Kalle Stidham, MD – SOAR

Is this guy for real???
Ok here is how him and his team operate in his practice.
His front desk people work there for I really don’t know what reason because they have absolutely no idea what they are doing.
They billed my mother $ 130 for a 10 min visit, if I try to describe how he was at his visit, I would need to hire a director and a producer because it was unreal how careless and how unpleasant he made my mother feel.
My mother has a duel coverage, for those that don’t know what that means, it mean you don’t have a copay and dr visits are fully covered specially the coverage my mother has.
Now this is f up part, he pulls up the X-​ray he took of her exactly a year ago and told her she will need knee placement ASAP!!! What??? Are you serious!!!
Then treated her like as if she was some thing extra and was trying to pass her to another dr and wanted her to leave his practice ASAP!!! My mother walks out of there with tears in her eye and a broken heart. I will make sure I let everyone know how you operate your patients, and how treat them soooooo poorly. I’m not going to stop here, trust me.

Dr. Stidham at the SOAR Clinic is an awesome doctor. He did a Medial Collateral Reconstruction of my knee. He was very thorough. I really feel that if you are going to have the best care possible, go see Dr. Stidham! Also the Forest Surgical Center has the kindest folks. They made my surgical experience unstressful!

Dr. Stidham truly cares about his patients having surgery. Before I even graduated from high school, he did two surgeries on me, an ACL reconstruction and shoulder repair. He provides excellent follow ups, in terms of scheduling appointments to see how things are going. This doctor isn’t the type that just opens you up in the surgery and moves on. He handles it with a delicacy since he gives you both emotional support and constant assistance through all phases of the surgery procedure.

11:20 Appointment that I made several days ago. It is 12:05 and I am still waiting. The guy next to me has been waiting for over an hour. Dear office, please fix your scheduling problem and stop wasting everyone’s time.

I am writing this review of Dr. Kalle Stidham, because He was the 2^nd Dr. I saw for Extreme Hip pain that was getting worse. [I’m a Fitness Instructor, and I felt a snap while teaching a Cycling class. Since I’ve been injured in the past, I typically wait and hope for my injuries to heal in time.] Unfortunately, after 5 months of heat, ice, Ibuprofen and a whole lot of other pain killers, the pain in my hip was getting so extreme, my hip was Zapping, Popping, Clicking, and Throbbing continuosly through out the day! If I moved in bed at night it would Zap & Pop, to where I’d wake up Crying from the pain. (Ironically, the only time it didn’t hurt as much, was when I was exercising, which Dr. Stidham infered, could be because of the extra blood flow to the area. Which made some sense…) Anyhow, He was Understanding, Knowledgeable, and Kind, and spent time with me, and listened. I told him how at first I wanted to avoid surgery if possible, so he said since I’d already done all the preliminary actions, that PRPT (Platalette Rich Plasma Therapy) was the next Conservative Option. I was so relieved as the Dr. I’d seen before, just said there was nothing more he could do. I had my injection in July 2015, and it seemed to be working somewhat, but I still felt a dull aching. He suggested I give it a few more months; and In the Short Term, I did experience a bit more relief, however in September while teaching my yoga class, my Hip Spasmed and it caused my whole left side and back to spasm. I was rushed to ER, and to make a long story short I was hospitalized for 3 days and the Dr.‘s found nothing! [I even called Dr. Stidham office to tell him my situation, and Dr. Stidham called me back right away. He was so Kind and Understanding, but unfortunately didn’t have visiting rights at the hospital, so he couldn’t come see me.] I was at O’conner and it was the «NIGHTMARE from HELL» with the Bozo’s at O’conner.
Fast Forward, after leaving the hospital, I went to see Dr. Stidham again, and he said that surgery was my next best option, but then my Insurance no longer contracted with SOAR. I felt awful leaving Dr. Stidham and am still hoping that SOAR will contract with my insurance, so I can go back to him.
I just wanted to give my sincerest Thanks to Dr. Stidham, for all his Time and Patience with me, and for anyone considering seeing him. I am still hopeful I can go back to seeing him. I will update my progress if and when I do.

I first went in to see Dr. Stidham for what I thought to be a shoulder injury related to some MMA/​jiu-​jitsu training. Every doctor before him only suggested I stop doing MMA/​BJJ and didn’t really take the time to understand how it happened, and what I wanted to do with my life. He was the first doctor in a series of them that took the time to listen, understand how I hurt myself, and what my desired outcome from treatment would be. He was open, honest, and ultimately referred me to a colleague in the Nerve/​Spine area as he felt didn’t want to agitate what he thought the real problem was. His assessment was correct and it was actually a neck issue and crimped nerve.
Fast forward to my hurting myself again, this time with a detached bicep from a MTB crash. I remembered Dr. Stidham and called himdirectly and, while he was on vacation, he gave me some quick advice and setup an appointment the moment he would get back. He was again, open and honest and gave me the hard truths about my options and recovery periods. His office was great about scheduling the surgery, communications up to and even after the procedure. His office was always timely in keeping to my appointments, and were more than accommodating to my requests for changes.
Dr. Stidham treated me like an athlete, and with the mutual goal of treatment and advice that would allow me to get back into my active lifestyle as quickly and healthily as possible. My arm feels strong, with minimal scarring or residual pain. I would highly recommend him and his whole San Jose office.

Early 2013, I fell down while Snowboarding and since then i had pain in my right shoulder. Went to see Dr. Stidham who immediately recommended an MRI for my shoulder as he believed it’s a labrum tear after hearing my story. He was right on, i had a tear in my right shoulder. He took the time to explain the problem and options to help me making the decision. I went with the arthroscopic surgery option. Dr. Stidham did the surgery on my shoulder and throughout the process, surgery, follow up appointment and recovery, he was great. Now my shoulder is mostly back to normal. Thank you Dr. Stidham.

I was injured at work, left shoulder rotator cuff surgery, everyone I know told me at 59 years old it going to be painful and a long recovery.
I laugh at you
I did not use any pain killers for the first 3 days, only the cryo-​cuff it was the best thing going and lot easier than ice bags. the pain level was very low and recovery quick.
all my follow up appt.‘s were handled perfectly and a reminder call the day before made being on time a cinch. the staff always smiled and are a very nice group
Dr. Stidham is a great guy, easy to talk to and always had a positive response
to my questions. nice job Doc.

I had surgeries on my knees 4 times in 12 years, and of all the surgeons, Dr Stidham is the best. What differentiates him from others is that he specializes in sports injuries. That means, he can get you back on your feet, very quickly.
My issue is with osteoarthritis, coupled with meniscus tear and cartillege loss. I play Badminton to keep myself fit. Being nearly 50 yrs old, and living a very active lifestyle, I need the expertise of Dr Stidham to maintain my lifestyle.

When my hip pain (that I had ignored for far too long) became unbearable, I made an appointment to see Dr. Stidham. When I arrived for my appointment the receptionist told me my appointment wasn’t until 3 days later (problem with ZocDoc site not the Dr.‘s office). Here is where Dr. Stidham and his staff started to shine.
The receptionist said she would see what she could do and had me take a seat. Less than 3 minutes later, Dr. Stidham’s assistant called my name and ushered me to an exam room. So, not only did I get to see the Dr. when they didn’t have me down for an appointment, but I didn’t even have to wait long! Now, I know what you’re thinking: Big deal, he took a walk-​in, doctors do that all the time. Right? I get it. And if that was the only notable occurrence during my visit perhaps it wouldn’t warrant this review. But wait, there’s more.
I could tell the doctor had a full schedule because the reception area was pretty full and any staff-​member I saw was moving with a purpose. When Dr. Stidham walked in he got right to work, but was in no way rushing through the exam. After talking to me to get an idea of what was going on with my hip, he manipulated my leg while I gave him feedback about my pain. He only needed a few seconds to tell me what he thought was the source of my pain. Now, everyone knows doctors’ diagnoses are usually, if not always, educated guesses. But what I really appreciated about Dr. Stidham was, although he was very confident in the diagnosis, he was quick to say the diagnosis may be wrong. He had me get an x-​ray (from the awesome, super-​nice x-​ray technician down the hall) which confirmed his diagnosis. But he took it a step further and ordered an MRI to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. He went over what my treatment options were and explained what to expect with the different treatments. All the while he made sure to answer all my questions.
To sum it all up Dr. Stidham is extremely knowledgeable, thorough, systematic, and professional. What more can you ask for?

I am a patient of Dr. Stidham. I had a serious bicycle accident in 2013, breaking several bones, including a problematic break at the tip of my clavicle. The ER orthopedists were not especially helpful — they refused to give me advice one way or another on repairing it. I asked my GP for a referral to the best otho surgeon he knew, and he sent me to Dr. Stidham. Dr. Stidham gave a very clear treatment plan, and was able to squeeze me into his surgery schedule just two days after the consultation. My insurance plan at the time did not reimburse procedures out of network, so Dr. Stidham agreed to a reduced in-​network fee that saved me from having to find an in-​network doctor. That was a real life-​saver, especially because I needed the surgery right away.
I required two surgeries for the repair — one to install a plate, and a second to remove it three months later. The surgical facility (SOAR in Burlingame) was excellent, with a super-​responsive and professional staff. My final outcome has been very positive. I have almost completely restored function in my badly injured shoulder, and I expect complete recovery. The surgical scar itself it very nicely done. He does beautiful work.
Dr. Stidham has been friendly and supportive throughout, always taking time to explain the issues. The office where the consultations happen (San Jose) is quite busy, so be prepared for occasional scheduling conflicts. It’s totally worth it. He’s great!

Just a little update: I had some pain about a year out. I moved to Charleston, SC and work at the number 1 hospital on the state. I have seen 2 orthopedic surgeon MDs from this renowned facility … I have never been more frustrated. I’m seriously considering flying back to California to see Dr. Stidham. I have one more person to see before I decide to fly across. The country.

Had a small cyst on one my finger joints and after a year of putting it off, I finally decided to get it checked out. I was lucky enough to find Dr. Stidham on Unilocal.
I called the office and made an appointment with Dr. Stidham. He spent some time with me to take a look at my hand and recommended I get an MRI. I agreed with his judgment that we shouldn’t just start cutting things open without knowing what we’re dealing with.
I was able to schedule the MRI a few days later, and a follow-​up a few hours later on the same day. Dr. Stidham identified the problem and spent time reviewing my options. I chose a less temporary, less invasive option for surgery for now, but I appreciated that Dr. Stidham took the time to explain to me the different options (and to answer all my hypochondriac questions! :P)
Although this review is for Dr. Stidham, I feel like the entire office and staff are part of the overall experience of visiting a doctor. Everyone I spoke with was very nice, from the people at the front desk, to the nurses, to the MRI technician. The office is easy to find (near Santana Row!) and is very inviting — I loved that they had freshly brewed coffee in the office on a cold day like today. All the appointments happened on time, and I received a courtesy call reminding me about the appointment the day before. I was very satisfied with the scheduling and availability.
I’d highly recommend Dr. Stidham to anyone looking for a great doctor.

I can’t say enough about Dr Stidham. He is amazing! I have been his patient since 2011. I had several issues that needed to be fixed. I was pretty broken. First time I met him he was so concerned and was ready to tackle my issues. So now after 12 procedures (that is how broken I was!!). I am fixed and feel so much better, and he has improved my quality of life.
I heard someone say this or I read it some the following:
There’s three kinds of doctors:
1) The kind who numbs you up with pharmaceuticals and sends you home
2) The kind who tell you there’s nothing that can be done, prepare for the worst and stop doing what you’re doing
3) The kind who tries everything before giving up
Dr Stidham absolutely falls in the
# 3 catagory!
I’m happy to know that if I have a problem he will indeed try everything and has never left me feeling hopeless. I highly recommend him.
Thank you Dr Stidham,
Scarlet Sayer

Dr. Stidham is THE BEST! If you want a doctor who truly listens, who cares about his patients, and who will look for the cause of a problem without jumping to conclusions and medicating symptoms… then you should see Dr. Stidham. I’m so thankful that my husband found Dr. Stidham by researching the top Orthopedic Surgeons and sports doctors. Dr. Stidham has served as a doctor to the San Francisco Giants, and his medical expertise is trusted by professional and collegiate athletes from all over California and the country.
I saw Dr. Stidham after nearly a year of being «treated» by many, many, MANY doctors — first with PAMF and then with Kaiser. They were all completely unable to diagnose the cause of my excruciating arm pain. They put me on all kinds of drugs («let’s see if this helps») and jumped to diagnostic conclusions («it’s most likely MS» and «this is caused by stress»). Dr. Stidham listened to my story and my description of my symptoms and then sat next to me… and diagnosed me within 30 seconds!!!
He acknowledged that my specific condition is not within his surgical specialty, and he referred me to obtain a confirming exam from another top doctor, a trusted doctor for the San Francisco 49ers and San Jose Sharks. Doctors Millard and Stidham agreed on their diagnosis and referred me to a top vascular surgeon who also confirmed their diagnosis of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
This is how medicine SHOULD WORK, and I am blessed to have found Dr. Stidham. After my surgery, he continues to take a personal interest in my recovery. He is compassionate and knowledgeable. The fact that he treats top athletes also works in my favor, as he recently was able to draw on experiences with a top college athlete when reviewing my case with me.
I have read the criticism of him on this site, and I can say from personal experience that I believe those criticisms to be overblown and unfair. If you don’t want your doctor to demonstrate his compassion, go to a different doctor. If you don’t want your doctor to manipulate your body to look for the real cause of a problem, go to a different doctor. HOWEVER, if you are like me — a person who lived in pain and was medicated and dismissed by a great many doctors — then you owe it to yourself to go see Dr. Stidham. As he said to me, «If I can’t fix you, one of my friends will.»
FYI — Dr. Stidham is now part of SOAR (Sports, Orthopedic And
Rehabilitation Medicine Associates) in San Jose and is highly regarded by top local doctors, athletes, universities, and professional sports organizations… AND ME!

Dr. is not an MD just FYI he is a DO. His manual manpultaion of my injury resulted in hours if not a few days of pain. I was also not impressed with his explainations of my injury nor his bedside manner.
Here is the kicker, HIS COURSE OF TREATMENT WAS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE FROM THE DR. I WENT TO NEXT. This time I made sure to pick a Dr. who was highly regarded by his peers (I have friends who work with Orthopedists regularly).
If you have a choice pick a different Dr!!!

I’ve been having some hip inflammation, so I went to Dr. Kalle. I did not experience an unreasonable wait, my exam occurred 15 minutes after my scheduled appointment time.
He did some physical tests on my hip including a anteroposterior impingement test that found a problem and recommended an MRI at a very specific imaging center whose quality he trusted.
He’s an energetic, fast talker, who moves quick 100mph so he might be intimidating for the elderly, but I recommend him to younger athletic patients (under 50) as he’s friendly and very open for questions and concerns.
[I will continue to update as my prognosis continues]

Dr. Stidham did a hip replacement on my precious 83 year old mother in 2010 after a fall. Dr. Stidham did a remarkable job on my mom, after she healed and had rehabilitation she was 10 times stronger than she had been before the break. We were very satisfied with Dr Stidham and his staff and would highly recommend him.

Second time I had to wait for more than 1 hour, and one one told me that he was running late. The doctor is good, like his professionalism, but hate the staff.
Update: The office staff called and I got my surgery done. Doctor is very knowledgeable but staff definitely needs an upgrade.

I’m very sorry to see such poor reviews for Dr. Stidham and I can assure you that he does not deserve a ¹⁄₅ star rating. I’ll tell you a bit about my experience with him from both a personal and a professional standpoint as a Doctor of Chiropractic who has referred to him.
Two years ago my best friend broke his ankle trying to recapture his youth by performing a backflip on a trampoline. This was about 3 days before his birthday. My friend was freaking out about the whole thing because he had no personal insurance whatsoever. After a trip to the O’Connor ER, we were provided with a list of about 4 – 5 orthopedic surgeons in the area and Dr. Stidham was on the list. My friend wanted to call one of the surgeons (and we did), but as a chiropractor I wanted him to check out Dr. Stidham because he’s a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy). For those of you who don’t know, DO’s are sort of like cousins of Chiropractors. They have their original roots in BOTH allopathic medicine and «alternative» medicine like spinal adjustments. They are also a LOT less «cut-​happy» compared to their MD counterparts in the world of surgery.
We were able to get my friend in to see Dr. Stidham the very next day and, after seeing the x-​rays from the ER, he recommended surgery (bi-​malloeolar fracture, for the curious reader). He ended up having surgery two days later… on his ACTUAL birthday. Problem was… my friend’s lack of insurance.
Dr. Stidham knew up front that I was a chiropractor and I told him that I would be taking care of all the post-​surgical physiotherapy and rehab for my friend. So he ended up arranging for my friend to use a surgery center, rather than the hospital. This resulted in a savings of at LEAST $ 10,000 for my friend right off the bat. Second, Dr. Stidham was able to help him out quite a bit in terms of the price and financing of his surgical portion and included, within his surgical fee, all follow-​up visits at 2 weeks, one month, and three months. I know that part of this was related to showing me professional courtesy, but even still he was VERY FAIR with all of his pricing, particularly compared to some physicians I have seen.
My friend has done extremely well all things considered. Two weeks ago we both crossed the finish line at the Norcal Tough Mudder event at Squaw Valley (13.5 miles, 2600 ft elevation climb, 23 military-​style obstacles)!!!
Since having such a good experience with my friend, I’ve referred a handful of patients to Dr. Stidham for surgical consultation. All of my patients have loved the guy. I had one case I thought for sure was a surgery and… Guess what… he didn’t want to perform surgery and wanted to try the conservative approach first. And my patient recovered fully. That’s when I knew he his integrity matched his quality.
Today I referred another patient to him and needed to find his phone number, which is how I came across these negative reviews. As soon as I saw them, I needed to write my own review. I am sorry that one of the reviewers feels like was not up front about the non-​covered portion of their bill. But let’s face it… he’s a surgeon. He cares about… ya know… the surgery. And making sure you get the RIGHT treatment, not who/​what/​where the money will come from.
Another thing to keep in mind for anyone on the fence still trying to determine if they want to go to Dr. Stidham is to remember that VERY FEW people Unilocal about their experiene with doctors UNLESS they are complaining about something. If they do an excellent job, very rarely do patients go online to Unilocal about it.
I consider Dr. Stidham to be an excellent surgeon in terms of quality of care and in terms of integrity and I have recommended him to several of my own patients.