South SFV Today

Steven Isono, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and a clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford School of Medicine, returns to the Olympics this year as head physician for Team USA.

For about a month this summer, Isono will be in Paris preparing comprehensive medical care for Olympians, coordinating with other specialists, and treating various conditions. He shares his experience caring for members of the U.S. Olympic team.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you get involved with the Olympics?

"I grew up in Oakland, went back east for college and medical school, and after I completed my orthopedic surgery training, I returned to the East Bay and started a practice in sports medicine. My involvement with my first Olympic team was USA Judo. One of the Olympic team coaches had his dojo in El Cerrito and asked me to take care of his athletes. I was then invited to the Olympic training facility which led to my involvement with multiple Olympic teams over the years."

"From a physician standpoint, you begin covering local events followed by regional and national events and finally international events. The international events include World University Games, World Championships, the Pan American Games, with the ultimate event being the Olympic Games."

Stanford Medicine’s Steven Isono takes the helm as head physician for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Lisa Kim caught up with Isono at a recent Team USA vs. Hungary water polo match at Stanford to discuss his goal of keeping athletes healthy and his excitement about watching them fulfill their lifelong dreams.

How would you describe your job?

"Taking care of an Olympic athlete is very comprehensive in nature as it involves many different specialists including physicians, physical and massage therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, dieticians, and sports psychologists. We all work together with one goal in mind: to provide the best care to allow them to achieve their dream. To be an integral part of this is really very special and at the same time very challenging."

"My commitment for the Paris Summer Olympic Games is approximately one month. Team USA has two major medical clinics: one in the Olympic Village and one in the High Performance Center (HPC), a dedicated training facility just for Team USA. Multiple sports use the HPC for training including track and field, soccer, fencing, boxing, weightlifting, archery, and many other disciplines. The dining facility at HPC is actually staffed by chefs from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs since nutrition is also crucial during this time."

What kind of care is your team providing?

"Our medical team comprises many different specialties to provide any type of medical evaluations and treatment for all our Team USA athletes. In HPC and village medical clinics we mostly see minor injuries sustained during training or competition as well as providing important maintenance treatment."

"In addition to our facilities within the village where host country provides PolyClinic – a mini-hospital equipped with additional specialties such as pulmonary cardiac ENT dermatology etc., along with X-ray CT MRI scanners – we have designated hospitals outside village assessed prior games true emergencies."

What’s different about treating Olympic athletes?

"Olympic athletes are different because their ultimate performance occurs only once every four years; therefore physical mental emotional content greater than athletes seen on television ESPN collegiate major league extremely talented success determined yearly season these athletes four years preparation ultimate competition."

How do you prepare for trips to Olympics?

"We have dress code follow provided clothing games all supplies medications suturing instruments casting materials ultrasound machine sent crates facilities arrive set clinics monthly preparation meetings start six nine months before information relayed National Organizing Committee discuss physical layout facilities housing regulations staffing logistics documentation safety etc., about one two months before meetings occur every two weeks."

How do you juggle your Stanford responsibilities?

"Fortunately department chairman orthopedic surgery Dr Bill Maloney understanding role allows necessary time games associated events partner also sports medicine takes acute problem away patients understanding tell months advance adjust schedule accordingly."

What do you enjoy most about going Olympics?

"Seeing friends not only United States but also worldwide involved movement since 1990s special part something larger imagine seeing people together area special grateful opportunity part Team USA take care special athletes."

Any advice often give athletes?

"I’m not sure give advice think learn much more than they learn from me after all training ups downs physically mentally pinnacle winning disappointment losing finality career conversation great perspective life."

Steven Isono served as Team USA head team physician at 2020 Tokyo Olympics 2022 Beijing Olympics also orthopedic surgeon 2015 Pan American Games Toronto 2016 Summer Rio de Janeiro 2018 Youth Buenos Aires 2019 Lima recently chief medical officer head physician 2023 Santiago Chile.

Isono also team physician Golden State Warriors consultant National Football League Special Olympics Ironman World Triathlon Championships among other roles.

© Copyright Stanford University