Dr. Peter Fowler, Canadian sports medicine pioneer and Londoner, dies at 84

Dr. Peter Fowler, London, Ont., native and referred to as an icon in the world of sports medicine, has died at the age of 84.

Peter Fowler, London, Ont., native and referred to as an icon in the world of sports medicine, has died at the age of 84.

Fowler died Wednesday from a respiratory infection with his family by his side at University Hospital, a place in which he worked and perfected his surgical techniques for the rehabilitation of injured elite and amateur athletes across Canada — something that would one day make his name stand out in the history books.

His techniques included using a minimally invasive procedure known as arthroscopy, which uses a narrow tube attached to a fibre-optic video camera through a buttonhole-sized incision. The view inside the joint is then sent to a high-definition monitor to allow the surgeon to repair the injured joint without the need to make a large incision.

Fowler, who started his career as the first orthopedic surgical resident at Western University under the mentorship of the late Dr. Jack Kennedy, worked to perfect the procedure.

In 1974, following the completion of his residency, Fowler and Kennedy would go on to establish a small athletic injury clinic that would eventually grow into one of the largest sports medicine clinics in North America: the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, in collaboration with Western University and the London Health Science Centre.

Fowler was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2019 as a “pioneer” in his contributions to the development of sports medicine in Canada.

“We are all feeling the loss in the soul of the clinic today,” Dr. Robert Litchfield, medical director of the clinic, said in a Facebook post. “It is impossible to articulate the reach and impact of Dr. Fowler’s career. He leaves an enduring legacy in sport medicine, the medical community in London, Ont., and Canada and across campus at Western University.”

Fowler also was elected as the president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sport Medicine, “the most influential society in this specialty,” according to the clinic. He was one of only two Canadians to ever be honoured with this position.