Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Dr Nichols is an awesome Doctor. He is patient and knows exactly what needs to be done. He listens!!! He pays a great deal of attention to us and not once have we felt rushed during our visits. We were referred to him by my friend a hippo keeper as SDZoo and Dr Nichols has be incredible. The two ladies in the front Angela and Sherese are very accommodating and incredibly friendly for such a high volume of patients. I sit in the waiting room and hear how many calls (phones ringing off the hook!) and patients they handle and the 110% smiles, the kindness, and attention they give every person every single time I am here is commendable. We travel 40 miles each way and well worth the drive. Thank you guys for helping the healing process!!!

I have never used this site before to write a review but I have read a few and I must take exception to a review that I read about this business. I have been bringing my child there consistently for the past couple of months due to a broken leg I have been on different days at different times and even seen two different drs and always and treated the same and I have to say that while I respect what different people say that particular review is not accurate. That office has to be full of the most kindest and generous people the lady at the front desk is always very sweet welcoming and courteous going out of the way to assist patients with paperwork or whatever they need the rooms do not have windows but that’s just the way the building is made I’ve never found it to be dirty or unsanitary the doctors are very thorough and the nurses are nice no office is perfect but this one I have to honestly say is pretty good.

I’m done. Had my knee procedure performed by Nichols two years ago and that went well. But when I went back with pain in my leg and saw Meineke the results were different. It took a week of harassing to get an MRI appointment and then after I finally got the MRI done, nobody bothered to get the results even though I harassed for several days and was told that the results were not available. I have since discovered that the results were available on the same date as the MRI. I am now in pain for 8 weeks and still no MRI results from the office, even though the office which did the MRI has said that the results have been available for several days. I ordered my files from the doctor to be ready for pick up.

Great team. Everyone is friendly and professional — including the front office staff! They were easy to work with, made timely appointments, and I never had to wait in either the waiting room or the treatment rooms. Dr. Meineke listened and treated me with respect and he was helpful and informative.

I will never go to the ER again for an injury with my children again! Dr. Padilla was able to see us immediately. We received a diagnosis and a cast and were out the door in less than an hour. They are extremely professional, knowledgeable and experts in their field. All of their staff was incredible and Dr. Padilla never rushed me and answered ALL of my questions.

Fabulous office. Friendly staff, great doctors! Our whole family has been coming here for years. They are great with my kids too!

Katie, Katie, Katie… why is it always Katie? Thank goodness it is always Katie Klarer! In my opinion, the best therapist ever! I am a frequent flyer from Carlsbad. Katie has helped rehabilitate 3 different injuries in the last year. I so look forward to my sessions with her. She truly listens to your concerns and adapts to your every need. She knows how to inspire you so that you can heal in record time. My personal life and work center around outdoors activities. I would travel across the country to work with her, if needed. No need to ever go anywhere else, Her chuckle says it all!

Never had an issue here until our visit with Padilla. He is arrogant, and not very personable. The other reviewers are correct with their interactions with him. Front office staff may not be doctors however they really should be educated in what the practice can handle and what needs to be referred out, it’s really not rocket science. Not small child friendly, don’t even waste your time like I did. I was referred by my pediatrician for my 3yr olds broken leg only to show up to an afternoon appt and told he really didn’t want to treat the injury and I should go somewhere else. I informed the staff that morning the age of my child, and what bones were broke, they made the appt, and never stated he couldn’t be seen. Educate your staff, they do work in an Ortho office and may not be doctors however they should be educated in what you can handle.

Pacific Orthopaedics is the best Orthopaedics center I have ever been to. The staff is attentive, professional and fun. Dr. Padilla performed my husband’s knee surgery which was a success, and he has helped me through several injuries. He is thorough in his examination and takes the time to explain things. I trust his medical recommendations. This Orthopaedics center has an onsite physical therapy office which makes it very convenient and it ensures that the doctors and physical therapists are in communication about the progress of your condition. The physical therapists are awesome. They are very good at what they do, and they are funny which makes you have fun during your treatment. Melissa is the one who has worked on me and she is fantastic. She knows exactly what approach to take for the most effective recovery. The one on one therapy time is great, and the prescribed exercises are practical and highly effective so that you are able and motivated to do them routinely at home. Melissa is great at what she does. I highly recommend this team.

Outstanding, knowledgeable and thorough.
As a 62 year old woman challenged with Fibromyalgia and some other issues, I am no stranger to PAIN. However, when I went to see Dr Padilla, I was desperate for relief from the extreme pain in my shoulder, neck and shoulder blade.
Diagnosis was quick, and treatment immediate. I needed HELP, and the very pleasant Dr. Patrick Padilla provided the information and assistance needed, to get me on the road to recovery. I understand it will take hard work and commitment on MY part, if my issues are to continue improving, and I will follow doctor’s orders to a tee!
The prescription for anti inflammatory and referral to Pacific Physical Therapy (right there at the same location), was exactly what I needed. My pain was reduced enough to allow for some healing therapy and strengthening exercises.
Melissa and Evan make an outstanding therapy team, at Pacific Physical Therapy! While teaching me how to care for myself, you both made me feel so much better… And your humor helped take the edge off of being in pain.
The Front Desk and support staff at Dr. Padilla’s Office and Pacific Physical Therapy are exemplary! They are ALL efficient, caring and friendly!
Thank you, Dr. Padilla’s Office and Pacific Physical Therapy, for all your help and for making recovery FUN!

Horrible!!! Omygosh I felt so uncomfortable here! I was rushed, treated with disrespect and no one was there to help me. The front desk ladies were lovely! They really were, but the dr I had was not. I was honestly terrified after my experience here. I ran fast and far to another office. I am not exaggerating when I say that I had ptsd after going here… I wouldn’t let my new dr touch my injury and had a hard time trusting

I’ve been waiting for over a week to get an MRI for my son. The practice does not return calls. Unacceptable service

I I came into Dr Nichols office yesterday he is by far the best orthopedic surgeon in the area he is so knowledgeable we always see him when my family has any problems I brought a relative in who was visiting from out of town and got hurt and I knew this was the place to go I also wanted to say that the staff at the office are amazing his assistant Trish is such a lovely girl she is so sweet and the young lady at the front desk I think she said her name was Andrea she is the one who checks in the patients is such a lovely person I watched her help elderly patients who couldn’t fill out the forms or just needed help opening the door she did everything with a smile and made my family feel very welcome which is very rare nowadays this is an excellent office the physician is great the back and front office is great I recommend dr. Nichols to anyone who needs to see a good orthopedic surgeon

Love Dr. Padilla! He’s a no-​nonsense, let’s-fix-the-problem kind of MD. He did meniscus repair on my knee, and did a great job. He’s very clear and thorough. Would recommend him in a heartbeat.
It’s an efficient, well run, friendly office.

I went in to see Dr Meinecke today and it was so incredibly busy all of the chairs were taken usually I am upset when a doctor runs behind however on this day the young lady at the front desk with the very pretty long dark hair was so professional so sweet and so kind even when more and more people kept coming up to her complaining about the wait she always answered with a smile and very politely and very professionally she really makes at office a joy to go to I can’t recommend this office more she really made it nice to see good customer service and also Dr Meinecke was great he took the time to explain exactly what was going on and what we needed to do in order to feel better she is the best doctor I have ever gone I have to say he really is an excellent doctor kudos to that office

Dr. Patrick Padilla is an excellent Surgeon!
After an unfortunate accident in the rain forest of Peru, I was able to get back home to Scripps Hospital in Encinitas. I had broken my ankle in 3 places & did not want to have surgery there. Luckily, Dr. Padilla was on call when I arrived and he repaired my ankle very successfully in 2010. Now, four years later I have no problems with it at all. He also did knee replacement for me in 2011 and then did the other knee in 2013. I am so pleased with the results. I now can walk 5 miles a day with no problem. After 3 successful surgeries, I highly recommend Dr. Padilla & Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.
Linda Taylor, Carlsbad, California

Padilla never seemed to really interested in my injury, almost as if I were faking it. I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did with other doctors. The real problem was the women at the front desk. I called 3 times during the day to get my records and speak to a doctor because I was going to be out of town. Each time the lady at the front told me the doctor was going to call me back — which never happened. Nobody responded and then the weekend hit and I left the state. I tried to get my MRI stuff done because again I was going to be out of town and the office was a pain to work with and the nurses or front desk women were rude to work with. I wouldn’t recommend working with them because of this experience. I’ve been to many other doctors that seem to care more about their patients and handle problems better.

My 9 year old Autistic son broke his wrist and was seen by Dr. Patrick Padilla. Dr. Padilla was so calm and wonderful with my son. The Xray Technicians were patient with him and allowed me to also be in the room during the Xray process.
I am pleased to say that we managed through a cast for 5 weeks and a splint for 2 weeks with not one tear shed!
I would highly recommend Pacific Orthopaedics and especially Dr. Padilla.

Unfortunately I broke my hip in July while biking and in my final stages of training for the 2013 Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship. Fortunately, Dr. Padilla was on call that morning at Scripps Encinitas. I had a broken scapula, femur, clavicle, vertebrae and ribs. He immediately diagnosed I needed surgery on the hip and offered me 2 options: hip replacement or putting screws into my femur to re-​align the fracture. My wife is a Medical Assistant and she called Doctors in her practice and asked about Dr. Padilla and they highly recommended him. He recommended the screw procedure and did it that morning. After 5 months, I am now biking, swimming and running again with no pain. Dr. Padilla’s surgery expertise, his constant reviews of my condition and his understanding and knowledgeable (he is also a triathlete) approach to my rehab has been outstanding.

This place is awesome! I’m a very nervous patient but the staff here makes me feel very comfortable. Dr. Padilla is a fantastic doctor and my physical therapist, Melissa, kept me from surgery. I will miss going here when I’m completely healed. :(.
Most of my time was spent in Physical Therapy and I came all the way from Los Angeles for my visits because I loved my therapist. PT can be painful and physically unpleasant, but Melissa kept me laughing and positive. Her at home exercises worked and she kept reminding me that it’s really up to me doing those exercises that will heal me, not my visits. When I got good at something, she gave me something to push me a little further. I really respected her because she does triathlons and surfs so she has had to deal with her own injuries and recovery. Her stories inspired me and all the other therapists always remembered details about my life which made me feel like family. I felt like everyone there was pulling for me!
I have had PT before, elsewhere, for a foot injury and these two experiences were completely different. When we get injured, we feel vulnerable inside and out because we are worried about our quality of life and our future. I really needed a therapist who didn’t coddle these vulnerabilities because I wouldn’t have pushed myself. If my therapist would have been like «uh-​oh» or «yikes that must be awful», it would have increased my own self pity and there is just no use for that in the physical body. There is a difference between apathy and sympathy and I appreciated that Melissa knew that boundary. I needed someone who saw my situation as a normal starting point in her field of expertise and had certain expectations from me. At first, Melissa surprised me with this because my old therapist babied me and it took FOREVER to heal, costing me a fortune! Melissa’s approach was more like a coach and I realized after awhile that it takes effort to push people and care that much! Anyone can just do what the patient wants but it takes integrity and passion to push people through THIER whining and complaining. I will always be so grateful for Melissa and her passion for what she does!
I love you all for taking such great care of me! Thank you so much!