Richard J Spelts, DO

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early for your appointment for registration and to fill in a health questionnaire. Telephone the office during business hours and allow at least 1 days' notice so that we can offer your appointment time to patients on our waiting list. We recognize that your time is valuable, and we make every effort to run on time.

Southern California Orthopedic Institute is the preferred orthopedic practice in the region and home to the leading experts for diagnosing and treating bone, joint, and muscle injuries and conditions as well as musculoskeletal and spinal disorders in adults and children.

Serving as the leading educator of orthopedic surgery techniques to surgeons around the world, Southern California Orthopedic Institute is headquartered in Van Nuys with locations in Bakersfield, Ridgecrest, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Pasadena (Pediatric Orthopedics Only), Valencia, and Beverly Hills.

The thigh bone, femur, and the pelvis, acetabulum, join to form the hip joint. The hip joint is a "ball and socket" joint. The "ball" is the head of the femur, or thigh bone, and the "socket" is the cup shaped acetabulum. Labrum is a ring of strong fibrocartilaginous tissue lining around the socket of the hip joint.

The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body making it the most susceptible to instability and injury. It is a 'ball-and-socket' joint. A 'ball' at the top of the upper arm bone, humerus, fits neatly into a 'socket', called the glenoid, which is part of the shoulder blade, scapula. Rotator cuff is the group of tendons in the shoulder joint providing support and enabling wider range of motion.

The foot and ankle in the human body work together to provide balance, stability, movement, and propulsion. Plantar fasciitis is a common problem that causes pain under the heel bone often with a lengthy walk and prolonged standing. It is most often seen in middle-aged men and women. Plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that lies at the bottom of the foot.