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 Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- 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
- Ankle Replacement
- 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 Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- TRICARE for Life East
- CIGNA EPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Choice POS II
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Basic
- Medicare Direct
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- OA Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Choice Fund PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- HighMark
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-EPO Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CIGNA PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Medicare FFS
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- First Health PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Sentara Health
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Student Resources
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Navigate
- Tricare Reserve Select
- BlueChoice Open Access
- IH-Open POS II
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Administrators
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-HMO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Network OA
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
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.