Dr. Freddie Fu, Renowned UPMC Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dead At 70

PITTSBURGH, PA — Dr. Freddie H. Fu, who created UPMC’s sports medicine program and was the longtime chairman of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and head team physician for Pitt’s athletics department, died Friday.

Dr. Fu was one of Pittsburgh's most recognized physicians and was acclaimed for his innovative research that led to many clinical advancements in sports medicine and orthopaedic care, particularly in treating knee injuries.

He also served for more than 30 years on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations and other initiatives.

Dr. Fu founded, expanded and advanced UPMC Sports Medicine to become one of the largest, most comprehensive clinical and research programs in the world. According to UPMC, the program placed dozens of leading multi-specialists under one roof for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of chronic and acute sports-related and non-sports-related injuries and conditions ranging from ankle sprains to knee ligament tears to concussions.

In 2015, Dr. Fu guided a partnership between UPMC and the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins to build a sports medicine and training facility in Cranberry. The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex is dedicated to hockey-related training, injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and unites UPMC Sports Medicine and professional hockey under one roof, attracting local, national and international experts to care for patients and train athletes of all levels.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced. But in lieu of flowers or gifts, the Fu family asks that memorial contributions to be made to the Fu Family Legacy Fund in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, P.O. Box 640093, Pittsburgh, PA, 15264-0093, or at http://pae.pitt.edu/RememberFu.