Poor bedside manners and doesn't even examine my foot or provide detail explanations of the treatment options or the MRI results

I came across some negative reviews on Dr. Oloff in this billboard. Many appeared to misunderstand him or his practice. I have not seen him for over 15 years but must say He is probably the honest and most experienced surgeon. I hurt my ankle in skiing and became limping in walking. I saw at least 10 doctors specialized in sports medicine, including a few from Stanford and for famous athletes. All had the same solution, bone crafting. I finally decided on one surgeon and asked him if he would recommend a doctor to consult one more last time. He recommended Dr. Oloff and was confident that Dr. Oloff would recommend the same procedure. After reviewing the X films, believe it or not, he said only one sentence; there was no way to fix my ankle to perfect even with bone crafting. I asked what he would do, "I could remove the symptom (limping) to let you walk normally but the injured bone is there forever". With an advanced degree in engineering, I listened to his very brief explanation but was fully convinced from a physics perspective. He performed a microscopic surgery on my ankle and even handed me a video of his operation. Avoided two big cuts, no more limping for the last 25 years, but certainly I wouldn't be able to race 400- or 800 meters again. Still hiking, ball playing for a limited time. I went back to see him again about 10 years after the surgery because of occasional pain. After looking at the X films, he said "I have a $100 solution and a $10k solution". He explained both and I chose the $100 solution. I spent less than $10 and overcome the pain. Being a surgeon, he did not promote surgery every time. I since referred a few to him, he did no surgery on all of them. He even knows which pharmacist to make a special formula cream to treat a bone pain (my wife gets full recovery with an Oloff cream on her dancing feet). I think it would be a huge loss if he is not sought to be a professor at a medical school. Busy with his schedule, he doesn't say too much but all his patients, please listen to him carefully, he is definitely a unique and amazing surgeon in the universe. read more

I would love to give him a higher mark but since I did not have an ankle injury maybe I should have chosen better , his bedside manner was great but ability to see the problem was not. Would like to say Thank you for seeing me and trying to figure out the problem so glad I did not go the drug route read more

This doctor does not spend time. He did not care about issues. Finally I went to different doctor and he did excellent job. I do not recommend. read more

His office work during my one visit was minimal - didn't even touch my feet if I recall correctly. He did send me to a facility for PT however I'm only finding out over a year later that his office didn't bother to see whether the PT was covered under my insurance. How much work would it have taken them? Btw, office staff just told me it's not their responsibility but that of the PT center. And do you think they cared? Very poor overall. read more

Writing this in late September, two days after surgery by Dr. Oloff to address right ankle tendon issues. (The ambiguity stems from the fact that I was too loopy to recall precisely what he said to me after surgery. This review, though, is based on the longer course of care I've received since first consulting him in March, five or six months after first experiencing pain and stiffness in my right foot. (I waited that long out of a desire to avoid medical facilities during the worst of the pandemic, pre-vaccine.) There's plenty of praise I could offer here--his staff is caring and responsive (hi, Dawn!); he patiently takes the time to talk through issues and treatment options and answer questions; he trains surgical residents. (It's comforting to know your doctor is good enough to be training other doctors.) But what I want readers most to know about Dr. Oloff is that he's painstakingly methodical and in no rush to operate. And that's what I think you want in a surgeon. My foot and ankle had multiple issues, and he took the time to identify and work up a conservative plan to diagnose and treat each problem. That included PT, a couple of scans and minimally invasive diagnostic procedures, and then a trial on anti-inflammatory meds--all of which he insisted we try before he would discuss surgical options. Frustrating? At times. Painstaking? Yep. But worth it, because Dr. Oloff cares enough to hang in there with his patients (including, in my case, a few phone calls between office visits) and makes you want to hang in there with him. I'm now past surgery, counting the days to rehab and looking forward to many many miles of walking without chronic pain. Larry Oloff is a good man. A great surgeon. (Just don't ever expect him to be in a hurry. That's a good thing!) read more

I wanted to like Dr Oloff. I really did. When I first saw him, I was very impressed. He was able to quickly & accurately diagnose the problems I'm having with both my feet, and we quickly discussed & began to implement some courses of action. That's when it started to fall apart. It became obvious after 2-3 visits he was not reviewing my charts in between. That wouldn't be an issue, if it wasn't for the fact that I have other complicating factors (bad back) that was made almost disastrously worse by the course of action he wanted me to take. Now, I should have stood up to him (metaphorically speaking) and let him know that one element of this course was not going to work. And we did talk about it. However, without him reviewing my chart to see what didn't work in the past, he seemed to think I was being stubborn about not taking the particular course of action. And then my stubborn streak kicked in and I did just a little too much for my health to prove to him that this was the wrong course of action. I should have just changed podiatrists at the point it was obvious he didn't remember my case, and wasn't reviewing my charts to refresh himself on my case. I've finally managed to beat my problem into temporary submission. Once it starts acting up again, I'll be seeing Louis Caputo at El Camino instead. read more

Dr. Oloff deserves significant credit for my continuing basketball competitiveness at 48 - which is a big deal to me given how much happiness I get from my hoops. Treatment #1. After a poorly conceived and executed toe surgery at PAMF (a clinic I generally praise), I visited Dr. Oloff to see if he could address the my significant toe pain and help me play basketball again. His diagnosis made sense and was honest "only a 60-70% chance of success if we put this pin in". He also required that I get two other opinions before proceeding with his recommended surgery. I did, and these other doctors (who I chose) agreed with Dr. Oloff's diagnosis of the first surgery's mistake and agreed with his recommended course. I proceeded with the surgery and, almost 8 years later, am still playing basketball twice a week with a pin in my right big toe. Treatment #2 I had achilles pain in my my heels. Given my first successful experience, I consulted Dr. Oloff who quickly diagnosed and recommend a few courses of action (Night splints, stretching, anti-inflammatory, ice). The situation resolved itself within a week and I repeat the same treatment every 1-2 years with the same effective result. Treatment #3 I recently visited Dr. Oloff again for a different achilles condition before I took a long trip to Europe. I was hoping Dr. Oloff would prescribe Prednisone (a steriod) which has done wonders for me twice previously with inflammation conditions. I gently requested this course and Dr. Oloff suggested I try 2-3 other courses first before taking a serious drug. I am currently following these courses. While I may end up taking the steroid, I respect Dr. Oloff's cautious approach (pursuing less aggressive treatments first). In sum, I find Dr. Oloff a gifted diagnostician and appreciate his intellect greatly. I owe some part of my well-being to his expertise and hope other patients can benefit from him as I have. read more

Dr Oloff and the broader SOAR organization has been a huge disappointment. As a former Division 1 track athlete and weekend warrior, I have had a number of running-related injuries over the years and have seen a variety of doctors. To begin with, Dr. Oloff has a gruff, impersonal persona with very poor bedside manner. He takes the minimum amount of time with each patient and quickly demonstrates that he has little patience for clarifying questions or patient concerns. He misdiagnosed my injury 2x before I went for a second opinion - 4mo without training / racing that I will never get back. To add insult to injury, he gave me a variety of expensive braces / pneumatic walkers with a mark-up of 4-5x what other providers charged. I am ok with a bit of a mark up in a doctors office, but that is just absurd - and good luck getting in touch with him to resolve the issue. I would not recommend Oloff to my worst enemy - if you are looking for a good podiatrist / orthopedist, then there a plenty out there with the skill set to properly treat your condition. But for the sake of your health and your wallet, run (no pun intended) from Oloff. read more

Unbelievably great. Had a better analysis after watching me walk on the carpet in my socks than the other guys did with MRI's. Saved me a surgery and got my big toe working again. Great staff too. Thanks, Dr. Oloff! read more

I am an active person. I run, I play tennis, I play racquetball, I play softball, I swim, and now that we are in the Winter season, I also ski. There is something common with all of these activities. My feet! So you can imagine my frustration when I suffered a foot injury about three months ago. I first saw an orthopedic surgeon who suggested a surgical procedure. One which would be a lengthy recovery, high cost, and I would more than likely miss this ski season. With such "great" news I still wasn't quite eager to go rush into surgery. Naturally I sought a second opinion. A good family friend was recently treated by Dr. Oloff and she highly recommended him. I was able to get squeezed in that week and man am I'm happy for that. I can tell Dr. Oloff's practice is quite busy. Some people seemed disgruntled by this buy hey, with my doctor, I'm trying to get healed, not tell my life story. Besides, I wouldn't eat at an empty restaurant just like I wouldn't go to an abandoned clinic. Dr. Oloff reviewed my MRI's and gave me two options. Surgery was an option but he also presented me with a conservative treatment plan. The fact that I was given two options instead of someone telling me that surgery was the only route was a huge relief. The conservative treatment plan is what Dr. Oloff recommended to try first as past patients have had success with it. No surgery? Less out of pocket money from me? No brainer! It has been three months since I injured my foot and I can happily say I'll be back on the mountains in no time. I owe my recovery entirely to Dr. Oloff and the fact that the cheaper, easier route was a success, makes this a very happy new year. read more

He is a nice person so I feel bad saying this but he completely misdiagnosed me and it lead me to a very bad situation. They did an xray before even seeing me to rule out a heel spur, (I had to pay nearly $200 once the bill showed up). Then he stood 6 feet away, touched my toe for one second and said I had plantar fasciitis. I had zero symptoms of PF except arch pain. He then gave me a referral to a PT who did not take my insurance. The diagnosis was WRONG and because of that things quickly went downhill. Turns out I had posterior tendonitis that had impacted my anterior tendon. He would have known that had he examined me properly and given me a ultrasound. I did go to PT for the wrong diagnosis and my anterior tendon TORE. I am now in a medical boot for 2 months. What could have been over by now if I had been diagnosed properly (with an ultrasound and MRI) will be at least 4 to 6 months. Awful experience. This guy might handle broken ankles well, things that show on x-ray clearly but for other foot injuries he will say Plantar Fasciitis without a proper exam. I had posterior tendonitis which is completely different and requires completely different treatment. If I had the proper diagnosis and treatment then I would be healed by now. I am super bummed I went to this guy. I would say run but you definitely won't be able to if you see this guy. read more

When I broke my ankle, I was desperately calling around trying to find someone who could see me during Covid. I ended up being squeezed in same day with Dr. Oloff and I'm so glad it was him. I ended up needing surgery and less than six months later I was back to normal. I read a lot of horror stories about ankle surgeries gone wrong and I feel so lucky that I got such a great doctor that was so attentive to my questions and concerns. His assistant Dawn really goes above and beyond, too. She was able to practically move mountains to get me scheduled for a covid test in time for my surgery after she could tell I was panicking over the phone. The cast guy is great too and was always fun to talk to during my many visits there! read more

His reputation precedes him as apparently he is the doctor who repaired Buster Posey's broken ankle. Have consulted with Dr. Oloff to get a second opinion twice and was very impressed with his manner, expertise and advice. If my ankle issues persist I plan to switch from my orthopedic surgeon to Dr. Oloff. read more

I've tried to call this guy's office 3 times to schedule an appointment. Went through a very long number punching system to only leave a voicemail at 12ish. Then called back with around 330pm and immediately got put on hold by a young lady that didn't say the company's name and only mumbled "please hold." She left me on hold for 5-10 minutes. I hung up and called back. I got the same sad, lazy, muffled voice, no company name mentioned "please hold." If the admin support act like this before the appointment...then. read more

I went to dr Oloff for my foot problem turned out to be that I had a heel spur growing in my heel, so dr oloff suggested this hammer kinda machine that shoots powerful force unto the bottom of your foot to break up the spur well I'm not going to say it didn't hurt , because it did at first there are several visits with this procedure it doesn't happen all at once ( not for my case) I remember going back maybe 4-5. Times to see him. Well to make long story short it worked I still had a limp for couple days maybe 1 week but since then I'm doing great. Good luck people with planter fasciitis. Dr. Oloff is the best he was patient and nice through the whole ordeal with me. read more

Miss diagnosed my case. Sent me to xray right away with no exam (still waiting for that bill) then with only touching my toe for 2 seconds said Plantar Fasciitis although I showed zero heel pain, morning pain or any other symptoms of PF. He said it also could be tendinitis stemming from the toe joint or a special PF that impacts the arch. He claimed both are treated the sample. He NEVER EXAMINED MY FOOT or even pressed on it. He then sent me to a physical therapist twice a week who did not even accept my insurance. I tried PF stretches at home and my injury became WAY worse. I ended up paying out of pocket to get expert care. Got an ultrasound, they pressed on and examined my foot at length and it was CLEAR I did not have PF. I had posterior tendinitis a tendon strain. Because I did PF stretches it will now take MUCH MUCH longer to heal. Do not go to this office its truly substandard cookie cutter care. He is a very nice person but does not really examine or know how to diagnose. The 2nd place I went was like night and day, a true diagnosis. read more

I have no doubt that Dr. Oloff is knowledgeable, but what he and a lot of the staff members at SOAR lack is good bedside manner. You can tell from the moment you pass the administrative desks that everyone there is too busy to really care. When I go to a doctors office, I want to feel like they really do care about helping you. After three visits with Dr. O, it became more and more clear that I was spending a lot of $$ and not seeing any results. I don't blame him for this, but once brought this up he turned the whole conversation into a money issue. As I told him, I'm willing to pay whatever it costs, as long as my foot starts to feel better. After prescribed anti-inflammatories, an x-ray, MRI, and $130 compound cream, my foot only felt worse. But what really turned me off to him was that he got angry/defensive when I told him I did not want a cortisone shot. Immediately his tone changed, and when I explained that I had heard that 1. it wasn't the healthiest way to go 2. it might only be a temporary fix, he told me that I was miss informed (when really it's common knowlege..although I didn't say so at the time) and that I should not heed advice from online sources or other physicians who give poor advice. He then went on to tell me that he had been practicing medicine for 35 years and treated numerous patients from the 49ers etc. Wow talk about having a complex!! All I said was that I didn't care to have a cortisone shot even before he listed his recommendations and the pros/cons. RED FLAG..i think so. I think he knew he had gone overboard so he tried to tone it down towards the end and tried to come up with an agreeable treatment method and then relate to me through mentioning his daughters, but sorry, the damage was already done. I may not be a professional athlete, but I am a real patient who is coming for treatment for foot issues just like anyone else. I think many of us can agree that patients shouldn't be subjected to that type of treatment by any type of doctor. Mostly I'm disappointed because he came recommended by someone who usually is on point for great doctors recommendations, but this one was definitely a miss. read more

I went to Dr. Oloff with hallux rigidus and severe pain in both feet. Dr. Oloff worked a MIRACLE!! I am updating this about 1.5 years after surgery and my feet are pain free! I am so happy to have had the surgeries. I had met with three previous podiatrists. None of them told me: 1. Wear shoes with a stiff sole to minimize stress on the toe joint 2. Rocker soles and cushioning will reduce pain (somewhat) (How can podiatrist not know to suggest shoes that reduce pain?) I found Dr. Oloff based on the articles he has written (he is up on current technology). He explained the procedure, answered questions about artificial joints, and reduced the pain in my feet after surgery. The first one went well so I went back to have the second foot done 6 months later. My advice: Don't wait! Do your research and know what questions to ask: what is the procedure, how long will I be off my feet, when can I drive, when can I fly, when can I swim. read more

You can't find better bedside manner, a more knowledgeable and helpful doctor. I saw Oloff after 2 other doctors couldn't figure out my problem. Oloff is THE foot and ankle doc in the bay! read more

Dr.Oloff is very knowledgeable and experienced podiatrist. He gets straight to the point and does not push for unnecessary treatment if the problem is not worth it. I have got all the answers I was looking for during my visit. I highly recommend Dr. Oloff. read more

Dr. Oloff is a great podiatrist - empathetic and concerned - and with a good sense of humor. He took my poor, battered feet and made them as good as they'll ever be after a famous doctor, Dr. Dale Austin, almost destroyed them using experimental methods. Dr. Oloff is well known through medical textbooks and his lectures but he will always be special to me for the professional care received. I totally recommend him! read more

I usually don't write reviews- for Yelp, or any other site, but I must make an exeption in this case. I advised a friend of mine to see Dr. Oloff for her foot problem and was quite surprised when she said that Yelp's reviews for him were mixed bag. This compelled me to share my impression of Dr. Oloff. I have been seeing him for about 5 years, and has been invariably impressed with his extensive expertise delightful personality . He always takes time to explain his recommendations and very patient answering questions. He did everything he possibly could for my feet problems to prevent, or at least postpone surgery. When the time came that we decided to go ahead with surgery, he operated on me and I couldn't have been more pleased with the result. Surgery itself, and post op care were all excellent. The staff in his office, which is quite a busy place, deserve high marks, too. Nurses and supporting staff are very personable, helpful and caring. I have never had to wait more than 10 min at most to be seen, all the messages are answered promptly and curteously. Of note: my decision to see Dr Oloff in the first place was a result of talking to many different people among whom were his patients, physicians who had first hand knowledge about his exptertise, and several physical therapists who had mutual patinets with him. All of them said just one thing: "go to Dr Oloff, he is the best" I agree, he is. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Oloff for the past 15 years. I initially visited him on the advice of several colleagues who were personally treated by him and were exceptionally pleased with the advice and care provided to each of them by him. I have been running marathons for many years and have been under his watchful care for various foot injuries/maladies as a result of my extensive training during this period. This past year Dr. Oloff operated on my foot when other prudent interventions had run their course. I have been truly fortunate to have him as my surgeon and I am highly pleased by the results. During my follow-up visits these past five months, I feel I have been the recipient of nothing but the best medical care by him and his team of professionals. Most importantly, during each visit, I have always experienced Dr. Oloff''s genuineness/encouragement and him taking a special interest in me as an individual. I highly recommend S.O.A.R. and in particular Dr. Oloff as a result of the excellent medical care extended to me by this wonderful team of dedicated professionals over the years! read more

Dr Lawrence Oloff is a great podiatrist . He is warm ,compassionate, a great sense of humor. He has been treated my feet for several years. He is always quick to order a MRI or other test to determine what is cause you the pain in your feet. He truly is a wonderful doctor. I feel lucky that I was referred to him by my other doctor! read more

Dr. Oloff saved my daughter's gymnastics career! My daughter completely trusts Dr. Oloff who was exceptionally sensitive and compassionate from the very first moment she met him, just after her injury, through the surgery and the many months of recovery afterward. No matter how busy the office was, both in San Jose and in Redwood City, at no time did we feel Dr. Oloff was rushed or less than 100% attentive. Subsequent visits for other, less severe injuries, were equally positive-from the cast room to MRI to X-ray. read more

Bucket list I have wanted to finish the Ironman triathlon (140.6 miles) since May of 2005. Lets not talk about my first attempt, a total disaster. I got the bug again in 2008 and signed up for Ironman Brazil. After six months of training I was in tremendous condition. The only problem, a big problem, was that I developed severe tendinitis in my right achilles. I traveled to Brazil but ultimately decided not to start as I might irreversibly injure my achilles. This being a bucket list priority I had to keep trying until I got it right. The big question how do I get my achilles in condition to train and race? I tried physical therapy, stretching, rest, icing, strengthening exercises and even bought an ultra sound machine no luck. I began to believe that this dream was going to be out of reach. Subsequently, I was referred to Dr. Oloff at SOAR. He suggested shock wave therapy to break up scar tissue and PRP where your blood is reinjected into the injured area and this would help in healing. After that and a second PRP injection I finished Ironman Brazil 2013 with absolutely no pain in training or racing (unthinkable). It is my understanding that Dr. Oloff did the surgery for SF Giants catcher Buster Posey. It is fantastic that the Giants have so much confidence in Dr. Oloff however I always felt that Dr. Oloff cared as much for me as he did for any pro athlete. I would strongly recommend Dr. Oloff to any weekend warrior who needs his or her dreams to come true. Scott Stevenson Carmel Ca. read more