Dr. John Richard Steadman, a Texas native, is an orthopedic surgeon who founded the world-renowned Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He established the practice in 1990 with Dr. Richard J. Hawkins.  The clinic focuses primarily on sports medicine injuries and rehabilitation.

In 1976 he became the Chairman of the medical group for the U.S. Ski Team.  As chief physician for the Team, injured skiers would fly directly to Dr. Steadman for treatment.  Dr. Steadman’s surgical skill and post-operative exercise regime not only benefited the U.S. Ski Team, but most importantly, many thousands of active people who have sustained serious injuries.  The new rehabilitation techniques he pioneered help skiers and active people regain motion, function, and the competitive edge in the least time possible.  Today, these protocols are standard practice in orthopedic medicine.

Dr. Steadman has preserved the careers of Olympic and World Championship Medallists Picabo Street, Marc Giradelli, Pernilla Wiberg, Tommy Moe, Cindy Nelson, Hilary Lindh, Phil Mahre, Steve Mahre, Pete Patterson, Greg Jones, Tamara McKinney, Christin Cooper, Bill Johnson, Diann Roffe-Steinrotter and Debbie Armstrong. With the exception of Tamara McKinney, all of these athletes were treated by Dr. Steadman for serious injuries prior to winning their champion world cup team medals. 

Dr. Steadman’s reputation with skiers has brought many superstar athletes from other sports to Vail, Colorado for treatment.  International soccer players Lothar Mathaeus, Captain of Germany’s Champion World Cup  team, and Alessandro Del Piero from Italy, tennis greats Martina Navaratilova and Monica Seles, as well as future Hall-of-Fame Football players Dan Marino, John Elway, Bruce Smith, Rod Woodson, Joe Montana, Terrell Davis and many more have had their careers extended by the healing hands of Dr. Steadman.

As Director of the U.S. Ski Team’s volunteer doctor’s program beginning in 1976, he organized medical support for U.S. athletes and coaches competing around the world.  Through his leadership every U.S. athlete competing or training on foreign snow was accompanied by a U.S. Ski Team physician of the highest caliber.

With his inquisitive and intuitive mind, Dr. Steadman established the Steadman Sports Medicine Foundation in 1988 to help solve injuries and impediments that confront athletes and active people attempting to return to a high level of performance and recreation.  The foundation is located in Vail, Colorado and has been renamed The Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine foundation to incorporate his partner Dr. Richard J. Hawkins.

The Foundation, established for orthopedic sports medicine research and education, has brought international acclaim and recognition to the State of Colorado as a center of excellence.  Dr. Steadman’s research has led to innovative methodology to treat, care and prevent ski injuries in all levels of skiers.  He has pioneered new surgical techniques; microfracture and healing response to restore ski injuries and to preserve function in all active people.  He has published 107 articles and book chapters and has presented his work at over 170 national and international meetings.