Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s newest Sports Medicine Center in Modesto — the largest of its kind in the Central Valley — is providing advanced sports medicine care, physical therapy, and concussion services under one roof.
Area leaders, physicians, and staff recently cut the ribbon on the new 20,000-square-foot facility. The bright and colorful center is filled with cutting-edge equipment and modern artwork depicting active lifestyles and athletic activities, such as rowing, cycling, running and more.
The facility was created in response to a growing community need for specialized musculoskeletal and sports care to serve the nearly 450,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the Central Valley, which includes San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
Kaiser Permanente in Northern California has 2 other sports medicine centers, one in San Francisco and the other in Sacramento. Kaiser Permanente also offers sports medicine services at multiple other locations, such as Redwood City Medical Center, Walnut Creek Medical Center, and Antioch Medical Center.
The space in Modesto was designed for athletes of every ability, including seniors, high school and youth athletes, weekend warriors, and all those wishing to be active and stay active.
“The Central Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in California, and with that growth comes an influx of people who need specialized care,” said Sanjay Marwaha, MD, physician in chief for Kaiser Permanente Central Valley. “We are excited to have these capabilities available to provide for the diverse needs of our members and patients.”
Equipped with the latest, state-of-art diagnostic, evaluation, and rehabilitation equipment, the facility includes a 3,500-square-foot gymnasium, 4 private treatment rooms, and 17 semi-private treatment bays. With an emphasis on training, injury prevention, early intervention, and recovery, the center is designed to provide the highest level of care and support for every patient’s journey.
To ensure comprehensive and personalized treatment, the center combines the expertise of sports medicine with orthopedics, physical therapy, and primary care. One of the center’s defining features is how it integrates sports medicine and physical therapy, making care seamless and collaborative for both patients and providers.
“We are fortunate to have this first-of-its-kind facility right here in Modesto, putting all of our sports medicine and physical therapy specialists side by side to provide the most complete care for our patients in one place,” said Eric Larson, MD, chief of sports medicine for Kaiser Permanente Central Valley. “This unique space allows for more practical rehabilitation, such as running, jumping, kicking, throwing, and more.”
The Sports Medicine Center at Modesto was designed with input from clinicians, therapists, and patients. The layout supports smooth workflow and excellent outcomes. Everything — from how patients check in, to how they move between treatment areas — has been considered to maximize comfort, efficiency, and healing.
The Central Valley site is recognized as a Center of Excellence for Interventional Sports Medicine, and it was one of the first Kaiser locations nationwide to become a Center of Excellence for Sports Medicine Biologics — a growing field focused on regenerative therapies that stimulate the body’s own healing.
In fact, this center will serve as a prototype for future Kaiser Permanente sports medicine locations across the region.
“All those who are active, want to be active and stay active, we’re here to help,” Dr. Larson said. “This new center assures that patients will receive the highest level of care and support in their journey toward recovery.”
