Jerk. Not only personally, but medically. Did surgery on my knee - didn't get fixed after telling me I (eventually) would need a replacemen. I suffered thru And went to another doctor who explained I should go back to the surgeon who did previous surgery, so i went BACK to Stark (supposedly a specialist) and he agreed that I needed a replacement. Then went back for a preop visit and he sat down and told me he could fix it without joint replacement. I agreed to a second surgery to fix my issue. Well, here I am months later & my KNEE is STILL LOCKING UP. Save your time, energy and misconceptions about this man-- he's a scammer 100%. In addition, the last time I was in his office, he was COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL WITH BOTH ME & MY husband. May he rot for the pain & suffering I've endured at the hands of an (obviously) novice surgeon. read more

I saw Dr. Stark for seven years for bilateral knee pain. He treated me with a scope, PRP, and gel injections, and eventually performed my bilateral partial knee replacements. I always valued his recommendations, but I was aware that my knees had an expiration date. As my osteoarthritis progressed, the pain became unbearable. When we discussed the possibility of bilateral knee replacements, he hesitated due to my age, believing replacements were typically for patients in their 70s or 80s. However, I knew that this wasn't a one-size-fits-all situation, and I was certain he was the right surgeon for the job. Even though he suggested I seek a second opinion, I knew that would be a waste of time--I was confident in what I needed and had complete trust in his work, competency, and skill. Dr. Stark gave me my life back. Every day I work, walk, or climb stairs, I am grateful to him for restoring my quality of life. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't hesitate to choose him as my orthopedic surgeon. read more

I went to see this amazing guy today and I have to say, I would never consider going to anybody else. He's been here 17 years and knows ortho inside and out. If you are an athlete, you absolutely need this man. He did a surgery for me in 2021 and now I have to go back for a different issue, but I cannot recommend this doc enough. If you have to wait a little bit to get an appt with him, it is COMPLETELY worth it. He is the best! read more

I can't believe I wasted time and money. Going to a two minute doctor appointment. No questions were answered. Rushed out and told to contact his assistant if I have any further questions. I have contacted them over 10 times with no response. I really hate this guy for treating me like this. Who you talk, doctors think they are? Very overpaid and narcissistic Doctor. read more

My 16 year old son has had 2 knee surgeries Torn meniscus surgeries with DR Stark. In the last year Dr Stark Is the best Ortho surgeon in Sandiego! He helped my son feel at ease and was professional and took care of him as if he was family. My husband and I have made the BEST decision to choose Dr Stark and his team thank you again for your help read more

I was referred to Dr. Stark by a friend because my knee was bothering me. I was able to book an appointment within 24 hours to see him. He was super professional and was able to relieve my knee pain. His staff was helpful and kind too. I would highly recommend him. read more

Great surgeon. Wonderful staff. Replaced my right knee. Told me everything to expect going forward Got me back on pickleball courts in 4.5 months. Awesome follow up with his PA Chris. Office and X-ray dept staff very friendly along with nurses. Surgery performed at their carlsbad facility. In at 6:30 am. Home at noon and walking with use of walker. read more

Dr. Stark is an amazing orthopedic surgeon. He has operated on my knee twice. Wonderful bed side manner. Very patient with questions. (So important). Recently visited him after another Doctor told me I needed a knee replacement after he had replaced my hip. Said I had bone on bone osteoarthritis. I do not. Dr Stark took new x-rays and then gave me a steroid injection. I am so relieved to know that knee replacement is not in my immediate future and very disturbed by the diagnosis of previous doctor. I did not wait long to see Dr. stark. He was on time and spent a good 20 mins with me. I adore him. He also treats me like the former professional athlete I once was. Something many doctors do not understand. I hope this review is helpful to all those who read it. read more

Dr Stark performed a full thickness rotator cuff tear surgery on my right shoulder in 2016. About a week later, I heard and felt a pop sound in the shoulder. I was concerned but Dr. only ordered an x-ray, and of course, nothing showed up on it I went through physical therapy, which was long, arduous and painful. Things just didn't seem very stable. About a year later, I opened a drawer and felt the entire surgical area open up.... tear after tear after tear. It was so excruciating that through a closed house my husband could hear my cry from outside. I had an MRI done and sure enough, the band Dr. Stark used had opened up and the tear was worse than before. Now, do you trust the same doctor to fix what he messed up to begin with, no! I've been living with the pain and 6 years later I've decided I need to do something. Who the heck do you trust. I don't want to go through this again. I'm just beside myself. read more

Dr. Stark is a wonderful doctor. He has great bed side manner and is a very skilled surgeon that produces excellent results. Dr. Stark was very positive that the surgery would go well for my husband's torn ACL. My husband was very disciplined with his PT post surgery and he was back to surfing in less than 6 weeks. If you need a knee surgery, we highly recommend him. read more

Dr Stark is amazing and I just wish I went to him first when my shoulder pain started. Unfortunately, I chose the path of convenience and went to a different orthopedist near my house who misdiagnosed my injury as an AC joint sprain and injected me with cortisone. After a couple of months of rest and rehab, my shoulder was still causing me pain. After speaking with a couple of friends who knew Dr Stark, I decided to go see him. After performing some simple tests, he ordered an MRI. It turned out I had a severely shredded labrum. Im in my 40s and still like to be active, so after discussing my options with Dr Stark, we decided surgery was the best option if I wanted to continue with my previous level of activity. Even then, I decided to seek additional opinions of other orthopedists in the area (who validated Dr Stark's diagnosis and treatment plan), and eventually decided Dr Stark was the one to fix me. He and his staff were able to schedule me in pretty quickly and worked with my insurance (which was not easy!) to ensure I was covered. For my first post op appointment, Dr Stark explained what he did and why. I received multiple anchors to reattach the labrum but Dr Stark decided not to reattach the biceps tendon as it did not appear necessary. His exact words were "I didnt want to over operate". This made me like him even more. Fast forward 9 months, and Im back to training jiujitsu regularly, just finished up an aggressive surf trip and am able to lift my kids in the air with no pain. Dont get me wrong...the recovery sucked and the PT was demanding, but that was to be expected. If you have a shoulder injury, go see this man. Feel free to get other opinions too if you want. But, know that he will get you back to your old self and will have your best interests in mind when he does his job. read more

No better orthopedic surgeon for me and my Family. Wonderful Doctor with great bedside manner who prioritizes what is best for the patient. I had a referral for my left shoulder, but injured my right shoulder just prior to the appt, not enough time to get a referral, but he treated both. Can't say enough good things about Dr. Stark and his great front office staff and scribe! read more

Dr. Stark is amazing as a person and as a Doctor. I have gotten two knee surgeries by him. He explained the procedures and will advice you if surgery is needed or not. In my case was needed and now i feel way better, i trust him as my specialist, so i always go back to see him when i have an issue. The staff are friendly and professional as well, so I highly recommend him, his work speaks by itself. I am beyond satisfied and i continue enjoying the sports i like and hiking.. read more

Dr Stark was my surgeon and he was wonderful. He's very polite and was sensitive to my needs for my rotator cuff and bicep tendon repair surgery. he is known for his minimal scarring technique on incisions and it's true. my scars look like little tiny cat scratches. I'm healing ahead of schedule and the surgery was a great success. thank you Dr Stark! read more

Dr. Stark responded quickly after my injury and his office helped to expedite everything to get imaging and a plan of care for me. He seemed to listen to my requests and the surgery to repair my knee ended up addressing my needs perfectly; not too aggressive and set me up for a healthy knee in the future. Even though it's a busy office, he's a caring doctor and his support staff / surgical center were professional. read more

My son was experiencing a lot of knee dislocations from a sports injury and Physical Therapy alone wasn't helping. We brought him to see Dr. Stark and he patiently explained what the issue was and what our options were. Based on the information he provided, we went with surgery. Dr. Stark had to perform an MPFL reconstruction and a Fulkerson Osteotomy. Recovery time was about 7 months and the surgery and recovery were great. No issues. Dr. Stark was great at going through all the steps in the surgery and recovery process and answer a lot of questions we had. I've recommended him to friends and would highly recommend him to anyone having knee or shoulder issues. read more

Dr Stark was my husband referral for his torn labrum right shoulder. At the appointment Dr Stark walked in with a bed side manner that's lacking in respect or manners. Needless to say, before asking any kind of question regarding to patient problems, he told my husband that he will not get any pain meds and then injected cortisone into his shoulder and told him to come back in 6 weeks. Are we just a number to this douche bag. Should we just Moo like a cow. $250 a visit at 6min per patients ,do the math. Sad to say he went to school for just the money and patients are just a number. read more

DR. Stark is absolutely amazing. From the first visit through surgery he was totally respectful, listened to my concerns and questions answering them very informative and in layman's terms making sure I understood what he was saying. The surgery went great and without complications. I especially appreciated his closing technique as now a little under three weeks post op there is barely an incision line and is healing quite nicely. If you are looking for a great knee surgeon Dr. Stark is definitely one of the best in the business and I highly recommend him to anyone having orthopedic issues with their knee. Regards Veronica Martin read more

I have been a patient of Dr Stark for about 4 years. My husband for about 3 years. I am 60 and my husband 69. Dr Stark performed Arthroscopic surgery on my right knee 3 years ago. It's doing great now. He performed the same type of surgery on my husband's right shoulder a couple of years ago. Same outcome. We both want to continue working out and living active lives. We are not perfect people by any means but Dr Stark is your guy. Our joints are aging. He understands what is going on and is expert at knowing how to solve our problems at this stage of our lives. I totally trust him. Very good guy. read more

(This review applies JUST for Dr Stark, not any of the other in the practice here at Tri City - with whom I'm not familiar). Miracle of miracles a NICE orthopedic physician who is on his game, listens, and responds. He is younger, and gives off a lot of energy and interest in his interaction. I can't tell you how rare this is in the orthopedic specialty. I've had a longstanding issue with a joint and got dismissive treatment elsewhere but he was quick to order the right kind of tests and responsive to requests I'd made, based on my own research. I feel hopeful about getting help for a problem that is beginning to impair my mobility. I am way too active and youthful to be sidelined, and I'm so glad I found him (thank you to the anonymous woman in another medical office that recommended him). read more

Can't speak for the doctor, never made it in to see him. I was injured by his X-ray techs because they didn't care about any of my warnings about what I couldn't do for them to get their images. I have never dealt with such amateur untrained and or incompetent X-ray techs, and I have been to a lot. What is more surprising, not 1 follow up call to find out how I was, no concern whatsoever. Or possibly the fear of a lawsuit? Time will tell, and a caring doctor, this guy is not. read more

Dr. Stark is a young surgeon, extremely talented, and passionate about doing things thoroughly and giving his patient the best outcome possible. He's the guy they send the difficult cases to. Dr. Stark is up for the challenge. His bedside manner is to the point and pretty much all business. I want the best result and I don't care if my surgeon spends a bunch of extra time making small talk with me. It's all about the outcome. Dr. Stark delivers. read more

Dr. Stark is a great doctor. I saw him for muscle tear injury in my calf. He takes time to listen to my concerns and explain his treatment plan. He tries to utiliize patient's own healing power to recover instead of selling unnecessary items and services. Dr Stark is very efficient. The wait time is less than 5 min from appt time. It is much better than 30 min wait time with another doctor I saw in the same office. The face time with Dr. Stark is longer too. I was told by a receptionist on the phone that Dr. Stark only sees knee patients. Actually he is a great sport medicine doctor. The appointment is hard to make on the phone. I was on hold for 20 minutes. read more

All I can say is I LOVE this doctor. I went in for surgery last week and he knew i was scared and he promised me he would do his best to get me through having a toe amputated. Well let me just say that Dr. Stark did AMAZING!! I actually cried when I saw the results of my Toe. He saved half of my toe . I can wear flip flops and not have a problem with walking like i expected. Erik Starks is one of the best doctors Ive ever been to. Thank you for all you do. You made my life so much better!!! read more

Brilliant Physician, Surgeon and Athlete. Having been a patient of Dr. Stark's since December 2006, I have come to respect him with an unparalleled degree of trust and confidence in his ability to provide me with expert medical care,two excellent surgeries, and the soundest treatment-related advice. As one of the truly exceptional physicians with Dr. Alleyne Neville's outstanding group at Orthopedic Specialists of North County (OSNC), Dr. Stark provides each patient his focused attention and allots as much time as the patient needs to understand his assessments and treatment recommendations. I have routinely observed fellow patients, particularly parents of young student-athletes, leaving Dr. Stark's office completely satisfactied. Another great thing about OSNC is their deliberate emphasis upon a hollistic apporach to medicine. Doctors are physically-fit and exceptionally well-qualified in their respective fields. They work very closely with each other and make timely and appropriate referrals to consistently produce Outstanding results. I have had the privilege and benefit of being treated by Dr. Alleyne Neville for my shoulder; Dr. Stark for my knee and shoulder; and Dr. Chris Rogers for Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for my ankle. I could not be happier with their relentless pursuit of excellence and dedication to my recovery as an athlete. read more

Dr. Stark is an extremely knowledgeable doctor and a skillful surgeon, and I would highly recommend him to anyone facing orthopedic surgery. I injured my knee skiing in January 2016, complete MCL and PCL ruptures. After consulting with several doctors, I decided on Dr. Stark, and I am so glad I did. The entire staff is wonderful, from the front office to the medical assistants to the surgical staff, and Dr. Stark was very positive and proactive in approaching my case. I liked that he considered various options and scenarios in my care, and that he did not rush into surgery. Allowing me to try to self-heal and do some PT prior to surgery assured me that surgery was indeed necessary, and Dr. Stark carefully weighed the surgical options before the actual operation. I also appreciate that Dr. Stark saw that it was imperative to return me to an active lifestyle, as he seems to enjoy an active lifestyle himself. My surgery was 7 months ago, in November 2016 - 10 months after the injury itself. It was an intensive procedure with a long recovery, from being locked in extension for 6 weeks post-surgery, through many months of physical therapy (still ongoing), to finally being able to resume normal activities. Although I am not back to full range of motion yet, my knee is feeling strong and stable and the prognosis is great. Dr. Stark is positive I will get there in time (with options for intervention if necessary), and has assured me he will follow my case for the duration. Although I enjoy fitness and leading an active lifestyle, I am not an athlete. However, I feel that Dr. Stark has treated me like one, with the same end-goal expectations he would one of his athlete patients. I appreciate this very much, as well as the positivity, confidence and encouragement he has shown along the way. read more

I had a TNL performed be Dr Stark back in 2013 and throughout the healing year, I would tell him that it hurt more than usual. He said to give it a year, which I did. And for some reason he made my reconstructed leg 1/4" longer than the other leg and told me to use a lift...well it's very inconvenient/thoughtless when you live in flip flops or sandals. I ended up getting a second opinion back in 2014 and had a cat scan performed and found out I need a new TKL. I went in to see him in fall of 2014 and told him what was found and he said that he wanted to get to the bottom of this and make it better, NOT! I never heard another word from him! I have been putting having another TKR off for years and now my body is in constant pain. Maybe he's good for some people but for me a disaster! read more

Dr. Stark is great. I trust his analysis and know he will take great care of my knee when I am ready to move forward after diagnosis and Therapy. read more

No pretenses here. Dr. Stark is interested in you as a patient! Before he looked at any paperwork, he asked me about my injury. What happened, where is my pain, how has this injury affected what I do......? When I asked if he'd seen my MRI, he said he was about to take a look. However, he " believes the doctor-patient conversation reveals an important understanding of the injury," with the MRI confirming the diagnosis. Dr. Stark's dedication to orthopedic medicine is apparent through his enthusiasm, caring approach and high level of skill. I recommend him for anyone concerned about their injury and best recovery. Mary Ann read more

Really? I went last Thursday( 4-20) to see Dr. Stark. Waited in the exam room for 30 minutes AFTER having ex-rays. I headed back to my exam room and here comes some young guy and he sees me in the hall at one of the desks. He says, here are your ex-rays? How about 'hello, I am Dr. Stark'. Very disappointed. He said I had calcification in my muscle where my rotator cuff had been injured, so we need to go in and surgically removed this. Lets get an MRI to see what that says. I got the MRI on Friday. Shocked, I asked him how much down time..........oh, about a week. NO explanation of how the surgery is done. Of course I googled it went I got to my office. The only one that was decent at this appointment was Kraig the ex-ray tech and Dr. Stark's assistant. I am still waiting for my results from an MRI. I called the office today: AND I HAVE TO MAKE AN APT. TO GET MY MRI RESULTS...........I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT!!!!!!!!! I spent maybe??? 2 minutes with this doctor in a hall way. DONE with him read more

Great doctor that put me back on the road to recovery. He prescribed physical therapy that fixed my knee problems without surgery.

Great doctor who is in practice with an amazing team physicians! I am an athlete and he put me back in the game! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Dr Stark is a perfectionist! He is always thorough and informative. I refer him to my friends and family as well, can't say enough good things about him. read more

I injured my knee/meniscus mid 2017 or so. Dr. Stark evaluated the severity of my injury and operated my knee. From surgery day to the last day of physical therapy, his team and him took care of me to their fullest capabilities. Always welcoming, kind, professional, and understanding. read more

I wish there were minus stars because it gets worse. After waiting 6 weeks for a follow up appointment to see if my knee had been damaged by not having the correct brace, my appointment was cancelled. Now I can only be seen 8 weeks after my appointment. This means I am even more behind schedule for receiving any kind of physical therapy. I have no idea how I am supposed to be recovering or what my limitations are. Unfortunately I have to wait to be discharged by him or else insurance can refuse to cover it. I just can't wait to go see a real doctor who can take a look at my knee. read more

After spending less than 10 minutes with me, he ordered an MRI for my knee and I never heard from him or his office again. It's been two months. Got the results from the hospital within a week. I called the office twice. The second time, I left a message on his private voicemail. Nothing. My GP suggested I go down there. Really??? This is the first time a doctor has not followed up. Is this the new normal? read more

Dr. Stark performed 2 knee surgeries on me in the last 2 years, this last one was actually a reconstruct of an original ACL reconstruct 20 years ago. I appreciate Dr. Stark's forthrightness in discussing my options including his opinion of what he would do if he were in my position. I also appreciate his quick response to my questions and needs and making sure his assistant (thanks to you too, Justin) also followed up quickly on my additional needs, like completing certifications for my work and state disability insurance. He's personable and professional; I've already referred a co-worker to him specifically. read more

I had a really great experience with Dr Stark. I have had knee pain that progressively got worse over the past few years and knew it was time to do something about it. Surgery was necessary and Dr Stark and the whole support staff were very professional. Surgery went perfectly and I am glad to say that I was back to riding a bicycle after only three days and have had zero issues with recovery. Dr Stark checked up with me and was interested in knowing everything went well. I would definitely recommend him to anyone that needs work done. This was certainly the best experience I have had in a while. read more

I had to see Stark because of my hmo insurance. I went to him for sinvisk injections in my knees. I specifically asked the PA to make sure he reviews my X-rays before my first injection because my right knee is completletly collapsed. He came in with not so much a hello and proceeded to inject my knees. My left knee went fairly smooth but it is also the standard "old" knee. He proceeded to my right knee and had my writhing in pain on the table. He is the third doctor to do these injections on my knees in the last 5 years. My experience with Stark was absolutely horrific. His injection on my right knee is something I have never experienced. The most exchrucialting painful experience in my life. I have a very high pain tolorence and this was unacceptable. Just for the record, the further 2 injections (you have to go three times in 3weeks) were done with an ultrasound and went smoother, but the last one the needle clamp broke so I had to wait a minute for his PA to run and grab a new clamp to get the needle out of my, once again, right knee!if If you don't HAVE TO go to Stark, DONT! read more

Dr Stark is my surgeon for my ACL reconstruction. From day 1 that I was in contact with him he has been very professional. I am also in the medical field, I can tell Dr. Stark takes a lot of pride in his work. He is very informative, a patient advocate, and keeps himself educated on the new science and techniques with sports orthopedic medicine. I arrived for my surgery, the staff at Carlsbad Surgery Center were very professional and courteous to my family and myself. The staff and Dr. Stark explained everything they were doing and why they were doing it. Dr. Stark completely explained the surgery and answered all my questions. The anesthesiologist also met with me and accurately explained what her role is and what procedures and medications I will be receiving. I woke up in recovery. The recovery staff were great. Dr. Stark again saw me in recovery and told me everything went great and reminded me of what to do between now and my post op appointment and what to be cautious of. The week between surgery and post op went well, nothing abnormal went on. Surgery site looked great. Dr. Stark did a great evaluation on me at post op appointment, informed me of the exercises to do between now and physical therapy. Very informative of what to do and what not to do. I started physical therapy, the Physical therapist is amazed by my progress. I am currently 3 weeks post surgery but my knee is acting like I am at Week 6 or so. The physical therapist who has never met Dr. Stark said "I can tell you had an excellent surgeon working on you". Obviously Dr. Stark will continue to be my doctor for my knee till I am fully recovered, but if I ever have to have another orthopedic surgery I definitely will be going back to Dr. Stark. read more