DR. RICHARD LEHMAN

Sports Medicine

Born: November 14, 1954; Louisville, Kentucky
Position: Orthopedic Surgeon
Known For: Pioneering articular cartilage reconstruction procedure using two-phased cartilage graphs

Dr. Richard C. Lehman is a distinguished orthopedic surgeon, specializing in sports medicine and who pioneered the procedure for articular cartilage reconstruction using two-phased cartilage grafts.

He joined the St. Joseph’s Hospital of Kirkwood, an appointment he has held since 1986 and Des Peres Hospital, an appointment he has held since 1992. He has also been associated with the HealthSouth Surgery Center and Creve Coeur Surgery Center since 2001.

Because of his outstanding reputation, Lehman has been asked to serve in academic or other teaching assignments as Chief Instructor with the Orthopedic Curriculum at the Washington University School of Physical Therapy and Irene Walter Johnson Institute of Rehabilitation in 1984 and 1985. He served as the Research Assistant Professor at the Washing-ton University School of Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy and Irene Walter Johnson Institute of Rehabilitation from 1986 to 1992.

Lehman serves on the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Sports Commission, as a committee member for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Gateway Area Chapter, and as Medical Director for both the Webster Surgery Center and is part owner of the Florida Panthers NHL hockey club. Lehman is the team physician for the St. Louis Tennis Aces and Consulting Physician for the UCLA track & field team. He is on the Board of Governors for the National Hockey League, and is a board member for the Dwight Davis Tennis Center and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Foundation.

He received the Sports Medicine Hall of Fame Award for the Missouri Athletic Trainer Association. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Association, the Missouri State Medical Association, the St. Louis Arthroscopy Association, the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, the Society for Tennis Medicine & Science, the Southern Medical Association, the Southern Orthopedic Association, the Suffolk Academy of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Orthopedic Alumni.

Lehman has published many articles in various publications and has participated in several sports injury research projects. Lehman also served as medical director of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning from 2000 to 2002. He is a noted speaker in the sports medical field having presented at over 30 conferences. He completed his internship and Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the Barnes Hospital/Washington University and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

During his educational years, Lehman was awarded the Williams’ Scholarship Award from the University of Minnesota from 1973 to 1976. At the University of Minnesota he was Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. From 1973 to 1974, Dr. Lehman was an Academic All American tennis player. He won the National Academic Award for Scholastic Athletes at the University of Minnesota from 1974 to 1976.

Lehman received a B.A. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, with a minor in Chemistry. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine in 1980 with his M.D. degree.

Lehman has published many articles in various publications and, working in conjunction with Biomet, has participated in several sports injury research projects. Lehman has revolutionized cartilage regeneration techniques to further growth of reconstruction of articular cartilage. He has written and lectured extensively on the subject, and authored three books on tennis injuries. He actively takes care of track and field athletes from all over the world and professional athletes from North America. In addition, he is a noted speaker in the sports medicine field, having presented at more than 30 conferences.

Lehman currently is in private practice at the U.S. Center for Sports Medicine in St. Louis.

(Highlight video provide by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.)