About me
Colonel (retired) Steven Svoboda, MD is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with a sub-specialty certification in orthopedic sports medicine by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Svoboda is associated with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center and serves as a team physician for the NHL’s Washington Capitals, Major League Rugby's Old Glory DC Rugby Club, and Prince George’s County High Schools.
Dr. Svoboda practices at the MedStar Orthopaedic and Sports Center at Lafayette Centre, where he works to build a better healthcare environment in the Washington, D.C. area. Joining MedStar Health after a 23-year military career, with the last 10 years at the United States Military Academy at West Point’s Keller Army Community Hospital, Dr. Svoboda seeks to apply what he has learned caring for American soldiers to the community in the District, Maryland, and Virginia.
An accomplished clinician-scientist, Dr. Svoboda firmly believes that evidence-based outcomes assessment of patient care is essential to improving orthopaedic sports medicine care. Dr. Svoboda serves as the Director of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Research at MedStar Health at Lafayette Centre. He is helping to lead MedStar Health’s efforts in patient-reported outcomes assessment within the orthopaedic sports medicine domain.
A native of Bowie, MD, Dr. Svoboda attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where upon graduation, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree and commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. He graduated from medical school at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, in Baltimore. Dr. Svoboda completed a Transitional Internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., and a Fellowship in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at the COL John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship in West Point.
Dr. Svoboda’s research regarding major knee joint injuries in the athletic population of Cadets at the United States Military Academy has won the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine O’Donoghue Award for Sports Injury Prevention and has received multiple United States patents. While leading the John A. Feagin Sports Medicine Fellowship at West Point, Dr. Svoboda was also the site Principal Investigator on the NCAA-DoD Grand Alliance CARE Consortium studies on concussion in college-level athletes.
During his military career, Dr. Svoboda served as Chief of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center and the Director of Orthopaedic Research, US Army Institute for Surgical Research, both located at Fort Sam in Houston, Texas, from 2005-2007. He was the Program Director of the COL John A. Feagin, Jr. Sports Medicine Fellowship, the Department of Defense’s only program of this type, at West Point from 2009 to 2017. In that role, he was responsible for training all of the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine sub-specialists in the US Army.
Dr. Svoboda is a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and has been a member of its Fellowship Accreditation Task Force and its Enduring Education Committee, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and has been a member of its Advocacy Committee. He is a member of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). He is also a reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine, the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, and the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Clinical areas of focus
- Acromioclavicular Dislocation Treatment
- Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, Knee
- Cartilage Injury
- Clavicular Fracture Treatment
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Knee Arthroscopy With Meniscectomy
- Knee Injection
- Knee Injury Treatment
- Knee Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Knee Meniscus Injury
- Knee Realignment
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Osteotomy, Proximal Tibia, With Fibular Excision
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tears
- Rotator Cuff Disorder
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Shoulder Instability Repair
- Sports Injuries
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury
- Arthritis
- Arthropathy
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bursopathy
- Cartilage Damage
- Cartilage Disorder
- Cartilage Injury
- Complications Of Procedures
- Dorsopathies
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enthesopathies
- Enthesopathy Of Lower Limb
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Forearm Fracture
- Forearm Strain
- Forearm Tendon Injury
- Hand Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Hip And Thigh Tendon Injury
- Hip Bursitis
- Hip Flexor Strain
- Hip Flexor Tendonitis
- Hip Impingement
- Hip Labral Tear
- Hip Osteoarthritis
- Inflammatory Myositis
- Joint Derangement
- Joint Derangement Of Knee
- Joint Disorder
- Knee Dislocation
- Knee Fracture
- Knee Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Knee Meniscus Injury
- Knee Pain
- Labral Tears
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Limb Deformity
- Lower Leg And Ankle Fracture
- Lower Leg Fracture
- Lower Leg Injury
- Muscle Disorders
- Patella Tracking Disorder
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Rotator Cuff Disorder
- Rotator Cuff Strains
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Muscle, Fascia, And Tendon Injury
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Tendon Injury
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Shoulder Fracture
- Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
- Shoulder Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Shoulder Tendonitis
- Sports Injuries
- Superficial Knee Injury
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tendinitis
- Tendinous Disorders
- Toe Joint Sprain
- Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Tear
Procedures I perform
- Acromioclavicular Dislocation Treatment
- Ankle Fracture Treatment
- Ankle Ligament Repair
- Ankle Replacement
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Treatment
- Anterior Tibial Tubercleplasty
- Arthroscopy Knee Loose Body Removal
- Arthroscopy With Chondroplasty
- Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, Knee
- Bone Graft
- Bone Repair
- Cast Removal
- Clavicular Fracture Treatment
- Claviculectomy
- Elbow Pain Treatment
- Glenohumeral Joint Capsulorrhaphy
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hip Arthritis Treatment
- Joint Arthroscopy
- Knee Arthroscopy With Meniscectomy
- Knee Injection
- Knee Injury Treatment
- Knee Pain Treatment
- Knee Realignment
- Knee Replacement
- Open Ulnar Fracture Treatment
- Osteotomy, Proximal Tibia, With Fibular Excision
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tears
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Dislocation Treatment
- Shoulder Instability Repair
- Shoulder Pain Treatment
- Tenotomy
- Tibiofibular Joint Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Network OA
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS II
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna HMO
- First Health PPO
- IH-POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HighMark
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Navigate
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-Open HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- OA Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Indemnity
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CareFirst NASCO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-POS Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Medicare FFS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- MultiPlan, Inc
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Sentara Health
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- POS OA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Fellowship: Keller Army Community Hospital (2005)
Residency: National Capital Consortium Graduate Medical Education (2002)
Internship: National Capital Consortium Graduate Medical Education (1996)
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine (1995)
Awards
- O’Donoghue Research Award, 2012 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- First Place Poster Award Winner for the paper, 2011 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- 2006 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Aircast Award for Basic Science
- 2001 J. Leonard Goldner, MD, Award for the Outstanding Basic Science Study
- Young Investigator Award Winner presented for Changes in serum biomarkers for cartilage turnover following ACL injury, Atlanta, GA, 4-5 November 2010
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Leadership Fellow, Class of 2009-2010 AAOS Leadership Fellows Program (LFP)
- Aircast Fellow Research Award in Clinical Science, 2015 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- US Army Health Professions Scholarship Recipient, August 1990-May 1995
- MAJ William C. Whitehead, Jr. Memorial Award for the Graduating West Point Varsity Football Letterman with the Highest Class Rank, 1989
- Military Awards
- Bronze Star Medal (Permanent Order 166-003, 14 June 2008)
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation Medal (Five awards)
- Army Achievement Medal
- National Defense Medal (Two awards)
- Iraqi Campaign Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon
- Korean Defense Service Ribbon
- Army Service Ribbon
- Overseas Service Ribbon
Team Affiliations
- Team physician for the Washington Capitals (NHL).
- Team physician for the Major League Rugby's Old Glory DC Rugby Club.
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Svoboda SJ, Harvey TM, Owens BD, Brechue WF, Tarwater PM, Cameron KL. (2013). Changes in serum biomarkers of cartilage turnover after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Am J Sports Med. Sep;41(9):2108-16.
Svoboda SJ, Owens BD, Harvey TM, Tarwater PM, Brechue WF, Cameron KL. (2016). The Association Between Serum Biomarkers of Collagen Turnover and Subsequent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture. Am J Sports Med. Jul;44(7):1687-93.
Svoboda SJ. (2014). ACL injury and posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Clin Sports Med. Oct;33(4):633-40
Cameron KL, Driban JB, Svoboda SJ. (2016). Osteoarthritis and the Tactical Athlete: A Systematic Review. J Athl Train. Nov;51(11):952-961.
Cameron KL, Thompson BS, Peck KY, Owens BD, Marshall SW, Svoboda SJ. (2013). Normative values for the KOOS and WOMAC in a young athletic population: history of knee ligament injury is associated with lower scores. Am J Sports Med.Mar;41(3):582-9.
Lanzi JT Jr, Felix J, Tucker CJ, Cameron KL, Rogers J, Owens BD, Svoboda SJ. (2016) Comparison of the Suture Anchor and Transosseous Techniques for Patellar Tendon Repair: A Biomechanical Study. Am J Sports Med. Aug;44(8):2076-80.
Cameron KL, Hsiao MS, Owens BD, Burks R, Svoboda SJ. (2011) Incidence of physician-diagnosed osteoarthritis among active duty United States military service members. Arthritis Rheum. Oct;63(10):2974-82.
Shoulder
Pickett A, Svoboda S. (2017). Anterior Glenohumeral Instability. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. Sep;25(3):156-162.
Dickens JF, Owens BD, Cameron KL, DeBerardino TM, Masini BD, Peck KY, Svoboda SJ. (2017). The Effect of Subcritical Bone Loss and Exposure on Recurrent Instability After Arthroscopic Bankart Repair in Intercollegiate American Football. Am J Sports Med. Jul;45(8):1769-1775.
Owens BD, Cameron KL, Peck KY, DeBerardino TM, Nelson BJ, Taylor DC, Tenuta J, Svoboda SJ. (2015). Arthroscopic Versus Open Stabilization for Anterior Shoulder Subluxations. Orthop J Sports Med. Jan 23;3(1):2325967115571084.
Owens BD, Cameron KL, Peck KY, DeBerardino TM, Nelson BJ, Taylor DC, Tenuta J, Svoboda SJ. (2015). Orthop J Sports Med. Jan 23;3(1):2325967115571084.
Cameron KL, Mountcastle SB, Nelson BJ, DeBerardino TM, Duffey ML, Svoboda SJ, Owens BD. (2013). History of shoulder instability and subsequent injury during four years of follow-up: a survival analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. Mar 6;95(5):439-45.
Owens BD, Cameron KL, Clifton KB, Svoboda SJ, Wolf JM. (2016). Association Between Serum Relaxin and Subsequent Shoulder Instability. Orthopedics. Jul 1;39(4):e724-8.
Concussion
Asken BM, Bauer RM, Guskiewicz KM, McCrea MA, Schmidt JD, Giza CC, Snyder AR, Houck ZM, Kontos AP, McAllister TW, Broglio SP, Clugston JR; CARE Consortium Investigators, Anderson S, Bazarian J, Brooks A, Buckley T, Chrisman S, Collins M1, DiFiori J, Duma S, Dykhuizen B, Eckner JT, Feigenbaum L, Hoy A, Kelly L, Langford TD, Lintner L, McGinty G, Mihalik J, Miles C, Ortega J, Port N, Putukian M, Rowson S, Svoboda S. Immediate Removal From Activity After Sport-Related Concussion Is Associated With Shorter Clinical Recovery and Less Severe Symptoms in Collegiate Student-Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2018 May;46(6):1465-1474.
Overtraining
Chachula LA, Cameron KL, Svoboda SJ. Association of prior injury with the report of new injuries sustained during CrossFit training. Athl Training Sports Health Care. 2016 Jan;8(1):28-34.
View Dr. Svoboda's publications on PubMed.