I had severe shoulder pain. The pain was so intense that I was afraid to move it. I thought I tore my rotary cuff and needed surgery, and intense drugs to survive the pain. My sister highly recommended Dr. Dirk who performed shoulder surgery on her 10 years prior with great success. Many thanks to his office staff for squeezing me in during this ordeal. Dr. Dirk surprised me. After spending time moving my shoulder, he determined that I did not need an x-ray or MRI. He was certain I didn't need surgery. He asked me to follow his instructions carefully, and in 1 day, the pain will lesson, without taking anything strong than Advil and Tylenol. I thought he was crazy! It is now a week later, I've had my follow-up appointment, and I can't thank him enough for his expert assessment and guidance. Thank you Dr. Dirk!!! read more

Dr. Diefendorf was the on call physician when I presented to the ER with a broken hip last summer. He was vey upbeat and friendly and really put me at ease in a tense situation, knowing exactly when and how to distract me from the enormous needle coming my way from the ER nurse. He fully explained to me the particulars of my injury and what to expect from surgery and recovery. His superb surgical skills and caring treatment mesh extremely well with my optimistic outlook and amazing healing powers. I followed his instructions to the letter for my recovery and I'm very happy to report that I'm back to 100%. read more

Dr. D. provided me with the least possible treatments for my congenital disorder and shoulder pain. After three months of physical therapy treatment, my pain persisted, and my physical therapist pointed out the seriousness of my pain and asked me to take CT scan or MRI. However, Dr. D. didn't authorize me to take CT scan/MRI without any further explanation instead he prescribed me the pain medication "Meloxicam," which made me dizzy and nauseous. He spent less than 5 minutes with me for each visit, with no diagnosis/no explanation of my shoulder pain. He suggested continuing to take the Meloxicam. I feel insulted and disappointed with his unprofessional attitude and lack of expertise. I changed to a new Orthopedic since then. read more

I first went to Dr. Diefendorf in July with left knee pain after being referred to him by two respected physicians. I also had low back pain that had limited my activity for the last 10 years. Right away, Dr. Diefendorf diagnosed hip mobility issues that were confirmed by X-ray and showed my left hip was bone-on-bone. After several months of trying to manage the pain, I asked him to perform left hip replacement surgery that was completed in Mid-October. My results exceeded my high expectations. Not only am I walking normally without pain, my back and knee pain are also gone. Obviously, I am very grateful to Dr. Diefendorf and the entire team in his office. My advice to any potential patients, make sure you follow his pre-op and post-op instructions to the letter. As patients, we need to be as fully committed to the process as much as the physician and their teams are to us. read more

I rarely write "bad" reviews on Yelp, especially for doctors, but this one had to be written. I originally saw Dr. D on July 14 for a 2:45pm appt (left achilles pain). I get to the office and Lana (receptionist, not really a fan) tells me he was behind in the ER and won't see me until 4pm. Ummm... couldn't she have called me to tell me that if he JUST got back to the office 2pm ish and had a SLEW of other patients waiting. Very frustrating, but I patiently waited. I was finally seen at 5pm and Dr. D was extremely rushed, told me to not do impact sports for 2 weeks, stretch my calves and take 2 aleves in the morn and night for 2 weeks. I asked about an MRI or images as my leg had been bothering me since May 30, and he said it wouldn't be needed. Flash forward after NO impact activities (only teaching spin classes 2x a week, water jogging with a buoyancy belt in the deep end with zero impact), I have an appt on Aug 13 at 2:45pm. This is the soonest I was able to see him after my initial appt. Due to his tardiness at my first appt, I call Lana in advance at 1:30pm. She says it will be closer to 4pm. I explained last time she said 4pm, and I wasn't seen until 5pm and very politely ask if she could call me a half hour or so before I would be seen (as he has MANY patients scheduled every 15-20mins). She said NO! I was very irritated at her disregard for a service I feel can be easily accommodated. Finally at 4:45pm, I am seen. Now, Dr. D says I shouldn't spin either. And continue to stretch. He offers no other advice. I ask about an MRI and he AGAIN gives me the cold shoulder, saying "it wouldn't be very useful in your case. And most likely not show anything." ... after about 5mins of practically "begging" for one, he finally complies. He says to go to Mills, but I explain my insurance is with Sequoia Physicians Network, but he says "no Mills is fine." Well, of course, next day Lana calls me and says she needs to resubmit the MRI order to Sequoia and this will take at least 24hour. Of course, it's now a Friday which means I will have to wait until Monday to schedule. Flash forward to Aug 21. I have my MRI done. Images on a disk are given to me. Today Aug 25, I talk with my WONDERFUL orthodic "guy" (Gary Berke) and he asks about a report. I call Sequoia and have them fax him the report. And about 3mins later, Gary calls me. CHRONIC TALOFIBULAR LIGAMENT TEAR and chronic syndesmotic injury! Thank GOD, I begged for the MRI back on Aug 13!!!!! Both Gary and my chiropractor (and I) are appalled that an MRI was not ordered sooner as a preventive precaution. VERY disappointing, aggravating, and frustrating. I see Dr. D tomorrow Aug 26, to discuss these results and plan of action. My appt is at 4pm. I am guessing, I won't be seen till closer to 5:30pm. I will add to this review once this appt is done. And in the meantime, I am switching to Palo Alto Medical Foundation to see their orthopedic team, get a second opinion, and NEVER go back to Dr. D. Although he is a very "nice guy," I am so disappointed and frustrated about the events that have transpired. I write this review as a testimony of what I had to deal with, so that other patients suffering from orthopedic injuries may proceed with CAUTION. read more

5 stars! I had a "trigger finger" that has been bothering me for quite some time. While it didn't necessarily hurt per se, it still was uncomfortable time to time and I finally decided to take the leap and get it fixed. My first impression of this office was when I called to schedule an appointment. Yes, it's hard to tell over the phone for sure, but I had an inkling that the lady on the other end was... nice. This was confirmed when I actually went to the office for the said appointment. You know, you walk into a doctor's office sometimes and some mean person greets you... I realize that it's not a restaurant business where service of a office staff has a HUGE impact, but it still has some impact. Nicest front office person at the doctor's office by far. The nice staff didn't end there... it seemed like everyone there is really friendly. It's the way they talk... way they strike a conversation... it's the sense that you are a person visiting, not simply a subject of medical procedure. But wait... this review is about the doctor! I have nothing but GREAT things to say about Dr. Diefendorf. He's extremely professional, fantastic at explaining things (no medical jargons), and no BS attitude. He's super friendly and caring, and he even apologizes "I'm sorry for this" whenever he has to cause you some pain (for diagnostic purposes or during surgery). Everything from pre-op, surgery, to post-op has been perfect. Highly recommended!!! read more

I was referred to Dr. Diefendorf by my primary care physician for fibrous dysplasia in my femur. It's a rare disease but I expected him to be knowledgeable about its treatment. I saw him about 4 years ago with the initial complaint of pain. After seeing the x-ray he said "don't worry, it's ok." The pain increased to the point that I saw him 2 years later. He lost the records of my previous visit, and did not have my old x-rays on file. I had to fetch them from the hospital. When he saw the new x-rays (which had not changed from the previous images) he insisted that I was at risk for a fracture and should be on crutches immediately. His surgical plan included lots of hardware and screws. And he has the annoying habit of calling his patients "Buddy" even after I told him my name. Thank God I got a second opinion from a better orthopedist who took a more conservative approach (no hardware) to my leg surgery. I'll never go back to Dr. D again. Losing patient records is inexcusable. read more

Was referred by my primary Dr. Shah to see Dr. Dierendorf. He was great, friendly and informed me on what was wrong with my elbow. X rays were taken right in the office by Vicky and results indicated that I have tendinitis. He went over the Dos & Don't ' s and made me feel satisfied with my visit. I will listen to his instructions and be back in 6 weeks for a follow up. Staff was friendly and office is clean. A wonderful experience. Thank you! read more

HORRIBLE DO NOT EVEN THINK OF GOING THERE!!!! It started out ok, made an appt Leah sent my new patient forms which I complete and scanned back days prior to my visit. I emailed back asking if I needed to bring in the originals .. she NEVER replied! So I brought them in anyway... I was 15 mins late cause their offices are very difficult to find. You park at 100 S San Mateo parking structure...! Did this Leah think to mention that when she emailed my NEW Patient paper work OF COURSE NOT!!! I get there and she still had to input/transfer my info into the system, had she paid attention to my reply she may have had this done in advance of my appt ... they were way behind and I had to leave! Her nail polish was all chipped ... trailer trashy!?! When you are a front desk person anywhere pls be presentable and don't look so dirty! Glad I left !!! read more

Dr Diefendorf really takes the time to explain everything thoroughly to the patient. He took really good care of my mom 25 yrs ago and now he is helping me. I highly recommend him to anyone that needs orthopedic help of any kind. read more

Dr Diefendorf is an Excellent Surgeon! When my daughter tore her left ACL during soccer in 2015, we were referred to Dr Diefendorf by our Primary Doctor. He made us feel comfortable before and after surgery, but at the same time ensured that we understood the importance of post-surgery care, and the Do's and Don't's. Sadly, my daughter had another ACL tear in 2019, this time her right knee. Although she was in Santa Cruz for school, we made sure Dr Diefendorf handled her care and surgery again. I'm happy to say that she just had her last follow up, and she passed with flying colors Thanks to Dr Diefendorf, his team, and the hard work my daughter put in as a result of the guidelines and care of Dr Diefendorf. FYI - Due to his expertise, he is in high demand, so do plan your visits accordingly. read more

I returned to Dr Diefendorf because last year he worked on my knee to prolong mobility and it worked so I went back and the staff was great and very helpful getting appointments and meds set up. After 3 visits i feel good, mobile and ready to go. Thanks to Dr Diefendorf and his staff they were great. read more

I rarely write reviews, I hope there's something called Negative rating. So far this is my worst hospital experience till date. I had to pay $35 as a copay, which they never collected at the visit, They didn't send a single mail nor called me in this regard. Now after an year i see than in my credit report as a collection. Simply Woow. read more

I severely sprained my wrist (or possibly broken). Dr. Diefendorf was thorough and caring and had a great bedside manner. His diagnosis and advice were right on the mark. I noticed a few of low ratings. Those ratings were mostly for waiting times, the staff or billing issues, not his skill. read more

My daughter saw Dr. Diefendorf last spring for what we thought was a broken thumb, but ended up being trigger thumb. I don't entirely blame Dr. Diefendorf for not knowing it was broken, but the multiple x-rays and multiple castings to be told at the end to see a specialist, who diagnosed trigger thumb immediately, was frustrating. Bedside manner and care from all staff were great, though. My biggest issue is with billing. I received several bills from the office which is out of network for us, which I knew, but we needed to be seen and a friend recommended him. I expected to get these bills, but what frustrates me is when I looked at our EOB, we were double charged for every single thing-meaning there was a charge for each cast from both Dr. Diefendorf himself and from the office. She only had two casts, yet they were paid twice for each casting. Same for the visits, casting process, x-rays, etc... If the office and the Dr. get to charge, it irks me that I still had to cover so much. I understand this may be common practice, but when I called to ask about it, I was told by the receptionist that she would call me back the following week after looking into it, and I never heard from her. read more

Dr. Diefendorf has been straight and consistently clear, EVERY step of the way of my treatment. And I clearly benefited from his many years of "seeing it all"; especially when he honestly shared that my injury had made his professional top 5 bad injuries list. I cannot thank him enough. But it is Dr. Diefendorf's bedside manner that I have appreciated as much as his surgical skill. My friend Joe who has experienced his fair share of surgeries said it best, "You are VERY fortunate... You have a very good doctor... I can tell" read more

Dr. Diefendorf is a great surgeon. According to the physical therapist, his patients all recovered very fast nicely. I will have left knee repalced by him as soon as I recovered from my right knee. He did a great job. Thanks. Dr. D. Amy C read more

Dr Diefendorf performed two surgeries on me. He is a wonderful surgeon, doctor, and individual. His is caring and no-nonsense, pushing the patient (me) to perform 100% at my part of the process. Noticing I was upset at one appointment, he took time to listen to what was happening. (It was a situation with another doctor. When that issue "blew up" and I needed guidance, he and his staff worked with me address the situation.) Yes, I have spent a lot of time in the waiting room. To me that is a small price to pay for the skills, care, and personal assistance I have received from Dr Diefendorf. I recommend him whenever I can. read more

I recently had shoulder surgery performed by Dr Diefendorf. My injury was extensive and I am happy with my recovery. Dr Diefendorf is a pleasure to know. With his expertise and experience and with the help of PT, my shoulder and upper arm are improving daily. I believe the surgery is a success. read more

This tard is all about money!!! Even though it was he who insisted on Friday afternoon, in consult with the ER doctor, that my daughter needs surgery. She was in a car accident and broke her wrist which requires surgery to heal properly. Our orders from the ER were to see this loser today. His office had know record of this and HE then refused to see my daughter. Doctors who ignore their oathe need to be disbarred!!! read more

Dr. Diefendorf is a great surgeon. He is personable, friendly, and kind as well. I had a torn meniscus repaired back in 2003, a right knee replacement in 2008, and the left knee replaced in 2014. My son has also had his ACL replaced by Dr. Diefendorf. I highly recommend him to anyone needing an orthopedic surgeon. He's the best! read more

Great doctor! my son had a sports injury and Dr. Diefendorf was super attentive and very aware of an athletes body and movements.

Dr. Diefendorf was very careful to make sure he was the right doctor for her broken arm. He wasn't about getting as many patients as possible! He just wanted to make sure my daughter was in the right hands. His whole staff was amazing! We landed at the best place and I highly recommend this doctor and his whole office. read more

Part 2. Well I went and got a second opinion since I felt something wasn't right( which I told Dr. D ) it fell upon deaf ears. The Dr. I went to see immediately did a MRI which Dr D said I didn't need. The new doctor saw that I had so much scar tissue behind my knee cap which was clearly visible on the MRI Caused by internal bleeding from the trauma. He gave me a cortisone shot hoping to soften it and also help my pain but told me more than likely I need arthroscopic surgery to remove. Also did not even hesitate to prolong my time off work 8 more weeks so I could heal properly. Sorry but I cannot recommend this place. read more

I was referred to Dr. D. after becoming very disappointed in my current orthopedic doctor and feel blessed to now have Dr. Diefendorf as my doctor. I am currently in my 8th week post surgery and all I can say is I wish I had done my total knee replacement sooner. I find Dr. D. to be very attentive to all my questions. He took the time to explain the procedure and the expectations following surgery. I have never felt rushed while in his presence. Yes, you might have to wait a few more minutes because he takes time with each and every patient, but I don't mind when I know he will give me the same time and respect when I am with him. I will be having a second knee replacement next year and I know with confidence that my results will be the same positive experience I am having now thanks to Dr. Deifendorf. I would highly recommend Dr. D. I also would like to express my appreciation to his wonderful staff who always have smiles and words of encouragement. read more

Very non attentive and completely lacking concern for his patients. I had to repeat my issue twice because he failed to listen the first time. Seemed totally pre-occupied. Then cancelled my follow up appointment due to a surgery and his office did not even call back to reschedule. Vote of no confidence based on my woeful experience. read more

Dr D has the most interesting staff who do not seem to know how to smile. When I first called for an appointment, they could not find me in the hospital system and literally did not know what to do next. I had to gently suggest that perhaps they can just type in my names etc and manually start the process. At the end of this, she asked if it was my knee - that is after I told the lady at least three times of my problem area elbow. On the appointment day, on the intake sheet, even though my elbow is my main complaint, I also wrote down shoulder (and hesitated but didn't write down hand), as I think it is all interconnected. That resulted in another piece of paperwork to be filled. Since it is not an issue on its own, I told the ladies that i will just focus on my elbow. Somehow that seemed to offend them - two of them staring at me, and one commended in no so low whispering voice - well I am going to tell him that! Here come Dr. D - and first sentence out of his mouth? "I hear you are bothered by your shoulder". Awesome. I feel that I was bothering them throughout this process; therefore I will try my best not having to bother them again. read more

My son broke his wrist and Dr. D immediately took him in and had his other patients wait (I apologized to them). He was thorough, knowledgeable, and got him in a cast and in good spirits in a jiffy. He explained things in clear terms and has an excellent bedside manner. I cannot thank Dr. D enough. read more

I went to see Dr. Diffendorf for a second opinion on my partially torn rotator cuff. My first orthopedist instantly recommended surgery without hesitation. I have never had an injury like this and really am averse to going under the knife. My osteopath recommended Dr. Diffendorf and I am very glad I went to see him. He was very attentive and thorough explaining that he had seen many injuries like mine and that my tear was very small. He said I didn't need surgery, prescribing four weeks of PT and stretching and strengthening at home. I asked many questions about the pros and cons of surgery now and later wanted to know what the future might hold. He very carefully explained his opinion but I still had a little doubt in my mind - should i just get the surgery done now instead of 10 years from now? Now 9 months later after my injury and 4 months later after I last saw him i have about 90% of my flexibility and quite a bit of my strength back. I am really glad I trusted his advice. read more

Helped my son with a very nasty leg fracture. Surgery and all. I would recomend him to everyone. Really knows his stuff.

I did something out of the ordinary for me the other day. When someone tapped my shoulder and said, "Looks who's here!", I almost jumped up to hug him. How could I be so emotional and who was this person? It was Dr. Diefendorf, who replaced my two knees couple years ago. He is a very skillful surgeon who did wonderful work on my knees and provided good post-op care. I am so grateful and I was so happy to see him again! read more

My 96 year old mother fell last year and shattered her left wrist. It was not a pretty scene. We were lucky to have Dirk Diefendorf perform the surgery and it was successful. He was very attentive after the surgery with follow up visits over the next 6 months. My mom really liked his bedside manners. Her wrist is as good as before. He deserves 5 stars! read more

I broke my wrist July 29 and I was referred to Dr. Diefendorf for evaluation. His recommendation was surgery. Had surgery on August 5th and everything went smoothly. I am so happy with the care that was given to me. I am now back to work . He is a great surgeon!! read more

When breaking my wrist and going to the hospital, I was very concern about the treatment and care, and who the doctor would be. When I first met Dr. Diefendorf in the emergency room, he was very caring and personable. He explained what he wanted to do and instantly put me at ease. After the procedure and the number of office visits until my wrist healed, I felt that he was the best Orthopedic Specialist that I could have had. He is knowledgeable and very experienced, and I would highly recommend him if you have the opportunity. He also has a great staff at his office in San Mateo. read more

I recently had three breaks, two lucky and one un. The un was a nasty fall, tripping over an errant piece of sidewalk, which shattered my right wrist. The first lucky break; I'm left-handed. The second, much bigger break..paramedics took me to Mills Hospital where Dr. Diefendorf was on duty. Throughout what could have been a life-altering experience, (I am no spring chicken) he was knowledgable, helpful and thorough. He fixed my arm with what my daughter in law called "your towel bar," an extruding metal brace. Even the surgery, finally, to remove that and replace it with a cast was done brilliantly. Now that I am fully recovered, I am deep in gratitude for having lucked into Dr. Diefendorf. At all follow up appointments, not only he, but his office staff were GREAT. Lana is a love. Vicky, the x-ray tech, is a gift to humanity. I cannot say enough good things about this very caring, capable and talented man. Trust me. read more

Dr. Diefendorf is a wonderful Orthopedic Surgeon! Several members of my family (Mother, Husband and children) have been patients of Dr. Diefendorf and I wouldn't dream of going to anyone else when I need an Orthopedic Surgeon. His office staff is wonderful and very helpful with questions and requests. There is Xray in the office, which is really convenient and a time saver for me. The Xray Tech is so sweet and friendly, she has always been so kind to my Mom and kids. Dr. Diefendorf has a great bedside manner and is very knowledgable in his field. He specializes in Sports Medicine but is skilled in joint replacement and general Orthopedics as well. He has done surgery on my Mom in an emergency situation (broken hip) and electively on my husband ( sports related shoulder injury) and both have had great outcomes. He always takes the time at each appointment to answer questions, listens to all of our concerns and makes sure that we understand what the plan of care is. When I have called the office with a question or a concern he usually gets back to us with a call by the end of the day. He has also been terrific with my kids when they have had injuries, talking to them in a way that is appropriate for their age group and putting all of us at ease. He is a great doctor and I highly recommend him! read more