Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden, MD, was born and raised in Madison, Wis. He won five gold medals in speed skating (all events) at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., in both sprint and long-distance events. He set 15 world records total in the sport. Then Heiden became a professional cyclist, was a founding member of the 7-Eleven Cycling Team and raced in the Tour de France. He received a medical degree from Stanford University and followed his father into orthopedics.
Together with Massimo Testa, MD, a well-known exercise performance physician, he founded the UC Davis Sports Performance Center. Eric now directs the Sports Medicine department at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH) in Salt Lake City and is the co-medical director for USA Cycling, with his long-time professional partner, Testa.
Heiden works as team physician for several professional teams (including basketball's Sacramento Kings and Monarchs), and at Olympic speed-skating and cycling events. When short-track speed skater J.R. Celski cut his leg in a racing accident in September 2009, Dr. Heiden treated him and was featured in a New York Times sports cover story. Celski also turned to Heiden to develop a rehabilitation program so that he could resume training for the Vancouver Olympics in February 2010.
Heiden appears frequently in the media, commenting on athletes' physical condition, injuries, or on topical matters such as doping scandals. With his book, "Faster, Better, Stronger: The Fitness Bible" (Collins), Heiden became one of the few board-certified physicians in the U.S. to offer fitness advice to the public. The column he writes for Tribune Media Services is an extension of his desire to impart his fitness principles to a mass audience.
Heiden now lives and practices in Park City, Utah, with his wife, Karen, who is also an orthopedic surgeon. They have two children.
Eric Heiden Samples
The Right Shoe is Good for Your Sole
During my speed skating career, my Achilles heel was my feet. No matter the activity -- walking, running, weight lifting, even standing all day -- it's important to find the correct shoes.
Create the Perfect Match of Body Type and Sport
People often mentioned the size of my thighs back when I was speed-skating competitively, and, gosh, I can't deny it -- at one time my thighs measured 27 inches. This feature was an advantage to me in speed skating.
Fitness is a Family Value
I grew up during the 1950s and '60s in Madison, WI, in a family that lived and breathed sports - and I don't mean watching sports.
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