IN MEMORIAM - PER A.F.H. RENSTROM
- STMS
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Per touched so many lives. If he was a mentor, colleague, or friend to you, we'd love for you to share a memory of him in the comments below.
It is with great sadness and with a heavy heart that we from the STMS board write to inform you that our dear friend and respected colleague Per Renstrom passed away last Friday. Per was a legend in orthopedics, sports medicine and tennis medicine who spent an amazing career helping patients and players, as well as educating, and performing and publishing practice- altering research. The sheer number of medical professionals who call Per their mentor is unimaginable. To say he made a significant impact in the lives of so many is a huge understatement.
With respect to STMS, Per was one of the original members and founders of this
organization in September of 1990. He served as its first Vice President and then an extended term as President of STMS (2002-2007). He attended all STMS World
Conferences from inception until 2023. His work in tennis was not limited to STMS, as he was part of the early organization of the ATP Medical Services Committee serving from 1998 until his death. Per was also a key member of the ITF sports medicine and science committee from 1998 to 2019.
The CV of Per would fill pages and volumes, and his accomplishments and worldwide accolades are beyond impressive. What set Per apart from others was his incredible compassion, gentle caring nature, and the approachability that made him a great friend, and truly special person. Per always took time at meetings to get to know you, ask about your family, and provide sage advice and council, reaching with a helping hand. He is one of the most incredible people with whom any of us have worked and known. The STMS feel truly blessed to have had Per as an amazing friend and advisor for all these years. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues who have lost someone so special to all of us.
On behalf of the STMS board
Please share your memories in the comments at the bottom of this page.
Eulogy for Per
I first met Per in 1990, at the FIMS conference in Amsterdam.
At that time, I had no idea how important that meeting would become for my life and career.
Per was Swedish, and as I am half-Swedish myself, I spoke Swedish to him when we met. That immediately created a connection — a sense of familiarity — and it is something that stayed with us throughout the years.
During that first meeting, Per told me, quite casually, that there would be a tennis medicine meeting in the United States the following year. That meeting would go on to become the founding of the Society for Tennis Medicine and Science. I decided to go — and looking…
To Per
I believe what many of us or all of us having the privilege to meet Per and spend time with him has in common are stories. These stories contain many different things, one thing they very often contained was laughter, Per had a unique raspy laughter that created a feeling of warmth and genuineness making people around him feel relaxed.
I remember so well the first time we were to have a more official meeting in 2003 and Per was at that time working at KI. I was so nervous as I was going to meet Per Renstrom, the legend in sports- and tennismedicine.
I was immediately struck by his fantastic way of welcoming me and above all…
For Per…….
I first met Per at the ITF Worldwide Coaching Conference in 2007 in Asuncion, Paraguay. I was speaking at that meeting and received word that “Dr Renstrom” wanted to meet with me. I had not met Per prior to this, but of course knew he was a world leader in sports medicine and I had read his books and many peer reviewed scientific articles. I was both nervous and excited to meet with him and have a discussion. It didn’t take long for me to realize his keen intelligence and passion for sports medicine, but also his warmth, kindness, and interest in people. As we discussed many topics in tennis medicine and research, he asked what I was…