In January 2025, I visited Dr. Kenneth Goranson, an orthopedic surgeon, for worsening pain in my left shoulder. He recommended a course of steroid injections. I received three injections over several months, but unfortunately, I did not experience any relief. After one of the injections, I noticed a visible indentation and some skin discoloration at the injection site. When I mentioned this at my next appointment, Dr. Goranson told me that this can sometimes happen if the medication enters the muscle and causes atrophy, and that it usually improves over time. He then suggested another injection, but I chose not to proceed. Since my symptoms continued, I sought a second opinion. The next doctor confirmed that the issue was related to the injection and diagnosed it as fat necrosis, which she explained is not reversible. As a result, before even attempting surgery, Dr. Goranson caused me significant and permanent physical and emotional harm. read more

Kenneth Goranson, MD - My arm has been disfigured by the injection. - Sports Medicine Near Me - Mountain View, California

It's near impossible to find good Drs these days which is why I stick with the best when I find one! Dr. Goranson is one. Incredibly competent. Surgically talented. Absolutely knowledgeable. Science driven. Explains everything! Kind to boot. Uber professional. And surgically talented. Think I respect him as a Dr.? You bet. Dr. Goranson has taken care of much of my family's orthopedic issues for decades and EVERY TIME he did so successfully. During my first surgery with him my blood pressure was low and the nurse asked why I wasn't worried, I said because I have the best Dr. working on me! It was true then and true now. And icing on the cake is his efficient office run by Carrie who is always on top of it whether it's appointments or insurance, she nails it! It read more

I went to Dr. Goranson for a pretty intense ankle fracture (at least for me it was!) and he did his hardest to be as conservative as possible in the healing treatment. So even though other doctors stated I should get a surgery, he said the book says its ok! And 5 years later I am perfect still! Thanks so much! read more

I went to see Dr. Goranson in July with a radial head fracture in my left arm. When he entered the room, he saw I was a bit nervous and the first question he asked me was "...were you having fun when this happened?". I mumbled "yes, I was skateboarding" and he instantly smiled at me saying "then it was worth it!" to which I burst out laughing!! Dr. Goranson is incredibly kind-hearted and very tranquil. He is patient and answered all of my (very stupid) questions elaborately. He took a look at my X-rays and asked me to wear a sling for about 3-4 weeks. He gave me a breakdown of how I'd end up feeling at the end of every week and that's exactly what happened!! Looking back, it's amazing how he so accurately predicted it. I'm a 22 year old student and he was probably 60+, but it seriously felt like I was talking to a 22 year old best friend! Just a day before, I'd told the ER doctor that I had an appointment with Dr. Goranson and I remember him telling me, "Kid, you got the best in town!" and he wasn't wrong! I'm really grateful I went to see him and would highly recommend him to anyone! read more

Dr Goranson is a true professional and our family doctor. He has done tendon reattachment to my elbow, arthroscopic surgery on my knee and repaired my torn achilles in 2021. I am now back playing racquetball 3-4 times a week and feel very confident in the repair he has done. He made sure it was done correctly and well secured since he knows I am still active at 66. Dr Goranson also did a great job on my daughters ACL, which she tore in a basketball game during high school (Aragon). She is now in post grad school studying PT. The experience convinced her she would like to help others with major injuries. Dr Goranson had a great influence on her with his kindness and a witty sense of humor. We are so thankful to have him as our orthopedic surgeon. read more

I went in for knee pain during the coronavirus pandemic. His office was very well managed and I found that Dr. Goranson really took the time to understand my concerns and address all my anxieties. He was extremely kind, patient, and helpful. I would highly recommend him! read more

I needed a second opinion after orthopedic surgery some months ago and came to Dr. Goranson based on his excellent reviews, specifically in the area of sports medicine. I was not disappointed. Indeed, I was very pleased with his excellent counsel. He took the process logically and helpfully, and made a series of examinations, suggestions and recommendations that seemed entirely congruent with the problem. His 'bedside manner' was engaging: calm, charming and witty, and what's not to like about that for any rational human. The personal touch is still very important as we interact with others. Highly recommended, but of course the potential patient must make the appropriate determination about his or her specific area of need--mine was post-op pelvic surgery following an accident. read more

My daughter slid off the bed. She literally just slid of the bed! We were watching Fantastic 4 on Friday night TV, and I see my 5 year old just slide off the bed. I started laughing and asked her "how the heck did you do that?" And then I heard the scream....like no other. I knew something was wrong. So we went to the emergency room (still screaming). They diagnosed her broken left ring finger. Oh no! She's going to have to wear big diamonds on that finger so it better be straight! And she has to be a dentist like mommy so she can't have a lame finger! So after 4 hours in the ER they splint it up and tell us to see an orthopedic surgeon on Monday. Of course, all doctors offices are closed on the weekend. So on Monday my hubby calls around and some of them say it is a 2 week wait! WTF! But Dr. Goranson saw her immediately. He's so nice and personable! He put my daughter at ease and was telling me about his kids too! Great guy. But, truthfully, I hope we never have to see him again...just because I don't ever want to hear that scream again! Thanks for making my daughter's diamond finger pretty again. read more

So far so good! I visited Dr. Goranson for the first time this week to get my hip flexor checked out and he was very nice and did a comprehensive check. I really appreciated the time he took to learn about the history of my pain so that he could give me proper recommendations. I never felt rushed and I look forward to continuing to work with him. read more

Outstanding Surgeon! Dr Goranson performed an ACL replacement on my knee and the results were very impressive. His office staff is quite nice and easy to work with. His appointments run on-time and scheduling appointments was extremely accommodating. Dr Goranson took the time during an exam to answer all questions, give details about the process and instilled my upmost confidence in his ability. Bottom line- this is the Surgeon you want for his mastery of skill, his modesty as a Doctor and the results you will experience from his work. read more

I have been treated by Dr. Goranson for many years off and on. He also assisted me with a Worker's Comp, Disability Case as well as surgery on my wrist due to repetitive strain injury. I have taken my children who play baseball to him as well whenever they had any injuries. He is a great surgeon. great bedside manner and really listens when you see him. Great front desk staff as well. I would highly recommend him. read more

I came here because I broke my humerus while snowboarding in Alaska. I searched online for a good orthopedist and glad I found him! The office is very cozy and the staff is really great! Dr. Goranson is really great. I would go to the office feeling pain in my arm, but when he gets into the room, my pain just seems to disappear. Each office visit was reasonably priced (nothing more than you would pay elsewhere for a doctors visit, might be even cheaper). The only downside is - there are no reminder e-mails or phone calls, so make sure you remember your appointment, or save the appointment card they give you! read more

Dr. Goranson is great clinically and a good guy as well. His office assistant is personable. parking is easy. appointment was on time. i recommend him highly. read more

The BEST out there. I have been going to him for about 8 years due to hockey-related injuries, and he has always gotten me fixed and up-and-running in no time! He has done surgery on my elbow, 2 or 3 surgeries on my mom, & recently did surgery on my step-dad's shoulder (skiing). Excellent surgeon and I recommend him to everyone. He is personable, nice, takes the time to actually talk to you and get to the bottom of whatever issue it is. He develops great relationships and everytime I go in it's almost as much catch-up as fixing me. I think I speak for the majority of his patients in that once you see him for something, you'll never go to another orthopedic surgeon again. read more

First off, he spend a good amount of time with me. That's not been my experience with other Sports Med docs. I found him to be very thorough both in reviewing my history and diagnosing my shoulder problem. On the surface he appears really bland, then zings you with this great dead-pan humor. I'd readily recommend him. read more

Excellent surgeon. I've seen Dr. Goranson a couple of times over the years, including an ACL replacement. Excellent, professional, caring and smart surgeon, and willing to spend time with you. Highly recommended. read more

Dr. Goranson is personable and thorough from diagnostic to repair of shoulder injuries. My experience was very positive. If you have been nursing a bicep injury I recommend consulting with Dr. before following the recommendations of your insurance carrier and their less successful surgeons. read more

Extremely happy. Explained everything clearly and most importantly, his surgery really was as perfect as it could be. Also his good sense of humor helped out a lot. He put on the cast very well which requires skill not every doctor has. Cannot recommend enough. read more

I had a torn biceps tendon repaired by Dr. Goranson on January 02, 2020. I went in to surgery at 7:30am at the Waverley Surgery Center in Palo Alto and was home in Redwood City 4 hours later. I had very little pain and my range of movement is ahead of schedule. I was bowling and playing pickle ball at only 1 1/2 months. I expect to be back on the golf course at 4 months. I can't say enough about Dr. Goranson and the staff at Waverley. The both have my highest recommendations. read more

I had a problem with my hip and based on Yelp reviews went to Dr. Goranson. When I called his office said they accepted Medicare. When I went to the office he spent about three minutes to tell me that he did not handle the kind of problem I had and referred me to another doctor. They billed Medicare $130.72 for the three minutes he spent with me. Medicare sent me a check for a little more than $90 which I forwarded to them. They then sent me a bill for $39.78 balance. Normally I only pay 20% of charges approved by Medicare so this 'part' was excessive as was the $130 for three minutes. This kind of excessive charge is the reason medical costs in this country are so out of line. Would never go to Dr. Goranson again. read more

After relocating from another state I needed to find a doctor to take over care of my recovering knee brake from 11/2010. I just needed prescription refills, physical therapy refills/discussion, and general check ups and advice on how to continue getting healthy. In the end I only had four monthly checkups and then he handed me off to a pain management doctor, not even proposing to see me again to oversee my recovery. In short, it felt like he wrote me off as an at-risk junkie 'making up' my pain. At first meeting I wasn't very impressed compared to my previous doctor. The doc was fine and pretty much just smiled and nodded. That's about all he did in my four visits before he dumped me off on a pain specialist and refused to continue my care. This suspicion was confirmed when the new pain doctor chuckled after reading the referral from Dr Goranson and asking how I felt I was treated. I said I kind of felt like he thought I was just after med refills. The new doc chuckled and said orthopods don't do well with believing in pain if they don't see something 'broken' (aka crutches, a cane, etc.). Thats probably true since I told Dr. Goranson that I was doing really well in my recovery and felt like I was recovering steadily. Only real issue was the extreme afternoon and evening pain. Also the receptionist was just barely passable in terms of courtesy and service. I think she's really overwhelmed in addition to just being a bit 'gruff'. I would have expected at least one set of xrays to be taken since the paperwork I brought from my last doctor didn't have any really recent ones. For completeness, my meds weren't anything major, two 5 mg oxycodone per day. To seal the deal, when I was unable to get a timely appointment with the new doctor I was going to be without my prescription for 30 days. I pleaded with Dr. Goranson to do one last refill (a fifth time) but he refused (never returning my persistent calls for several days). With extreme pain, being denied pain meds for a month is extreme deficiency in care IMHO. In short, if Dr. Goranson is your doctor for the full surgery and treatment he's probably fine, but if he doesn't see you from the very beginning he'll just assume your trying to use him as your 'dealer'. I would expect someone in the field a long time to be more caring and sympathetic. One last thing, at least two of the four times I needed a refill it took me calling several days in a row to get any response that my voice messages were received and that a refill would be done. I ran out of meds at least twice due to this for a day or so. read more

I had been having knee pain for about five months with no successful conservative treatment that had been recommend by my family practice doctor. He referred me to Dr. Goranson. Dr. Goranson listened to me explain what I did that caused the original knee pain, what I had tried, and then checked out my knee. Since I had already tried the conservative approach and the pain was getting worse, he recommended having an MRI which I did. That revealed some fraying in my meniscus on both sides of the knee cap as well as under it. I had an arthroscopy at the Waverly Clinic which was uneventful. It has been about 1 month since the procedure and I am almost back to normal. I expect to be able to resume all my sports within the next month or less. He encouraged me to walk around as I was able and resume exercising gradually. I would highly recommend Dr. Goranson. He really listens to you explain your symptoms, etc. You do not feel rushed. For all the appointments I had, there was never more than a 10 minute delay from my assigned appointment time. His staff was very efficient and friendly. Also, I did leave a fairly detailed message one time with a few questions and he called me back that evening to respond. Since I am healing well, I can say he did a great job. read more

I am being generous with 2 stars and that's for his receptionist who is pretty nice and helpdul. Doc appeared to be largely disinterested in me and came across cold and uncaring. He wouldn't as much as look at the limb until I insisted. He also doesn't have onsite xray facilities to do a quick diagnosis. Nor have wheelchairs or walking assistance for his patients. Overall severely dissatisfied with what appears to be a private practice. read more

Visited Dr.Goranson for a second opinion. He was very friendly and overall good experience. I dinged a star because I had asked the receptionist if I should bring the MRIs preformed by my medical group, and she said I did not need and she would also check with the HMO group. It seems like she did not follow up and I went to the appointment, without my MRI. So word of advice, when in doubt, collect all records ahead of time, and bring to second opinion appointments. read more

One of the best of the best orthopedic surgeon in south bay. Never met a humble and personable doctor like him. Staff is great and appointment is easy to get. He did the arthroscopic acl procedure on my left knee and I felt completely confident and happy on my recovery. No second thoughts. One of the greatest doctor I have ever met. The best thing is he listens to what you say and very detail oriented answers. read more

One if the best surgeons I've had the pleasure of working with. He's the complete package...good surgical technique, super nice guy!

Normally I do not support using Yelp for doctor reviews, it is not a solid source to get a review of a medical professional. But I am for Goranson - bottom line, this guy and his staff are as good as it gets. My knee started aching about 10 weeks ago, I am a runner, biker, and do a lot of hiking. No injury, just a huge amount of soreness. Got so bad I had to stop running....my wife made an appointment, my work schedule is so hectic, we had to change it 3 times. No waiting when I finally got to his office, he saw me at the agreed to time. 5 minutes into the visit, he suggested I had a "wear tear" in my meniscus, and sent me off to get a MRI. The approval for the MRI was handled by his staff, and I approved within 48 hours to have the MRI done immediately. One week after the MRI, I was in to see Goranson, the diagnosis was correct, I scheduled the surgery for the next week. Waverly surgery center was the location for the cutting, they were awesome. Goranson did the work, I walked out of the surgery center that afternoon. 2 Vicodin that night, a few Aleve since that time, and 1 week after surgery I was on my mountain bike, and in 2 weeks he says I can run again. That is 6 weeks total, from diagnosis to running again. This guy is awesome, and his support staff remarkable. He took a "low impact" approach, doing only what had to be done. I am doing the Death Ride in July. I will be ready. Go see this guy. read more

I had a nagging shoulder injury for 4 months that led me to Dr Goranson. MAN I should have been less stubborn and visited him earlier. We had a 15 minute initial visit where he asked me a number of questions regarding my injury and then he ordered up an MRI. He called me once he got the results and suggested a few options, one of which was a cortisone shot. Another appointment for the shot (totally painless, like a flu shot) and 4 days later and BAM! I'm back to 100%. Pain free and back in the gym. Thanks Doc! What a great experience. Highly recommended! read more

I had my initial consult with Dr. Goranson and I was very impressed with his professionalism and thoroughness. His staff was extremely helpful and they even helped me fill out my paperwork because my dominant hand shoulder was (is) broken. He explained what happened to me and ordered the appropriate follow up tests to be 100% sure of the extent of my injury. I hope I wont have to see him in the future, but if I ever need orthopedic help again I would not hesitate to see him. read more

I gladly provide high praise for Dr. Goranson. He recently performed surgery on my left shoulder and I am doing remarkably well. It's no surprise, as he performed surgery on my right shoulder in 2008 and my left knee before that. All limbs are functioning properly with no pain or discomfort. Besides being extremely competent, I liked how he dealt with me. He took the time to explain the nature of the problem, why it caused pain, and what would be done in the surgery to fix it. He listened to what I had to say and took the time to answer my questions. I recommend Dr. Goranson without any hesitation. I have complete confidence in his ability and great respect for him as a doctor. read more

I just wanted to add that in the past few months I had aggrevated one of my knees (really bad surgeon a number of years ago that messed up and caused lifelong problems) and Dr. Goranson did a great job working with me to make sure that I got through my wedding as pain free as possible and I was able to make our first dance a success (it was an awesome wedding see L.G. Lodge review). We are working on when I'm getting my knee scoped again but at the end of the day I wouldn't want anyone else working on me. read more

Dr. Goranson is very professional and experienced. He was very patient, and spent enough time explaining what happened to my injury and what options I had. Actually I was asked by another surgeon to get surgery ASAP, but Dr. Goranson was absolutely sure that no surgery was needed. It turned out he was right, and I recovered without going through an unnecessary surgery and other side effect it could have caused. I really appreciate what Dr. Goranson has done for me, and I highly recommend him. read more

I had my ACL replacement surgery 4 months ago. Normally surgeries are expected to be annoyances and I was prepared for several days of not being able to stand up. However, after about an hour of being nauseous because of the anesthetics, I could walk with crutches, not having to lay in bed for days. This shows that Dr. Goranson knows what he is doing and greatly exceeded my expectations. He also spends time with you explaining your problem with care. read more

As good as all the reviews suggested. I'll highly recommend him for any orthopedic needs

I have seen Dr. Goranson for 3 different ailments. I'm happy with his diagnosis. In one case I was referred to a super specialist. He explained things clearly with a physical model of the body part. I thought that was very helpful. read more

Unfortunately, Dr. Goranson missed something on my MRI that was incredibly obvious to both my physical therapist, myself (after comparisons online to MRIs of other people's knees) and to a wide variety of other medical professionals. And...he missed it twice. In two separate surgeries. I can document this with three separate MRIs over 18 months. Unfortunately, Dr. Goranson did not apparently actually read the MRIs, he read only the MRI reports, and did not apparently look at all compartments of the joint that he was doing surgery upon, resulting in the loss of motion and inability to completely straighten my joint. The MRI clearly showed a large ( 1 1/2 cm marble sized) chunk of scar tissue from his second surgery, impeding the joint space. This is called a "cyclops." After having already had the area injected by Dr. Goranson 6 months after the second surgery, due to pain, swelling, and inability to straighten the joint, as well as a "Ker-plunk" type movement inside the knee when I pushed on the area, I returned to see him, having had a second (post surgical) MRI to determine what was up. I had the CD of the MRI in hand, as well as the one prior to the surgery. He jauntily came into the room, with the new MRI report in his hand, stating that as he thought, I only needed more time. I asked him to view the previous and new MRI with me on his viewer in the office. When I pointed out the chunk (which was brought to my attention by my physical therapist), he turned white as a sheet. It turns out, the "Ker-plunk" movement and feeling inside the knee is known to be the classic symptom of a "cyclops" lesion, according to numerous sources. When you have that symptom, you expect to see this type of lesion on the MRI. Dr. Goranson is a very nice guy, and I previously gave him a stellar review. I wish I could continue to do this. However, I had to have a FOURTH surgery by another surgeon (recommended by my PT) in order to remove this chunk of scar tissue, and the resulting crap within the joint. Let me emphasize that these surgeries were not rocket science. They were arthroscopies upon a relatively otherwise intact knee. UPDATE 2/20/17: Today, Dr. Goranson called me and told me he feels personally hurt by this review. That was never my intention. He also felt insulted that I had used his first name, so I have changed that. The rest of my review stands. I waited a year to post this review, because I wanted to see if I felt, after some time had gone by, that other potential patients should be aware of the situation that occurred with me. Let me emphasize that I have the multiple MRI cds showing this lesion, both pre and post surgery with Dr. Goranson. I also have film from my last surgery (with a different surgeon) showing the removal of the lesion. There is minimal arthritis in the knee. Five months post-surgery with the new surgeon, it is functional and I no longer have any difficulty straightening it. I am able to perform all of my normal, very active daily activities. As I emphasized in my conversation with Dr. Goranson today, I am sorry that his feelings are hurt, but I did discuss this with him, in person, with the MRIs in hand, just over a year ago. All human beings make mistakes, and he, himself, told me that he missed it during that meeting. I don't hold any personal negativity toward Dr. Goranson, but I am not going to personally recommend him to others simply because he is upset about my review. Nor am I going to remove it. I am glad to see that he has multiple other positive reviews. I'm sure he will continue to do good work in the future. read more

I would definitely not recommend Dr Goranson. I had what was supposed to be minor surgery last May for a torn meniscus. After the surgery I had so much pain I could hardly walk. Had to use crutches. Had many friends with the same type of surgery elsewhere and there was no problem. After 2 months and still not better I got 2 second opinions. The first thing both doctors said was "why did I have surgery?" While I did have some tears they did not require surgery. Had many cortisone shots and physical therapy. My knee is not the same and never will be. I very much regret going to him and not getting a second opinion. I read the reviews on him and thought it would be okay. Never again. read more

Had a great experience. Came in today, concerned about a couple issues of pain I was experiencing. Simple and easy process, showing up a little early to fill out paperwork, receptionist/office manager very polite and nice. Just a few minutes after completing paperwork, I was in the patient's room, and just a few minutes later met the doctor. Very attentive to what ailed me and offered direct analysis and helpful information. My hand is what we both felt I needed to have an x-ray to be certain if any break or not. Just a couple blocks away, near the hospital, was the x-ray place. I did not mind driving over, easy to find, and got a parking space right away. About 10-15 minutes or so waiting in their lobby, without an appointment, they saw me, which I thought was pretty fast. Five minutes later, the x-ray process was complete and 3 minutes later they handed me a cd with the x-ray. Headed back to the Dr. as he suggested, and we reviewed the results together and he gave very careful attention to determine there was no breakage. We finished our visit moments later and I was on my way. Although no 'major' treatment needed per se, I was still very pleased with the whole process and know that I have a doctor nearby if needed again. read more

Excellent care! I went in for a sprained ankle. It hadn't healed in a month, so I wanted to make sure it wasn't anything worse. He sent me for an x-ray down the road, then asked me to come back to review it together that day! Super fast. Thankfully it wasn't broken or unstable. He was extremely understanding, thorough, and realistic! I'm an ex-athlete and am still super active. He helped me figure out how to get back into training and made brace recommendations. read more

I sustained a medial meniscus tear last year while training for a half marathon. I researched several orthopedists and initially went to someone at PAMF. They wanted me to do a whole bunch of unnecessary tests prior to arthroscopic surgery. I felt that the MD I saw was very aloof and arrogant. I did further investigation and found Dr Goranson. I myself am a physician and did what I thought no one should do and look a doctor up on Yelp. He had great reviews. Then I asked an anesthesiologist friend of mine and told me he was the best and had him operate on his shoulder. My friend reassured me as he is in the OR all the time and picked Dr Goranson because he knew his technical skills were the best. I had a consultation with him and then scheduled the surgery at Waverly Surgery center. My surgery was on Friday and was back to work Monday afternoon without difficulty, no crutches , minimal pain, just advil. All I can say Dr Goranson is first and foremost very personable, gives you the sense of confidence without the arrogance, extremely calming and most importantly a really good surgeon. I was so reassured. Waverly was equally great and the anesthesiologist I had, Dr Novak was fantastic. Six months later I tore my other meniscus on the other side and went through the same scenario as above with Dr. Goranson with the same excellent outcome. I am not one to write Yelp reviews and being both a doctor and patient I thought Dr Goranson exemplifies the best in our profession and felt compelled to honor him. BTW I am in a specialty that has minimal ties to orthopedics and therefore have no conflict of interest here, I do not get referrals from orthopedists and rarely refer to them unless they are friends. I am back running 4-5 miles three months later with no pain or discomfort. read more