About Dr. Ryan Blackwell
Care shaped by your goals.
Dr. Ryan Blackwell combines advanced orthopedic sports medicine training with a clear, individualized approach to treatment and recovery.
His approach
How he approaches your care
Every visit starts the same way: understanding your injury, your goals, and what recovery needs to look like for your life.
- Understand what matters to youYour injury, concerns, activity, and goals help define what comes next.
- Explain the diagnosis and the optionsYou should leave every visit understanding what's happening and what the reasonable choices are — in plain language.
- Nonoperative care when it fitsSurgery is one tool among several, used when it's the right one — not the default starting point.
- Individualized, criterion-based recoveryRehabilitation and return to activity are paced to your progress — not a fixed calendar.
Training & credentials
Training & credentials
A curated summary — not the complete record.
- Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery — American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Subspecialty Certification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine — American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Fellowship — Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Denver, Colorado
- Residency — The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
- Medical degree — The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Undergraduate degree — Michigan State University, B.S. Human Biology
Experience & leadership
Experience & leadership
Relevant experience caring for competitive athletes on and off the field.
- Team Orthopedic Surgeon for the Columbus Crew — experience caring for competitive athletes, collaborating closely with sports-medicine professionals, and helping guide return-to-play decisions.
- He previously served as a team physician for the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, and Cherry Creek High School football program.
- Active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), and the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA).
- He received multiple teaching honors during residency at Ohio State, including a departmental resident-teaching award.
Read patient reviews on Orthopedic ONE (opens Orthopedic ONE's official website in a new tab)
Soccer background
A player's understanding of the game
Understanding athletes isn't only academic. Dr. Blackwell has trained and competed himself, and works to bring that same understanding to recreational athletes, weekend warriors, and everyday active people — not only elite competitors.
Before medical school, Dr. Blackwell played NCAA soccer at the University of Kentucky—an experience that helps him relate to athletes at every level and understand the importance of returning to the activities that matter to them.
Your care team
The people you'll see alongside Dr. Blackwell
Care is a team effort. Alongside Dr. Blackwell, these are the people you're most likely to work with before, during, and after your visit.
Kate Westfield, PA-CPhysician Assistant 
Liz Delehanty, M.Ed., AT, CSCSPatient Care Coordinator
Research
Selected publications
A sample of Dr. Blackwell's peer-reviewed research — distinct from the patient-education content elsewhere on this site.
- Pettit RJ, Everhart JS, DiBartola AC, Blackwell RE, Flanigan DC. Time Matters: Knee Cartilage Defect Expansion and High-Grade Lesion Formation while Awaiting Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation. Cartilage. 2021;13(2):1802S–1808S.
- Blackwell RE, Kushelev M, Norton J, Pettit R, Vasileff WK. A Comparative Analysis of Quadratus Lumborum Block versus Femoral Nerve and Fascia Iliaca Blocks in Hip Arthroscopy. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation (ASMAR). 2020;3(1):e7–e13.
- Blackwell R, Schmitt LC, Flanigan DC, Magnussen RA. Smoking Increases the Risk of Early Meniscus Repair Failure. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2016;24(5):1540–1543.
Next step
Ready to talk about your care?
If you're ready to take the next step, request an appointment. This website is not monitored for emergencies — for a medical emergency, call 911.