Performance and athlete injuries need a clear, structured treatment plan built around your specific condition and goals. Dr. Reza Jazayeri is a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a sports medicine fellowship from the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
His clinical focus covers shoulder, knee, and elbow care for athletes, active adults, and combat sports practitioners across the Greater Los Angeles area. Whether you are dealing with a recent injury or a chronic condition affecting your performance, knowing your options is the first step toward a return to activity.
Common Types Of Performance Injuries In Athletes
Performance injuries generally fall into two categories: acute trauma and overuse conditions. Acute injuries happen suddenly during activity. These include ligament tears, muscle strains, fractures, and dislocations.
Overuse injuries develop gradually from repetitive motion and insufficient recovery. Common examples are tendonitis, stress fractures, and bursitis. In the shoulder, rotator cuff tears and labral injuries frequently affect throwing athletes and swimmers.
Knee conditions like ACL tears and meniscus damage are common in sports with cutting and pivoting movements. Elbow injuries, including ulnar collateral ligament tears, often appear in overhead athletes and combat sports practitioners.
Signs Indicating The Need For Medical Attention
Some discomfort is normal with training, but certain signs point to a need for professional evaluation. Pain that persists beyond a few days of rest or worsens with activity should not be ignored. Swelling that does not subside, visible joint deformity, or an inability to bear weight on a limb are clear signals to seek care.
Other warning signs include a joint that feels unstable, locks, or catches during movement. Numbness, tingling, or significant loss of range of motion also warrant a prompt assessment. Early diagnosis often leads to more treatment options and a shorter recovery timeline.
Schedule Your Consultation For Injury Treatment
If a performance injury is keeping you from training or competing, a clear treatment plan starts with a thorough evaluation. Dr. Jaz treats athletes and active adults throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. Virtual consultations are available for patients across California and beyond.
His practice philosophy is straightforward: treat every patient with the same level of care and attention he would give to his own family. Take the next step toward recovery and schedule your consultation for performance and athlete injuries today.
Non-Surgical Treatment Methods For Sports Injuries
Many performance injuries respond well to non-surgical care. The R.I.C.E. Method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) remains a useful starting point for acute injuries. Anti-inflammatory medications can help manage pain and swelling in the short term.
Physical therapy plays a central role in rebuilding strength and correcting movement patterns that contributed to the injury. Dr. Jazayeri also offers biologics and regenerative medicine options, including PRP injections and stem cell augmentation, when appropriate. His non-surgical-first approach means therapy and injections are explored before surgery across all conditions of the shoulder, knee, and elbow.
Role Of Physical Therapy In Recovery
Physical therapy is a cornerstone of sports injury recovery. A structured therapy program helps restore range of motion, rebuild muscle strength, and retrain neuromuscular control. For athletes in Los Angeles, working with a therapist who understands sport-specific demands makes a measurable difference.
Therapy typically progresses through phases: reducing pain and inflammation, restoring mobility, strengthening supporting muscles, and finally reintroducing sport-specific movements. Dr. Jazayeri integrates prehabilitation into his protocols, using structured pre-surgical conditioning to prepare the body before a procedure. This approach supports a smoother post-operative course when surgery becomes necessary.
Rehabilitation Strategies For Athletes
Effective rehabilitation goes beyond basic exercises. Dr. Jazayeri uses a metabolic and nutritional optimization approach as a standard part of his surgical protocol. This includes preoperative lab testing for Vitamin D levels, inflammatory markers, hormone status, and muscle health, followed by targeted supplementation.
His proprietary BOAT Protocol (Biologically Optimized ACL Technique) combines biologic augmentation, intraosseous modulation, and metabolic optimization into one recovery framework. The Bio-Fertilization Technique applies similar principles across other procedures. These strategies aim to support the body’s natural healing processes while protecting the surgical repair during the critical early phases of recovery.
Preventive Measures To Avoid Future Injuries
Prevention starts with identifying the factors that contributed to the original injury. Proper warm-up routines, consistent strength training, and adequate recovery periods form the foundation, using appropriate equipment and maintaining good technique during training reduces stress on vulnerable joints. Dr. Jazayeri emphasizes musculoskeletal longevity and healthspan as a defined clinical focus.
His approach includes assessing movement patterns, addressing nutritional gaps, and creating a sustainable training load that supports long-term performance. Athletes who invest in prevention often spend less time sidelined and more time progressing in their sport.
How To Choose An Orthopedic Specialist
Selecting the right orthopedic specialist affects your diagnosis, treatment path, and recovery experience. Look for a surgeon with fellowship training in sports medicine and board certification in both orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Jazayeri completed his residency at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and his sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
With over 15 years of experience treating athletes and active adults, he brings focused clinical expertise in shoulder, knee, and elbow care. He also serves as faculty at the Smith+Nephew UFC Combat Sports Medicine Course, reflecting his deep involvement in advancing sports medicine education.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Performance injuries can be classified into acute trauma and overuse conditions. Acute injuries happen suddenly, like ligament tears or fractures, while overuse injuries develop gradually, such as tendonitis or stress fractures.
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If pain persists beyond a few days or worsens with activity, it’s time to see a doctor. Other signs include swelling that doesn’t go down, visible joint deformity, or an inability to bear weight on a limb.
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Many injuries can be treated without surgery using methods like the R.I.C.E. approach, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications. Dr. Jazayeri also offers biologics like PRP injections when appropriate, focusing on a non-surgical-first approach.
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Physical therapy helps restore range of motion and rebuild strength after an injury. A structured program can guide athletes through phases of recovery, ensuring they regain the necessary skills for their sport.
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To prevent injuries, focus on proper warm-ups, consistent strength training, and adequate recovery. Using the right equipment and maintaining good technique during training can also help reduce stress on your joints.
Why Choose Us For Your Performance Injury Care?
We understand how essential it is for athletes to recover quickly from injuries. Dr. Reza Jazayeri is a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. He has over 15 years of experience treating shoulder, knee, and elbow injuries, focusing on athletes and active individuals in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Our approach combines advanced surgical techniques with non-surgical options. We prioritize your recovery by exploring therapies and injections before considering surgery.
Dr. Jazayeri’s unique protocols, like the BOAT Protocol and Bio-Fertilization Technique, are designed to enhance healing. They support your return to peak performance. Trust us to provide the care you deserve, just as we would for our own family and friends.
Meet Dr. Reza Jazayeri
Dr. Reza Jazayeri specializes in sports medicine with expertise in shoulder, knee, and elbow injuries. A Southern California native, Dr. Jazayeri combines an engineering background with elite surgical training, completing his orthopedic surgery residency at the nationally ranked NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and a sports medicine fellowship at the renowned Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic.
After more than 15 years caring for patients within the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Dr. Jazayeri joined DOCS Health to expand a practice focused on personalized orthopedic and sports medicine care and surgical excellence. As Director of Longevity at DOCS Health, he leads the development and implementation of optimization protocols and regenerative medicine strategies designed to improve long-term musculoskeletal health and extend healthspan.
His published work includes a 2026 coauthored review of nutritional optimization in spine surgery in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. View Dr. Jazayeri’s research publications and training.
Dr. Jazayeri, took care of both my shoulder replacements. I am exceptionally happy with his care and the quality of time he spent with me. Both my shoulders are now feeling great. I’m able to do all the activities that I have previously thought was never possible. I got denied by multiple surgeons who told me this was gonna be impossible given the advanced deformation from my previous injuries . Dr. Jazayeri was able to take me through both sides and gave me the comfort and confidence I needed, and now I’m able to go back to golf, tennis and pick up my grandkids. Highly recommend him!!
Medically reviewed by Reza Jazayeri, M.D. on
