Damien A. Richardson, MD

Dr. Damien Richardson is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle care at EmergeOrtho-Blue Ridge Region. He treats patients at the South Asheville, Waynesville, and Hendersonville, NC, clinics, providing expert care for a range of foot and ankle conditions and injuries.

His comprehensive approach includes nonsurgical treatments such as bracing, orthotics, and therapeutic footwear, as well as advanced surgical interventions including minimally invasive procedures, ankle replacement and fusion, ligament reconstruction, and revision surgery. He also manages complex issues such as Achilles tendon ruptures, cartilage injuries, ankle instability, arthritis, and fractures, including Lisfranc and Jones fractures.

Education and Expertise

Dr. Richardson’s education began at Arizona State University, where he earned a B.S. in bioengineering with minors in mechanics and biochemistry. He went on to receive his M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, followed by an M.P.H. in quantitative methods from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as a Zuckerman Fellow. He completed his general surgery internship at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, then his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He pursued advanced training with a prestigious orthopaedic foot and ankle fellowship at Harvard’s Mass General.

In addition to his board certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Richardson holds multiple state medical licenses and is an active member of numerous professional associations, including the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association. His commitment to excellence and community involvement is reflected in his roles as a national speaker, educator, and advocate for athletic and academic achievement.

As a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic foot & ankle surgeon, Dr. Richardson addresses a variety of orthopedic conditions and injuries, including:

• Orthopedic foot and ankle surgery
• Nonoperative foot and ankle care, including: bracing, orthotics, shoe wear, and other therapeutic options
• Foot and ankle minimally invasive and arthroscopic procedures
• Cartilage injuries of the foot and ankle
• Ankle fractures
• Ankle sprains
• Ankle arthritis
• Ankle replacement
• Achilles tendon rupture
• Bunion surgery
• Hammertoe surgery
• Toe fractures
• Plantar fasciitis
• Ankle fusion
• Ligament reconstruction
• Ankle instability
• Lisfranc injury
• Metatarsal fractures
• Jones fracture
• Achilles tendinitis
• Foot arthritis
• Flat foot correction
• Turf toe
• Foot and ankle revision surgery
• Podiatric foot and ankle procedures

Community Connections

• Banner High Performance Center | Scottsdale, Ariz. August 2024 Guest Speaker – Girls Flag Football Sports Combine, Athletic/Academic Excellence
  
• Mountain Point High School | Phoenix, Ariz. July 2024 Guest Speaker – High School Football, Athletic/Academic Excellence
  
• Desert Vista High School | Phoenix, Ariz. June 2024 Guest Speaker – High School Football, Athletic/Academic Excellence
  
• Pat Tillman Foundation | Tempe, Ariz. April 2024 Guest Speaker – 20th Anniversary, Tillman Legacy
  
• Arthritis Foundation April 2023 Grant Reviewer
  
• Nth Dimensions Bioskills Workshop, October 2022 Faculty Instructor

Education

• Fellowship: Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle, Harvard—Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
• Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
• Medical School: University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
• Undergraduate: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Certifications & Licenses

• Arizona Board of Medicine, 2023
• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2021
• Medical Board of California, 2019
• California Radiography and Fluoroscopy License, 2019

Memberships & Associations

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), 2024
• International Foot and Ankle Sports Consensus Group (IFASC), 2024
• AOFAS Committee on Health Outcomes, Registries and Data (CHORD), 2021
• American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), 2016
• Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), 2015
• American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery (AAOS), 2013
• American Medical Association (AMA), 2012
• National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), 1998

Publications

1. Burke L, Burke R, Orav J, Bryan A, Friend T, Richardson D, Jha A, Tsai T. Trends in performance of hospital outpatient procedures and associated 30-day costs among Medicare beneficiaries from 2011 to 2018. Healthcare. 2023 Dec; 11 (4): 100718. PMID 37913606
2. Lederman E, Flores S, Stevens C, Richardson D, Lund P. The Glenoid Labral Articular Teardrop Lesion: A Chondrolabral Injury With Distinct Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings. Arthroscopy. 2018 Feb; 34 (2): 407- 411. PMID 29102569
3. Richardson D, Lawless K, Ranjan I, Renfree KJ. Improvement in Patient-Specific Outcomes After Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients Older Than 80 Years. Annals of Plastic Surgery. 2016 Mar; 76(3):318-322. PMID 26855035
4. Jayaraman S, Richardson D, Conrad M, Eichler C, Schecter W. Mycotic pseudoaneurysms due to injection drug use: a ten-year experience. Ann Vasc Surg. 2012 Aug; 26(6):819-24. PMID 22534261
5. Porten SP, Richardson DA, Odisho AY, McAninch JW, Carroll PR, Cooperberg MR. Disproportionate presentation of high risk prostate cancer in a safety net health system. J Urol. 2010 Nov;184(5):1931-6. PMID 20846693

Conferences/ Scholarly Presentations

1. Richardson D. PPTD, AAFD, PCFD = Symptomatic Flatfoot o Grand Rounds, Banner University Medical Center Orthopaedic Department. November 21st, 2024
2. Richardson D. Current Treatment Strategies for Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures o Grand Rounds Banner University Medical Center, Orthopaedic Department. July 18th, 2024
3. Richardson D. Ankle Fracture Updates: Deltoid Ligament Injuries o Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery Annual Conference. Feb 16, 2024
4. Richardson D. Current Treatment Strategies for Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures o Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery Annual Conference. Feb 16, 2024
5. Richardson D. Patient Reported Outcome Measures – Soup To Nuts (Individual experiences: Private practices vs Academic Medical Centers) o AOFAS CHORD Webinar: virtual presentation. May 18, 2023
6. Richardson D. Collecting Patient Reported Data Through an Integrated Platform o AOFAS Winter Conference: podium presentation. January 29, 2023
7. Richardson D. Diabetic Foot Infection o Orthopedic Symposium, Providence St. Jude Medical Center: virtual presentation. Oct 22, 2022
8. Richardson D, Flores S, Lund P, Lederman E. The Glenoid Labral Articular Teardrop Lesion: A Distinct MRI finding of Glenoid injury. o 20th Annual Academic Excellence Day. Banner University Medical Center: podium presentation. May 4, 2016
9. Richardson D. The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University: The Role of The Player Advisor o International Neuroethics Society: podium presentation. October 15, 2015
10. Richardson D, Casteneda P, Overstreet, D McLaren A. Antimicrobial Susceptibility does not progressively Decrease Over Time in Vitro. o Musculoskeletal Infection Society Annual Scientific Meeting: podium presentation. July 31, 2015
11. Richardson D. Essentials of Informed Consent. Multidisciplinary Patient Safety Conference o Banner University Center Medical Center: podium presentation. April 15, 2015
12. Richardson D, Lawless K, MS, Ranjan I, Renfree K. Improved Patient-Specific Outcomes After Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients Older Than 80 Years. o 16th Annual -OREF/ORS Resident Research Symposium: podium presentation. October 31, 2014.
13. Richardson D. The Relationship of Serum Testosterone and the formation of Kidney Stones in US Adults o Capstone Project — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. June, 2012

Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Damien Richardson now. Or, call us at (828) 630-7486 anytime to speak with an EmergeOrtho-Bue Ridge Region team member.