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
- Ankle Arthroscopy
- Cartilage Injury
- Elbow Arthroscopy
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hip Arthroscopy With Meniscus Repair
- Hip Labral Tear
- Knee Arthroscopy With Meniscectomy
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Rotator Cuff Disorder
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Shoulder Instability Repair
- Sports Injuries
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Ankle And Foot Fracture
- Ankle And Foot Injury
- Ankle And Foot Ligament Sprain
- Ankle Bursitis
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury
- Arthritis
- Arthropathy
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bursopathy
- Cartilage Damage
- Cartilage Disorder
- Cartilage Injury
- Chronic Gout
- Complications Of Procedures
- Dorsopathies
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enteropathic Arthropathies
- Enthesopathies
- Enthesopathy Of Lower Limb
- Femur Shaft Fracture
- Flexor Tendon Rupture
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot And Ankle Osteoarthritis
- Forearm And Elbow Joint Instability
- Forearm Fracture
- Forearm Strain
- Forearm Tendon Injury
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- 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
- Joint Infection (SEPTIC ARTHRITIS)
- Juvenile Osteoarthritis
- 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
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Muscle Disorders
- Osteochondropathies
- Osteonecrosis
- 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 Burns
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Shoulder Fracture
- Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
- Shoulder Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Shoulder Tendonitis
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Sports Injuries
- Superficial Knee Injury
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tendinitis
- Tendinous Disorders
- Thumb Synovitis
- Toe Joint Sprain
- Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Tear
- Wrist And Hand Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist And Hand Tendonitis
Procedures I perform
- Acromioclavicular Dislocation Treatment
- Ankle Arthroscopy
- Ankle Fracture Treatment
- Ankle Ligament Repair
- Anterior Tibial Tubercleplasty
- Arthrodesis Of Ankle
- Arthroscopic Elbow Debridement
- Arthroscopy Knee Loose Body Removal
- Arthroscopy With Chondroplasty
- Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, Knee
- Bone Graft
- Bone Repair
- Cast Removal
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Clavicular Fracture Treatment
- Claviculectomy
- Elbow Arthroscopy
- Elbow Pain Treatment
- Extensor Tendon Grafting
- Glenohumeral Joint Capsulorrhaphy
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hip Arthritis Treatment
- Hip Arthroscopy With Meniscus Repair
- Hip Arthroscopy With Synovectomy
- 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
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Dislocation Treatment
- Shoulder Instability Repair
- Shoulder Pain Treatment
- Shoulder Replacement
- Surgical Repair Of Flexor Tendon
- Tendon Transplantation
- Tenotomy
- Tibiofibular Joint Treatment
- Total Hip Replacement
- Traction Application
- Wrist Instability 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
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Network OA
- Navigate
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-Open HMO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Beech Street PPO
- Choice POS
- IH-Indemnity
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Employee Health Plan
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Sentara Health
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-POS Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Medicare Direct
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- HumanaChoice PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Basic
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HighMark
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CIGNA PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- TRICARE East Select
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Student Resources
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- POS OA
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-POS
- IH-PPO
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Choice
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- IH-Open POS II
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna HMO
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery
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
Urgent care 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.