Dr. Scott Graham
Orthopedic Surgery
Laguna Woods, CA
28 years experience male
Locations
South County Orthopedic Specialists
Laguna Woods, CA
My office hours
Thursday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Show morePractice website
Insurances accepted
Aetna Life Insurance Company
Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Cigna
Medicare
MultiPlan, Inc
SCAN Health Plan
Tricare
United HealthCare Insurance Company
UnitedHealthcare
Health Net
Health Net Of California
Pacific Life Insurance Company
About
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Orthopedic Surgery
Sports Medicine
Doctor Q&A
98 Answers
19 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Very Different: The rotator cuff is the tendon that attaches the small muscles of the shoulder to the ball and controls rotation. The labrum is the meniscus or shock ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Costrochondritis: It is common for the area in the ribcage where bone meets the cartilage to have some inflammation. This can be from an injury or just sleeping on it w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
No, Knee Specialist: I hear time and time again how much a waste of time it is to go to an er for a suspected acl tear. They will x-ray it, give you an immobilizer and cru... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
A good exam then MRI: Although most people think a MRI is necessary to diagnose a torn acl, most knee specialists can tell from a couple of simple test that can be done. Wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Get it looked at: Anytime somithing inside the knee causes irritation, the knee will swell. This is called an effusion. Effusions are not normal in a normal knee. At y... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Achilles tondonosis: This is a chronic degenerative process of the tendon as it tries to heal from micro injuries but mostly lays down scar tissue. Ice, stretching, heel c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Many things: He could have a frozen shoulder, a rotator cuff tear, bursitis or even a neck issue.
Have him see a shoulder specialist, often a good physical exam... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Too many things: A frozen shoulder is very painful and does not typically show up on a MRI like the other items do. These things typically do not go together. I would ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
PT or Surgery: Depending upon your activities and lifestyle, most people will likely undergo surgery to reconstruct the ligament as it will not heal. If you do not d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes, but be careful: There should be no problem with you snorkeling at all. However, i would suggest you be careful getting in and out of the area you are going to snorkel... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Stretch, ice, NSAIDs: If you have just some mild back pain which is non radiating, simple hamstring stretching, icing of the back and some over the counter anti-inflammator... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Stretch and strength: You should work on shoulder retraction(pulling shoulders back) which can help. If you sit alot, put a small pillow in your low back which will pull yo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes you should: When you tear an acl, a person often feels as though the knee went the wrong way. It is usually a non-contact injury. The knee will swell. Later after... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
GIving way/unstable: When you tear an acl, a person often feels as though the knee went the wrong way. It is usually a non-contact injury. The knee will swell. Later after... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes: Having a strong leg and thigh is helpful, in recovering from an acl injury and in getting ready for surgery to reconstruct. I suggest non impact, inli... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes but be careful: The acl is not needed for inline activities; it is needed for twisting/turning/changing directions. The symptoms of recurring instability, like you do... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes you should: When you tear an acl, a person often feels as though the knee went the wrong way. It is usually a non-contact injury. The knee will swell. Later after... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
See a Rhumatologist: I would suggest you have a consult and blood panel done with a rheum specialist.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Ice: Ice the area, elevate, rest it and if contraidicated, take some nsaid's like advil (ibuprofen).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Ice and ice more: After having a knee to knee collision, you can have some delayed bruising. Ice it at least a few times a day for 15min for a few days. It will help an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Get it looked at: This is a area where different things can go on. Get it looked at by a md>.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Get it checked out : Tis may becouse you have swelling inside the knee joint which can be a sign of an internal injury. An effusion (joint swelling) will cause tightness w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Ice and go to PT: If you are still having symptoms, you should still be icing and should be in a physical therapy program. It is unfortunately normal for a ankle sprain... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
A few things: You have chondromalacia patella. This is an early degenerative problem of the cartilage on the back of the patella and the stress with up and down act... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
This is common: It is very common for someone to have this after surgery. It occurs more often with autogenous PT grafts. Ice often, stretch you hamstrings, do cross-... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Stretch, ice, NSAIDs: If you have just some mild back pain which is non radiating, simple hamstring stretching, icing of the back and some over the counter anti-inflammator... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Possibly...or not...: Unfortunately, these partial tears can just continue to hurt with sports. Always treat these first with hamstring stretching, avoiding plyometric expl... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Kind of: Most acl tears are complete or grade 3 tears. It is rare that an acl tear is a partial tear or a grade 2 injury. A MRI is really not the best way to t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
No, labral tear: You likely have injured your labrum from the injury. While in general, popping of the shoulder is not a significant problem, popping after a dislocati... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 61-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Surgery: The fact that there is a displaced portion to this meniscus tear is important. This tear, and most, has no chance of healing. If it is bothering you, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
No: I would not suggest any intervention for painless metatarsus adductus if they are asymptomatic. Comfortable shoewear is the answer. Surgery cannot mak... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Depends....: It depends on where the pain is. The most common non-injury cause could be patellar tendonitis which would be in the front of the knee below the kneec... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Actually, it is!: The low back is stressed with almost all activities. The muscles help keep us erect with standing, running, sports, sitting...essentially everything. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
792 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Likely not..: The only way you can re-tear an ACL is with an injury that you will compare to the first time you tore the ACL. It is not uncommon for someone even at... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
791 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Core strenthening: Work on core strengthening and increase your cardio workouts. Keep your heart rate up for at least 20-30 minutes 5 times a week. Evaluate your diet an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Cervical spine: When symptoms like your occur, it is often caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. A good exam by a shoulder or even a neck specialist can help. Xrays ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
NSAIDS/Ice/Heat/PT: Calcific tendonopathy is a self limiting problem. Try meds/heat/ice first. The natural history is it will resolve on its own. Unfortunately, it is a v... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes but be careful: When you tear an acl, a person often feels as though the knee went the wrong way. The knee will swell. Later after recovery from the pain and swelling... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
In line exercises: With an acl tear, you can continue to exercise. However, you should stay away from any twisting, turning, rotational or lateral movements. Stay with i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes: You should work on shoulder retraction, ice, stay away from nsaid's and do some light exercises that are non-painful. Isometric strengthening of shou... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 57-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
It depends: It really matters where the frature is, how large it is and whether or not it involves the articular margin. It can be treated by a splint, cast or ev... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
No: Unfortunately, acl's are intra-articular and when they tear cannot heal. People will recover from the injury and feel almost completely normal a few w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Tendonitis: You should be stretching you hamstrings and quads, ice the front of your knee regularly and doing some cross friction massage on the area that hurts t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Normal: The cord does not travel exactly as the bony architecture does. This is likely more of a comment by the radiologist rather than any real pathology.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
607 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
A good exam then MRI: Although most people think a MRI is necessary to diagnose a torn acl, most knee specialists can tell from a couple of simple test that can be done. Wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Yes, for a few days: In general, the pain after an acl reconstruction is pretty bad on post op days #2 and 3. It starts to improve thereafter and most patients no longer t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Physical Exam: A well trained sports medicine orthopedic surgeon can typically tell by doing a couple different exams to your knee. Laxity is the term for looseness ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Depends: A fracture of the knee can mean so many things. What is fractured, is it displaced, is it a weight bearing region, is it comminuted, is it intraarticu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
I can be: This can be symptms of a meniscus tear, early arthritis or a loose body floating in the knee. The history of onset along with some weight bearing xray... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 68-year-old female asked:
Dr. Scott Grahamanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 28 years experience
Core Strengthening: When you low back sways in or becomes lordotic, it can be from poor abdominal and/or core strength. Work on abdominal strength and hamstring stretchin... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
159
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Graham is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Graham is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you.may God bless you
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! I will follow your advice.
HealthTap member
Yes this are the things I need to follow, & thanks for your time...
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, CA
Graduated 1995MD
Residency
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE MED CENTER
Completed 2000
Awards
Whos Who
Best Doctors in Orange County, Orange Coast Magazine
HealthTap Top Doctor in Orange County, CA - Winter 2013
Affiliations
Arthroscopy Association of North American (AANA)
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
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