therapist referred me to his office. He was quick to diagnose and advise it was a partially torn labrum and suggested PT was the best course of action. I had a few follow-up visits and the shoulder is back to 100%. During the visits, both he and his staff were very professional, happy to help, and quick to see me. Also, Dr. Stetson was always so warm, friendly, and carrying during each visit. If you are looking for an amazing shoulder/ knee doc, Dr. Stetson should be your go-to doctor! read more

Dr Stetson performed my husband's rotator cuff surgery and provided excellent care, both before and after. He took the time to answer any and all questions we had, and made my husband feel genuinely cared for. Can't recommend him highly enough. read more

This is a very unusual and exceptionally well Run doctor's office dedicated to total patient improvement. I'm 55 years old so I've been in a lot of doctors offices over the years I have never seen one or more professionally run and staffed. They try very hard to make it easy on the patient including having their own MRI machine and their own x-ray room which saves a lot of time and running around. Person who works in the office is extremely well trained and professional and that includes the MRI technician and x-ray technician. Dr. Stetson is amazing and very compassionate and is not one to quickly want to put a patient under the knife. He spends a lot of time with each patient so sometimes we have to wait a few minutes to see him but you're never wasting time because they always have a staff member with you taking notes on your history or updating your chart before you actually see the doctor. If I could give Dr. Stetson six stars I would he's really that good. read more

This review may just be removed as you can tell they're all missing. The doc may know his stuff but he is rude, arrogant, impatient, bullying and condescending. He refuses to hear you and treats you like a child, like a manipulative lawyer forcing you to give yes or no answers. I find him sooo disrespectful I hate seeing anyone in his office. But kinda stuck. Also, the practice is money hungry. Watch out for how they schedule your tests. read more

Thank you Dr. Stetson! Dr. Stetson has been my Doctor since 2006 and has performed surgery on my left and right shoulders, and my left knee. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone who needs to have this type of surgery done. I was a bit concerned about this last shoulder surgery as I an 81 years old. But, with Dr. Stetson performing the surgery, I had every confidence that it would be successful and it was. My shoulder is fine and it is such a blessing to be able to do everything I need to do without pain. Dr. Stetson is kind, thoughtful, and always took the time to answers all my questions and concerns. So important!! Excellent Doctor!! read more

Dr. Stetson worked on my knee over 15 years ago and my recovery was perfect. So when I hurt my last year, he was THE ONLY DR I would allow work on me. Two surgeries with Dr. Stetson and I can't stop signing his praises! He is an amazing doctor who knows what he is doing! read more

Dr. William Stetson. I was originally seen by William Stetson for my shoulder about 8 years ago. I was satisfied with his treatment back then. I wish I could say the same for my last visit on 2/10/22, my appointment was scheduled at 8am, I was advised to complete my paperwork before appointment. Unfortunately I was not able to do so, as my mom had a stroke in December 2021 lost use of her right side, additional she fell and fractured her hip and foot, and had surgery on 3/1/22. So I did failed to complete my paperwork before hand. The day of my appointment I arrived at Stetson's office 10 minutes prior to my appointment, I was checked in about 35 minutes after I arrived was given an I-pad about 40minutes after my arrival. I complete their paperwork on I-pad, it took me about 10 minutes to complete due to my extensive medical history. I waited and waited and all the other patients that walked in after me were taken in first...I finally questioned the receptionist and she told me I was next. I was finally called in at 11:00 now keep in mind I got there at 7:50am. When finally Stetson comes to examine me about 11:15 he asked me a couple of question, he did look at my wrist for 2 seconds, he had not even read my chart, and he really did not let me speak. He reminded me of Tasmania devil, that's how fast he moved in and out of the exam room....but before he walked out I was able to question him as to why I wasn't seen earlier, was this normal practice to have patients wait over 3 hour? Why if I had finished the I-pad intake, why other patients that came after me were seen before me, he basically told me I should have completely my paperwork at home not at his office. I also told him I probably got a ticket for parking over 2 hours on street....he couldn't not care less. I told him it was not fair to make me wait so long, while other patients who arrived after me were seen before me? Stetson's reply to me was "Do yo have anything better to do". So because I'm not a bloody surgeon my time to him is worthless...the nerve! While I do not question Stetson's medical knowledge, but oh my gosh he has a very big GOD COMPLEX, no bedside manner at all whatsoever. I would NEVER recommend him!!!!!! I strongly believe the makes of a great doctor includes bedside manner, as it is extremely imperative to have a good report with the patient. I would suggest to Dr Stetson to come back to earth, and to keep in mind he has no idea what the patient/person he is going to examine has been through, to have more empathy towards others, especially his patients! And to take a refresher course in bedside manners! Oh and to add salt to the wound, for the 7 minutes he examined me, I received a bill for $540.00. read more

Dr. Stetson did an outstanding job on my shoulder surgery. I have full range of motion and the strength has returned. Dr. Stetson was thorough with a pre-surgery protocol. He explained to me what was going on with patience and kindness. His staff. Also very professional. The highest endorsement to Dr. Stetson. read more

I use yelp for almost everything I do when purchasing or servicing some product. I did an extensive review of Stetson Powell Orthpedics before going. I was somewhat impressed so I was glad to be going there. Dr. Stetson was my doctor. I arrived for my appointment a little ahead of schedule. I was greeted nicely by the receptionist. It took a bit to get into the room (All doctor offices and appointmens take a long time and are usually over, no big deal). I was nicely greeted by Dr. Stetson's assistant. She went over a few things about my injury. Dr. Stetson came in a short time later and went over my xray and MRI (that i had prior). He observed an issue with my knee and requested a few more xrays at their office. The X-Ray tech was friendly. A short time later, Dr. Stetson confirmed my knee issues and went over all the options. He answered any questions that I had. He was very patient and caring. This is the first time I had been at this office. Every single person at Stetson Powell was friendly, shook hands and asked how you were doing. Every person cared and made the visit comforting. I was very impressed with their professionalism. I ll probably have an upcoming surgery and will not have any reservations. If you are looking for a good, friendly, and professional orthopedic surgeons, I highly recommend Stetson Powell and Dr. Stetson himself. Thank you again. read more

Dr. Stetson is one of the best. He's helped me keep my body functioning over the years and has performed multiple surgeries and procedures on my knees. He always takes the time to understand my physical situation and listens. He cares for his patients and it shows in his actions. Thank you Dr. Stetson for all that you do. read more

Horrible place they tell you things that are not true especially the pa Stephanie she seems like she doesn't know her job my own family Dr could not believe the experience I had I never needed a brace and the brace you put on me was done unprofessional horrible place. You need to know how to treat pts Stephanie I will never come back read more

I injured both knees two years ago, training for a marathon. I always dreamed of running an ironman triathlon but suffered from chronic injury. I made another attempt recently yet I could not handle even small amounts of running. Both knees did not recover. I found myself unable to run even for 5 minutes. It felt hopeless and I was convinced that I was just not going to be able to run at all. Despite stopping running, the pain did not get better. I was worried that I would need surgery. I am a physician and despite my medical training and experience with running, became extremely frustrated with myself, the injuries, and lack of good guidance. I looked for an orthopedic surgeon who had experience with athletes. I did not just want to be able to walk pain-free. I wanted to run and ride my bike as often as I wanted. I found Dr. Stetson's office. When I walked into the office, I noticed all the large autographed pictures of olympic athletes on the walls. I had come to the right place. Dr. Stetson took my athletic endeavors seriously and I was happy that he did not write me off and say to give up on running. An MRI showed a small injury to the medial meniscus and some arthritis under the patella. Dr. Stetson said we should see if we can improve this with conservative measures and physical therapy. I was appreciative of this conservative approach and felt better that we had a plan. The subsequent few months were difficult. I felt that I was making zero improvement. I found out I had some major muscle weaknesses that were contributing to my pain. I was neither running nor cycling, just doing therapy. I kept doing the exercises. By the beginning of the new year I started to notice some improvement. I continued physical therapy on my own and learned to run again. This is a hard part of recovery and requires persistence and retraining the way the brain and the muscles communicate. I started running 5 minutes at a time. 10 minutes at a time the next week, and so on. Dr. Stetson saw me from time to time and encouraged me to be patient. I began to alternate swimming, cycling, and running. I slowly progressed. I still had pain from time to time but I felt that I wanted to give triathlon another try. By this point I had built a small group of experts who got to know me and supported me: Dr. Stetson's team, the physical therapists at Core Conditioning, Lisa the massage and ART specialist at LA bodywork, and my training coach. I began to struggle again with pain. Dr. Stetson was confident we could get the pain under control. His bedside manner is exemplary and he always remembered me. He made good decisions. I turned a corner last winter and was able to achieve up to 4 hour bike rides. Soon thereafter was able to run for 2.5 hours at a time. I was not certain if I was going to complete the ironman distance but I was happy, just happy being active. As I got to within 1 month of the race, I developed some swelling behind my left knee and some snapping in the hamstring tendon. Stephanie the PA saw me with no notice and was able to rule out any serious problem which reassured me that I was going to be ok. In July, I completed my first ever Ironman triathlon: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. I had a fantastic race and finished the event with no problem. Not only did I finish but I was able to run the entire marathon. It was an unbelievable journey of pain and frustration where I went from not being able to run nor bike and then in 2 years finish an ironman with no pain. I cannot tell you how good it felt to cross that finish line. I returned a week after my race to Dr. Stetson's clinic to get an MRI of the knee and it was normal. I learned so much from this experience. Most importantly I learned that it takes an incredible amount of patience, knowledge, and support from many different people to help you through an injury. While it may not be possible for everyone to run an ironman, people can and often do more than they believe they can. People deserve to be able to move their bodies without pain and to have good doctors that they trust absolutely. Dr. Stetson was in my corner from day 1. I walked into his office and was prepared for him to tell me I needed surgery. And I trust Dr. Stetson to operate on me. In the beginning I was feeling very impatient. I wanted a magic bullet to just make things normal. Unfortunately life and the human body does not work so easily. I have come to appreciate that what truly makes a surgeon great is not just performing successful operations, but also having the knowledge and experience to know when to not operate. I appreciate that Dr. Stetson had the patience to guide me even when I did not. A big heartfelt thank you to Dr. Stetson, Stephanie, the medical students, and the entire staff at Stetson Powell Orthopedics sports medicine clinic. Thank you for helping me make a dream come true. read more

See all

The best. Had shoulder surgery and the pain has evaporated. Wonderful experience! The staff is incredible, professional and friendly.

I had the great fortune to have Dr. Stetson recommended to me. I was impressed from the beginning. The staff at Stetson Powell is professional, knowledgeable and kind. I am sure they are a reflection of Dr. Stetson. He made me feel at ease about having Rotator Cuff Surgery as well as the post surgery rehab. He was everything I could have hoped for. The surgery result has been amazing. Prior to surgery I was very restricted in many ways including swimming, throwing, even sleeping. My shoulder was a mess. After surgery I am back swimming and living an active life without pain. I could not be more pleased with the staff throughout the process and Dr. Stetson is a rock star, no offense to Dr. Powell. Great guy, great surgeon, excellent result. Thank you for everything. read more

I tore my right distal bicep tendon and needed it repaired. I've never had to have surgery before so I was very hesitant and overly cautious about first of all getting it done and secondly the doctor to choose. From the moment I stepped in Dr Stetson's office I had a feeling of comfort. I said to myself that if I didn't get a good vibe from the staff and their level of professionalism and feeling of care, that I would literally turn right back around and leave. It's not like this is the only doctor in the world right. I can honestly say I have been EXTREMELY SATISFIED with Dr Stetson, Suzie, Stephanie, the interns, the receptionists and everyone in the office that I have had any sort of interaction with. This office has a good thing going. I've been in doctor's offices that show no genuine concern for you. You know, treat you like a number... part of their job routine... sign in here, license and insurance, fill out these forms, make your payment, have a seat and we'll call you when we're ready for you. I know that's part of the routine, but some offices make it so cold and sterile that it makes you want to leave. This office is the opposite. Fast forward to the surgery... Dr Stetson was great. I had my surgery at Alameda Surgery Center and they were, in my opinion, an extension of Dr Stetson's team. What a wonderful experience from them. Just excellent! Fast forward to the recovery period... (as I'm writing this it's been 10 days since the surgery) So far everything has been going well. Any questions I've had, Suzie (Dr Stetson's assistant) has been absolutely WONDERFUL. She's extremely patient with me and I have always felt that she is genuinely concerned about me and my well-being. Again, I love these guys and I recommend them. There's a chance I may need to have surgery on my shoulder... Guess where I'll be going? read more

Atrocious experiences with this doctor and office. They would make me wait forever in the office, then the doctor couldn't have been more patronizing. Left me completely distraught each time. And he kept delaying treatment from visit to visit, claiming they hadn't received all the records yet (though they'd supposedly been sent). Every time that I'd call to ask, before the visit, whether everything was in order, I wouldn't get called back, and then I'd show up to learn that they would claim they hadn't received records yet, and the doctor would again push me off for another six weeks...all the while collecting fees for every useless visit. Never again. read more

I have had the unfortunate luck to have had to visit an orthopedic surgeon for three separate sports injuries. However, I had the good luck to be referred to Dr. Stetson for my first injury and I had no hesitation in seeing him to treat my subsequent two injuries. Dr. Stetson took the time to explain exactly what had been damaged, the impact of that damage on the functioning of my muscles, bones, and joints, and the prognosis for recovery. He was also very patient in answering all my questions and addressing all my speculation as to the cause for the injuries (two of them were not the result of obvious, discernible events such as a fall). During, and at the end of, my visits, he made sure to check in with me to see if I had any questions. Also, unlike other doctors, I have visited in other fields, Dr. Stetson comes in with quite the upbeat and engaging personality. This can be a little helpful when you hear that, with respect to playing sports you love, you're out of commission for a period of time. read more

The office is very nice and the wait time was normal. They always saw me on time and the staff and nursing assistants were very friendly and helpful. The issue I had was more with Dr. Stetson, he always seemed as though he was in a rush and did not have time for me. I like to ask questions to be informed and each time I asked a question he seemed visibly annoyed, would sigh and check his watch and then reluctantly answer me. He did not have great bedside manner to say the least. He also scheduled me for an MRI in addition to Xrays which delayed the results for a few weeks and when I came back to go over the results he only went over the Xrays. When i asked him what the MRI results showed he was visibly annoyed that I asked. I ended up going to another dr that I was very happy with and had a great surgery. I did not have a great experience with Dr. Stetson, super nice staff and location though. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Stetson on and off for 3 years. Dr Stetson and his staff are 1st rate. To date he has done 2 elbows (right and left) and a rotator cuff with an anchor. I highly recommend hIm. read more

I didn't have surgery with Dr. Stetson, so I can't comment on how he is as a surgeon- but I think that helps add to his credibility. Rather than recommend surgery, which is where the money is for orthopedists, he looked at my knee and at my MRI and suggested that we try physical therapy first, because he thought I might be able to make a full recovery without resorting to surgery. For that alone, I'd highly recommend him. If you can find a doctor who will suggest a nonsurgical route first, why not try it, right? You have nothing to lose. Furthermore, Dr. Stetson walked me through my MRI, pointing out key elements and explaining what we were looking at. He was nice/comforting while at the same time being realistic about my options, which I appreciated. The only negative thing I could say is that he didn't linger at all. If I hadn't pressed him with questions, it probably would've been a very short visit. To his credit, though, when I asked questions, he didn't act rushed or very quickly brush through an answer. He took the time to answer them in full. If you come visit, I recommend that you have questions prepared and that you ask them, otherwise you might have a different experience than I did. In my experience though, most doctors are crazy booked and so most of them seem rushed, so it's not something I hold against Dr. Stetson, especially since he did answer all of my questions. If you look up Dr. Stetsons credentials, you see that he was the team physician for the US men's and women's olympic volleyball teams, as well as being a teacher (at USC) and a former athlete. That's quite a resume. Since he was a former athlete and he works with athletes, I feel like he understands the desire to get back to sports and that he can get you back onto the court. read more

You can trust Dr. Stetson as a physician and surgeon. He will not put you under the knife until he knows for sure. I could of had a five hour shoulder surgery but, Dr. Stetson said "let's try Orthoscopic surgery and see how it works". It has worked for the past four years. I am buying time with my severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. Professional staff and lovely office and so close to home. I don't have to drive for hours. I RECOMMEND DR STETSON!!! read more

Dr. Stetson did an incredible job with my dislocated shoulder. The surgery was super smooth and he walked me through the process so I was very comfortable. The staff was very helpful and his description toward my road to recovery made it easy to understand. His instructions on proper exercises helped speed up my healing process. read more

I have worked with Dr Stetson for several years on account of my proclivity to injure myself and I cannot imagine working with anyone else. He is patient, caring, and has done a great job helping me get back to somewhere in the area of 100% every time. His staff is thoroughly professional and very helpful. read more

This may be the first Yelp review that I've written. I've had two sports related injuries successfully repaired with Dr. Stetson. This is an extremely well run, high level professional practice which would be a good example for other professional service offices to model. Dr. Stetson came highly recommended from my Internist years ago and there are no better Internal Medicine practitioners on the planet then he (Mark Gerard, MD) but that's another review...I later found that I had a sizable number of friends, and I know many, who have had shoulder, knee, etc. injuries repaired by Dr. Stetson. Small World (inside joke - couldn't resist). It seemed like all the successful surgeries were Bill Stetson patients. The Doctor listens carefully and is direct in his assessments and recommendations. This is not a doctor who rushes into surgery without exploring less invasive and holistic options first. He is intuitive and empathetic despite having performed a career's worth of surgeries. He understands pain. In getting to know him a bit - he's also a good man. His entire staff, medical and administrative, from his assistant Stephanie on, is spot-on, meaning that they're knowledgeable and smart, direct and confidence inspiring. You know you're in good hands there. I also appreciate that he's instilled a high level professional ethic including a dress code in the office, even among the Interns. In the big picture and in the details, this is the A team. read more