Dr Barth is the best! He is kind, caring and compassionate, in addition to being superbly talented in the operating room. And he takes the time to explain everything. Pursuing hand surgery was truly daunting for me; hands are involved in every area of daily living. But Dr. Barth was there every step of the way from surgery through recovery.
I could not be more pleased with the outcome OR the doctor!!
Testimonials
My first impression of Dr. Starr 10 years ago which still holds true today is of an upbeat, highly energetic professional with a gleam to his eye. In his professional capacity he is able to quickly assess a situation, order diagnostic procedures as necessary and follow up with a treatment plan, possibly surgical or another alternative.
As a precursor to my testimonial I would like to note that ten years ago in December of 2009, Dr. Starr performed complex cervical spinal surgery on my neck for advanced degenerative arthritis. The prognosis at the time, was limited cervical mobility. I’m pleased to say that I have regained near full mobility.
Prior to my current surgery of November 26, 2019 I had advanced spinal stenosis. By May 2019, my back and leg spasms had increased markedly. In October, I experienced my first spinal collapse. My legs would not sustain me.
I made an appointment with Dr. Starr at the end of October. A CT scan was ordered and at a follow up visit, Dr. Starr recommended surgery at the earliest possible date. The advanced spinal stenosis had been confirmed with concurrent severe lumbar scoliosis.
Dr. Starr’s ability to envision the procedure and outcome are a testimonial to his vast surgical not only skill but vision and talent. The way he positioned the spinal hardware has enhanced my spinal alignment, adding a full inch to my height. The current prognosis includes considerable spinal flexibility both during recovery and into the future.
I am also beholden to Dr. Starr’s assistant, Ali who has been indefatigable in facilitating related treatment follow up and insurance contacts with extreme patience and geniality.
I fractured my foot in a bad place (Jones fracture) that may require surgery to insert a screw. I saw two other orthopedic surgeons specializing in feet before I saw Dr. Magur. Both tried to rush me into surgery.
A friend suggested Dr. Magur. I read his bio and was quite happily surprised to see the following: “His approach to foot and ankle care is to evaluate the injury or condition, assess the patient’s lifestyle and recommend appropriate treatment measures. When feasible, he recommends nonoperative measures such as medication, therapy, shoewear modifications and orthotics. Surgical discussions are generally reserved for conditions that fail to respond to appropriate conservative management.” That is EXACTLY what I was looking for – someone who would do everything possible BEFORE trying surgery. I had read enough about Jones fractures to know that many of them do mend on their own if the foot is not walked on for 6-8 weeks and adjunct therapy such as electrical bone stimulation or ultrasound pulsing is used. Both of those can be done at home by the patient once a day. To me, the wait was worth it to not undergo surgery.
I spoke to Ele, his Medical Assistant, and was able to obtain a relatively quick appointment. She said Dr. Magur would take new xrays of my food and then discuss with me. Not knowing if Dr. Magur would be suggesting surgery or not, Ele arranged for the surgical procedure to be performed about 4 days after my appointment with w/ Dr. Magur. She was wonderful, replying to my numerous emails and phoned questions, often before I even asked them. The info she emailed me was spot on for accurately dealing with every issue I could think of. On the day of the appt, I came w/ 8 research studies supporting my desire to wait and see in case Dr. Magur was going to push for surgery. I needn’t have bothered. Dr. Magur gave me his opinion and was completely agreeable to waiting to see if mending starts. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer experience with a doctor — he was knowledgeable, professional AND kind.
Ele said she would have a person from a medical supply company call me about getting the bone stimulator. I asked her about getting a handicapped parking sticker since I can’t walk on my foot and she said their aim was to do everything they could to make this situation better for me – and she and Dr. Magur certainly did! I feel so fortunate that my friend suggested I see Dr. Magur.
Superior Doctor and Superior Medical Assistant - Dr. Magur
I’ve been going to Washington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Chevy Chase for my medical needs since 2013. For me this is the best office in the area, which is extremely well managed and has friendly environment, with professionally behaved, pleasant and welcoming staffs.
My favorite physician is Dr. Barth! Although he is often busy caring for his patients, I always get the feeling that he is truly involved with my medical needs, wellbeing and progress. The very best thing any person needs to receive in order to trust, respect, love and stay loyal to his/her physician.
Furthermore, Alex is the jewel. She is the best assistance Dr. Barth has ever had. She is caring, attentive, and extremely pleasant. She never fails to respond to your messages and emails!
Kevin McGinness has been my therapist since 2013 at SMARTherapy. He is friendly, extremely pleasant, caring, attentive, effective, and accommodating. I recently had an shoulder injury and he was booked for almost a month, he however find a way to get me in and start the therapy. I am grateful for his healing therapy.
I’m writing to thank Dr. Barth and the staff of WOSM for the high quality care I received recently for Dupuytren’s Contracture. My entire experience was extraordinary! I had a a very successful treatment with Xiaflex, the enzyme treatment in lieu of surgery. Dr. Barth advised me that the treatment would be successful in spite of my fairly advanced contracture and the effect was immediate. I did have a relatively minor skin tear, which he also predicted, and within 7-8 days it was completely resolved. It was so much better than having to treat open surgical wounds and a face a 3-4 month recovery. I was always warmly greeted by the receptionists and medical staff and seen within minutes of arriving in the office. The SmartTherapy staff who I saw twice, once in the Barlow Bldg. and once at Sibley, was also very professional. The whole experience was very positive. God willing, sports injuries and winter weather don’t bring me back in the near future, but I will highly recommend Dr. Barth and the staff of WOSM to any of my friends who require extraordinary quality care.
Thank you all for all you do.
In December 2012, while playing ice hockey for the University of Maryland, I suffered a hip check to my left hip. I immediately went down to the ice in serious pain and was unable to put any weight on my leg. Over the next 10 months I saw multiple doctors who mis-diagnosed my injury 3 times. I was initially told that I had a bone contusion, then a fracture of my tailbone, and then a partial labral sprain. Finally, I was referred to Dr.Andrew Wolff. Dr. Wolff reviewed my imaging (I had multiple MRIs and X-Rays done on the hip) and was able to immediately tell me that I torn at least 3 cm of the labrum in my left hip joint and that I suffered from Femoracetabular CAM Impingement. I was very impressed at Dr. Wolff’s ability to immediately recognize the source of my pain and discomfort. He clearly explained that the pain I was feeling in my groin manifested from the injury in my hip joint and that the best solution at this point was to have surgery for the injury. Dr. Wolff conducted the surgery himself and oversaw my rehabilitation process. Although I missed the entire 2013-2014 hockey season, I have started every game in 2014-2015 and have no pain whatsoever. The procedure to correct my CAM impingement and labral tear was a complete success and I owe that completely to Dr.Wolff.
Dr. Wolff consistently impressed me in two different ways: his medical knowledge and his bedside manner. Dr. Wolff is easily the most knowledgeable doctor that I spoke to from the time of my injury to my recovery. He fully understood the injury, its causes, the healing process, and was able to answer any questions that I had. He was able to anticipate my progress and clearly articulate the nuances of my injury without being too technical. Dr. Wolff’s bedside manner is exceptional. He is very patient, kind, and easygoing. I have had many doctors for various illnesses and injuries, but have felt they were impatient or couldn’t relate to my activities. Dr. Wolff was always very welcoming and took a genuine interest in my overall health and recovery process. I felt that I could ask him any question and trust him to provide an honest answer.
I highly recommend that if you have an injury involving the hip, that you take the time to meet with Dr. Wolff.
I met Dr. Wolff in December 2013 and was quickly diagnosed a hip labral tear with cam impingement. I decided to go ahead with the surgery which he performed in April 2014. After 4 weeks on crutches and small steps forward, I started an intense 6-month period of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. In August 2014, I walked the John Muir trail and in December 2014, I climbed Mt. Aconcagua 23000ft. I am ready now to start training for a marathon. Dr. Wolff has been superb. He has great attention to detail, he listened to my every need and answered every question during our visits. He is extremely personable and proved to be available at any time during my pre and post-surgery period. His staff has been outstanding. I would highly recommend him. Running is my big passion and after years of hip pain, thanks to Dr. Wolff, I can finally run pain-free!
Dr. David Moss is a wonderfully compassionate and extremely competent orthopedic surgeon. My wife and I came to him after suffering negligence from another surgeon who was not monitoring how my wife’s broken wrist was healing at a bad angle that would badly compromise the wrist’s mobility. Dr. Moss explained the situation and we agreed to emergency surgery the next day, which included attaching a titanium plate to ensure the wrist would heal in the correct position. Two months later my wife’s wrist is fully healed and complete mobility is restored. Dr. Moss turned a very bad situation into an outstanding outcome. In addition his staff and those at the Bethesda Surgery Center were all efficient while also sensitive to our needs. Washington D.C. is fortunate to have such a gifted medical practitioner in our area!
Tony: (Dr. Unger)
I’ve wanted to tell you something for a few weeks but I’m hard wired that all good things end shortly after I discover them so I’ve waited a bit. The news is quite astounding….for the first time in my life….I can walk. Not sorta walk. Not limp. Not up and down stairs one at a time. I can simply walk. To me it almost feels like flying. Both legs work. I can launch off both and land on both. The pain in my legs is the least it has EVER been. All the issues with my left ankle (no i didn’t really tell you how much it hurt) have largely melted away. The pain in my femur is gone. The swelling that was routine and common seems to be nonexistent. My stride gets longer by the day. I run all over NYC like I have not a care in the world. Its beyond words. And…I owe it all to you my friend. 51 years old and I can finally understand how it feels to walk. I think I walk around with a smile on my face about half the time. I no longer stop and then step on or off a curb. I can just navigate it. In and out of subway stations used to cause me stress every time. I feared that my legs would fail me. I can stop and turn without fear that just that simple rotation will cause my legs to give way. You get the point. It’s just mind blowing.I will tread carefully with my newfound gift. I’ve been enormously patient with letting my leg recover. And I’m sure my normal state of discomfort for most would be limiting but for me its manageable. I’m still figuring out my limits and have yet to really work out my legs much beyond walking but nonetheless it is something I wanted to share you you. Its all because of you Doc. Nothing I could ever say or do will adequately express my deepest sense of appreciation for all you have done for me. Whatever life I have had has been given to me by you. You are a hero in my eyes. And I thought I should tell you.You are the best.GregPS: Catherine is pretty awesome too 🙂
It is with a grateful heart that we announce Dr. Anthony Unger’s retirement, effective December 31, 2024. As a founding member of Washington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Unger has had the privilege of forming lasting relationships with many patients and their families. It has been a true honor for him to provide care across multiple generations, and he deeply values the trust placed in him by so many.