Jeremy R. Swisher, MD
- Orthopedic Surgery
About
Dr. Jeremy Swisher is a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Division of Sports Medicine). At UCLA, Dr. Swisher specializes in caring for athletes and active individuals of all ages with sports‑related musculoskeletal injuries, osteoarthritis, and chronic tendinopathy. He is known for non‑operative orthopedic care and point‑of‑care musculoskeletal ultrasound to make precise diagnoses and guide treatment.
Minimally invasive, ultrasound‑guided procedures include:
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Ultrasound‑guided joint injections (knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, elbow, ankle)
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Orthobiologic injections including hyaluronic acid and platelet‑rich plasma (PRP)
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Percutaneous needle tenotomy for tendinosis (chronic tendon‑related pain)
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Needle barbotage for calcific tendinitis (ultrasound‑guided lavage of calcium deposits)
Team coverage & research
In addition to his UCLA Health clinical practice, Dr. Swisher is the head team physician for UCLA Women’s Volleyball and UCLA Swim & Dive. He has provided medical coverage for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), and staffed the NFL Scouting Combine. He also collaborates on research with UCLA Athletics focused on injury prevention, concussion, recovery, and the use of wearable technology to inform safe return‑to‑play.
Education & professional service
Dr. Swisher completed a Sports Medicine fellowship at UCLA, Family Medicine residency at Wake Forest University, and earned his MD at Texas A&M University College of Medicine. He leads UCLA’s musculoskeletal ultrasound teaching series for residents and fellows, serves as Faculty Lead for the AMSSM Fellowship newsletter, and is a peer reviewer for the AAFP. He is a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Athletic background
A lifelong athlete, Dr. Swisher played collegiate basketball and remains active in basketball and pickleball, having traveled nationally to compete in pickleball tournaments. He enjoys blending his on‑court experience with evidence‑based sports medicine to help patients reach their training and competition goals.
Languages
Education
Medical Board Certifications
Fellowship
Residency
Degree
Recognitions
- Austin College First Decade Award, 2025
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Research Award, 2024
- AAFP Top 20 Articles of 2023, recognized 2024
- See More
Locations
West Hills Orthopedic Surgery
Hospital Affiliations
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
Medical Services
Research
Interests
- Diagnostic and interventional musculoskeletal ultrasound: education, competency assessment, and ultrasound‑guided procedures.
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Concussion: early activity strategies; physiologic monitoring with wearable technology (HRV, sleep, recovery indices) to support safe return to learn/play.
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Tendinopathy: outcomes of shockwave therapy vs needle tenotomy; PRP; load‑management algorithms.
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Injury epidemiology: emerging sports including pickleball; throwing injuries; overuse in youth sport.
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Recovery science: modalities such as cold‑water immersion, sleep optimization, magnesium threonate, and strength programming to reduce injury risk.
Publications
Peer‑Reviewed
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Swisher J, Sitton Z, Miles C. Hanging in There: Unique Shoulder Pain in a Soccer Player. Clin J Sport Med. 2023;33(3):e75–e76
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Sitton Z, Swisher J, et al. Retrospective Analysis of MLB Hit‑by‑Pitch Rates. Clin J Sport Med. 2023. PMID: 38133560
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Lintner LJ, Swisher J, Sitton ZE. Childhood & Adolescent Sports‑Related Overuse Injuries. Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(6):544–553. PMID: 38215415
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Burbank K, Swisher J, et al. Sleep Consistency as a Risk Factor for Lower Extremity Injuries in DI Soccer. Clin J Sport Med. 2024;34(2):211
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Keely J, Sitton Z, Swisher J, et al. NFL Concussion Rates Across Helmet Types. Clin J Sport Med. 2024;34(2):173–174
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Swisher J, Burbank K, et al. Sleep Consistency as a Predictor of Injury Risk in DI Athletes. Clin J Sport Med. 2024;34(2):184. PMID: 38436935
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Burbank K, Swisher J, et al. Diagnostic Accuracy: ChatGPT vs Fellowship‑Trained Faculty. Clin J Sport Med. 2024;34(2):197
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Waldrop M, Swisher J, et al. Rest Days & Musculoskeletal Injuries Among MLB Pitchers. Clin J Sport Med. 2024. PMID: 39292010
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Swisher J, Sitton Z, Waldrop M. Epidemiology of Golf‑Related Injuries & Alcohol Use. Clin J Sport Med. 2025. PMID: 39964240
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Swisher J, Sitton Z, Burbank K, Nelson C. Acute Monoarthritis: Diagnosis in Adults. Am Fam Physician. 2025;111(6):497–506. PMID: 40531148
Book Chapters
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When to Image for Sports‑Related Complaints. Urgent Care Medicine Secrets, 2nd ed. Elsevier, 2024.
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General Concepts in Nutrition and Exercise. In Clinical Considerations in School‑Based Health, Springer, 2025: 849–855.
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The Acutely Injured Hip, Knee, and Ankle. In Clinical Considerations in School‑Based Health, Springer, 2025: 927–937.
In the News
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Featured expert: “Are Americans Doing Fitness Wrong?” The New York Times (Jan 2025).
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Featured expert: “The ‘Deathracers’ key to staying young? Skateboarding into your 60s and beyond.” Los Angeles Times (June 2025).
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Featured expert: “What is a ‘flexologist’ and do you need to see one?” Los Angeles Times (June 2025).
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Featured expert: “Fireworks are out of control in Los Angeles. Five things experts wish you knew.” Los Angeles Times (June 2025).
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Featured expert: “How many sets does it take to build muscle? The answer may surprise you.” Health.com (July 2025).
Insurance
- Aetna
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Shield of California
- Centivo
- Cigna
- First Health
- Health Net of California
- Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
- Medicare Advantage
- MultiPlan
- UFCM Health System
- Prime Health Services
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- TRICARE
- UnitedHealthcare
The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change.
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.
Visit our health insurance information page for more details.
Recognitions
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Austin College First Decade Award, 2025
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Wake Forest University School of Medicine Research Award, 2024
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AAFP Top 20 Articles of 2023, recognized 2024
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AMSSM Agostini Grant Reviewer, 2024
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Ortho EM Pearls Author of the Year, Honorable Mention, 2023
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AMSSM Foundation Resident Scholarship Award, 2023
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Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Pinnacle Award Finalist, 2022
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Gold Humanism Honor Society, 2020