Dr. Rick Lehman

Dr. Rick Lehman is an orthopedic surgeon and expert in regenerative sports medicine, known for his work in athletic performance and advanced joint care. Lehman completed undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, earned a medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine, completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Washington University in St. Louis, and a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the founder and medical director of the U.S. Center for Sports Medicine in Kirkwood, Missouri, with clinics in St. Louis and Menlo Park.

Lehman pioneered the procedure for articular cartilage reconstruction using two-phased cartilage grafts and collaborated with Biomet to develop techniques supporting natural joint regeneration. He has written and lectured extensively on orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, and authored three books on tennis injuries. As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship-trained sports medicine specialist, Lehman focuses on biologics, joint preservation, movement analysis, and performance longevity.

Lehman has held team physician roles for several NHL franchises, including the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He has served as a consulting physician for UCLA Track & Field and has covered four Olympic Games and seven Track & Field World Championships. Lehman has served on the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Sports Commission, as team physician for the St. Louis Tennis Aces, on the Board of Governors for the National Hockey League, and as a board member for the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Foundation.

Lehman has been inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. He has contributed to cartilage regeneration research in partnership with Biomet and published extensively in orthopedic literature. He received the Missouri Athletic Trainers Association Sports Medicine Hall of Fame Award. Lehman has served in academic and teaching roles as chief instructor with the orthopedic curriculum at Washington University School of Physical Therapy and Irene Walter Johnson Institute of Rehabilitation.

Outside the operating room, Lehman is a medical commentator who appears on KTVI Fox 2 and KMOX to discuss sports medicine, orthopedic injuries, and general medical topics. He is a frequent speaker in the sports medicine field, having presented at more than 30 conferences. Lehman is recognized for translating complex orthopedic science into accessible insights on athletic performance, joint health, and regenerative medicine.