Look: Sports World Reacts To Death Of Legendary Doctor
Given how often the sports world crosses paths with the medical field, it's an understandably sad day when an innovator in sports medicine passes away.
On Friday t was reported that Dr. J. Richard Steadman recently passed away in Colorado. He was 85 years old.
Steadman rose to prominence in the 1970s as chief physician of the United States Ski Team. With Olympic medalist Cindy Nelson as one of his first high-profile clients, he built a practice that would revolutionize treatment of knee surgery and knee rehabilitation for athletes in just about every sport.
Together with shoulder-and-arm-specialist Richard Hawkins he opened the Steadman–Hawkins clinic. NFL legends like Joe Montana, Dan Marino and John Elway all took visits there for their various injuries, as did Alex Rodriguez, Rod Woodson and the late-great Kobe Bryant.
The worlds of both sports and medicine have come out to offer condolences to Steadman:
Born in Texas, Dr. Steadman graduated from Texas A&M before getting his medical degree from the UT-Southwestern Medical School. He spent two years in the U.S. Army and worked his residency in New Orleans before moving to California to practice orthopedics - specializing in knee injuries.
After starting to work with athletes on rehab and recovery from injuries, he moved to Colorado in the 1990s to open the Steadman-Hawkins clinic and later start the Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation.
Steadman has been inducted into multiple Hall of Fames for his work in sports medicine.
Our hearts go out to Dr. Steadman's family and loved ones.
