Dr. Keith Lawhorn specializes in knees, shoulders, and sports medicine. He is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and has a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine. He has been recognized as a top doctor by numerous local publications and is a team physician for multiple local sports teams. Dr. Lawhorn developed and designed the JuggerStitch™ Meniscal Repair Device and technique, FDA-approved to advance the treatment of arthroscopic meniscal repair surgery.
As an avid high school athlete, Dr. Keith Lawhorn sustained a stress fracture of the tibia that required several months of activity modification for healing. This experience stimulated his interest in orthopedics and led to a focus in sports-related orthopedic injury. He graduated with a BA in Chemistry from the University of Virginia where he won the Merck Index Award in recognition of “Top Chemistry Graduate”. He continued his education at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and was named to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed a general surgery internship and orthopedic residency at the Medical College of Virginia.
Dr. Lawhorn served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for eight years, reaching the rank of Lt. Colonel. His service included three months in Pakistan after 9/11 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, and lead surgeon on a presidential trip to Africa in 2003. In 2004, he received the Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding achievement.
Dr. Lawhorn is a leading authority on sports medicine, sharing his expertise nationally and internationally. To date, he has been an invited international speaker on sports medicine topics in Holland, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, England and Japan. He has hosted visiting surgeons from Japan, Korea and Finland who have come to observe and discuss arthroscopic knee ligament, meniscal and shoulder reconstructive surgery. He is the co-author of numerous original scientific articles focusing on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction that appear in peer reviewed research publications and textbook chapters. He has pioneered new surgical techniques on meniscal repair focused on the advancement of arthroscopic techniques utilizing all-suture knotless repair designs. He has completed numerous educational videos on his all-inside meniscal repair technique. He has served on the editorial board of the Arthroscopy Journal from 2005-2010, and is currently a principal peer reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), a peer reviewer for the Arthroscopy Journal, KSSTA, and the Orthopedic Journal of Sports medicine (OJSM). Dr. Lawhorn also serves as an instructor for the Arthroscopy Association (AANA) and the International Sports Society (ISAKOS) teaching advanced knee and shoulder arthroscopic techniques. He is a member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the International Sports Society (ISAKOS).
He shares his expertise locally as well. He was team physician for the Washington Bayhawks (Major League Lacrosse) when they were located in Northern Virginia, and works as an assistant team physician with Loudoun United Soccer Team and with student athletes at Oakton High School in Fairfax and Freedom High School in South Riding.
In his free time, Dr. Lawhorn enjoys golf, circuit training, and downhill skiing. He and his wife Kim have two children and live in Fairfax.
Education & Training
Medical College of Virginia, Residency
University of Virginia School of Medicine, Medical Degree
University of Virginia, Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry
Certifications
Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery
Certificate of Added Qualification, Sports Medicine
Team Physician, Northern Virginia Community College
Team Physician, Oakton High School
Team Physician, Washington Bayhawks, 2007-2008
Organizations & Awards
Voted Top Doctor by Northern Virginia Magazine, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Voted Top Doctor by Washingtonian Magazine, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
Voted Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 2023
Voted Top Orthopedic Surgeon by Maryland Magazine, 2020
Voted Top Doctor by Virginia Living Magazine, 2018
Voted Top Doctor by Washington Consumers Checkbook Magazine, 2015
Member of the Arthroscopy Journal Editorial Board 2021-2025
Given a Certificate of Reviewer Appreciation by the American Journal of Sports Medicine for the completion of 5 manuscript reviews, 2018
Named principle reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018
Study published in The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, August 2012
Co-wrote Chapter 74: “Hamstring Tendon Autograft for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction” in Surgical Techniques of the Shoulder, Elbow, and Knee in Sports Medicine – Second Edition
Runner-up Reviewer of the Year, Arthroscopy Journal
United States Air Force Commendation Medal, 2000
Certificate of Merit Award for a Scientific Exhibit at the Radiological Society of North America meeting, 1999
Distinguished Graduate Military Indoctrination Medical Service Officer Course, 1996
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Orthopaeidc Society for Sports Medicine
Arthroscopy Association of North America
Medical Society of Virginia
Alpha Omega Alpha
Phi Beta Kappa
Alpha Epsilon Delta
U.S. Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
University of Virginia Echols Scholar
Courtland High School Valedictorian
Patient Testimonials
“An MRI after a visit to Dr. Lawhorn showed a catastrophic injury – a medial meniscus root tear. Dr. Lawhorn advised doing the repair well before the 1 year mark so that arthritis would not set in. He explained that he was patenting a new technology to make my type of repair easier for surgeons to do since accessing the root of the medial meniscus was challenging in the tiny knee space….At the 1 year mark (September 2019) I could run up to 3 miles and my knee felt 90-95% like the other knee. I was happy with this result, but Dr. Lawhorn said that I could expect even more improvement over the next year. He was right. By winter [2020], [I was] running 5-7 miles a day and my knee improved even more, now feeling 100% like the other knee. Thank you Dr. Lawhorn!” – Mary Read Mary’s full story on the blog
Post-surgical problem fractures – nonunion and malunion treatments
Radial head fracture surgeries
Reverse total shoulder replacement
Robotic arm assisted joint replacement
Robotic arm assisted knee replacement (Makoplasty)
Rotator cuff repair
Shin splints treatment
Shoulder arthritis surgeries
Shoulder arthroscopy
Shoulder impingement syndrome treatment
Shoulder instability surgery
Shoulder replacement surgery
Shoulder separation surgery
Sprain and strain treatment
Superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesion tear surgery
Tennis elbow – lateral epicondylitis surgery
Throwing injury surgeries
Total joint replacement
Total knee replacement
Wrist fracture surgery
Video: Get to Know Dr. Lawhorn
Video: Technological Advances in Sports Medicine Knee and Shoulder Surgery
As an avid high school athlete, Dr. Keith Lawhorn sustained a stress fracture of the tibia that required several months of activity modification for healing. This experience stimulated his interest in orthopedics and led to a focus in sports-related orthopedic injury. He graduated with a BA in Chemistry from the University of Virginia where he won the Merck Index Award in recognition of “Top Chemistry Graduate”. He continued his education at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and was named to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed a general surgery internship and orthopedic residency at the Medical College of Virginia.
Dr. Lawhorn served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for eight years, reaching the rank of Lt. Colonel. His service included three months in Pakistan after 9/11 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, and lead surgeon on a presidential trip to Africa in 2003. In 2004, he received the Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding achievement.
Dr. Lawhorn is a leading authority on sports medicine, sharing his expertise nationally and internationally. To date, he has been an invited international speaker on sports medicine topics in Holland, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, England and Japan. He has hosted visiting surgeons from Japan, Korea and Finland who have come to observe and discuss arthroscopic knee ligament, meniscal and shoulder reconstructive surgery. He is the co-author of numerous original scientific articles focusing on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction that appear in peer reviewed research publications and textbook chapters. He has pioneered new surgical techniques on meniscal repair focused on the advancement of arthroscopic techniques utilizing all-suture knotless repair designs. He has completed numerous educational videos on his all-inside meniscal repair technique. He has served on the editorial board of the Arthroscopy Journal from 2005-2010, and is currently a principal peer reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), a peer reviewer for the Arthroscopy Journal, KSSTA, and the Orthopedic Journal of Sports medicine (OJSM). Dr. Lawhorn also serves as an instructor for the Arthroscopy Association (AANA) and the International Sports Society (ISAKOS) teaching advanced knee and shoulder arthroscopic techniques. He is a member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the International Sports Society (ISAKOS).
He shares his expertise locally as well. He was team physician for the Washington Bayhawks (Major League Lacrosse) when they were located in Northern Virginia, and works as an assistant team physician with Loudoun United Soccer Team and with student athletes at Oakton High School in Fairfax and Freedom High School in South Riding.
In his free time, Dr. Lawhorn enjoys golf, circuit training, and downhill skiing. He and his wife Kim have two children and live in Fairfax.
Medical College of Virginia, Residency
University of Virginia School of Medicine, Medical Degree
University of Virginia, Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry
Certifications
Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery
Certificate of Added Qualification, Sports Medicine
Team Physician, Northern Virginia Community College
Team Physician, Oakton High School
Team Physician, Washington Bayhawks, 2007-2008
Voted Top Doctor by Northern Virginia Magazine, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Voted Top Doctor by Washingtonian Magazine, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
Voted Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 2023
Voted Top Orthopedic Surgeon by Maryland Magazine, 2020
Voted Top Doctor by Virginia Living Magazine, 2018
Voted Top Doctor by Washington Consumers Checkbook Magazine, 2015
Member of the Arthroscopy Journal Editorial Board 2021-2025
Given a Certificate of Reviewer Appreciation by the American Journal of Sports Medicine for the completion of 5 manuscript reviews, 2018
Named principle reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018
Study published in The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, August 2012
Co-wrote Chapter 74: “Hamstring Tendon Autograft for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction” in Surgical Techniques of the Shoulder, Elbow, and Knee in Sports Medicine – Second Edition
Runner-up Reviewer of the Year, Arthroscopy Journal
United States Air Force Commendation Medal, 2000
Certificate of Merit Award for a Scientific Exhibit at the Radiological Society of North America meeting, 1999
Distinguished Graduate Military Indoctrination Medical Service Officer Course, 1996
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Orthopaeidc Society for Sports Medicine
Arthroscopy Association of North America
Medical Society of Virginia
Alpha Omega Alpha
Phi Beta Kappa
Alpha Epsilon Delta
U.S. Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
University of Virginia Echols Scholar
Courtland High School Valedictorian
“An MRI after a visit to Dr. Lawhorn showed a catastrophic injury – a medial meniscus root tear. Dr. Lawhorn advised doing the repair well before the 1 year mark so that arthritis would not set in. He explained that he was patenting a new technology to make my type of repair easier for surgeons to do since accessing the root of the medial meniscus was challenging in the tiny knee space….At the 1 year mark (September 2019) I could run up to 3 miles and my knee felt 90-95% like the other knee. I was happy with this result, but Dr. Lawhorn said that I could expect even more improvement over the next year. He was right. By winter [2020], [I was] running 5-7 miles a day and my knee improved even more, now feeling 100% like the other knee. Thank you Dr. Lawhorn!” – Mary Read Mary’s full story on the blog
