Jayden's Comeback: A Tri-Sport Athlete's Orthopedic Recovery Journey

Seventeen-year-old Jayden Wolf, a talented multisport athlete participating in football, basketball, and lacrosse at Nazareth Area High School, encountered an unforeseen challenge during his junior year. In the third football game of the new season, Jayden suffered a significant injury during play. While planting his foot to stop, another player collided with him, resulting in the incident that momentarily sidelined his athletic aspirations.

Fortunately, the quick response from NASD lead athletic trainer John Ostrowski and primary care sports medicine physician Hamad Saleemi, DO, of St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care was instrumental. They addressed the injury immediately on the sidelines, providing clarity on the next steps and ensuring Jayden was informed and supported.

An MRI scan soon followed, and orthopedic sports medicine surgeon Tyler Smith, DO, of St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care confirmed the diagnosis—a torn ACL and meniscus. Dr. Smith thoroughly explained the situation, presenting Jayden and his parents with various treatment options along with the associated pros and cons. After careful consideration, Jayden was scheduled for surgery three weeks after the incident, allowing the swelling to subside and preparing him for the procedure.

“Jayden unfortunately suffered a complex injury to his knee that could be career ending for a lot of athletes. In addition to his torn ACL, he also suffered complex tears of both menisci. His lateral meniscus was actually ripped off the attachment to the bone and needed to be surgically reattached,” says Dr. Smith. “Despite these challenges, Jayden has excelled throughout his recovery and is on track to return this fall at full strength.”

Following surgery, Jayden received care at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s - Nazareth with physical therapist Jeremy Kushner, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy.

“Jayden has approached each phase of his rehabilitation with eagerness and drive,” says Kushner. “As a goal-driven athlete, he was able to methodically overcome this significant challenge throughout the recovery process. Early in his therapy, we focused on blood flow restriction training to enhance strength and muscle endurance while safeguarding the integrity of the repair and reconstruction. As his strength progressed, we introduced increasingly challenging exercises for balance and proprioception, integrating jump training and plyometrics by the fourth month and transitioning to running by the fifth month. Now, he is in the final phase of his recovery journey."

"I am moving along with my recovery because of the dedicated staff that helped me get to this point,” says Jayden. “I’m six months post-surgery and doing great thanks to John, Jeremy, Dr. Saleemi and Dr. Smith along with everyone else at St. Luke’s who’s assisted in my recovery.”

The team at St. Luke’s offered consistent and compassionate care throughout his recovery process. Jayden’s mom, Maria, expressed her gratitude, saying, “Everyone at St. Luke’s is always on the same page. They all work together; the communication piece is really there.” She added, “Dr. Smith gave Jayden books to read and even shared videos of the surgery, and he really took the time to know Jayden as an athlete and as a person.”

“Throughout Jayden’s recovery, he has expressed an interest in medicine. I explained that a similar injury to my own knee sparked my interest in orthopedics, and ultimately led to shadowing and applying to medical school,” says Dr. Smith. “Jayden had to opportunity to attend a cadaver lab at Nazareth and assist me with the dissection and repair of an ACL and meniscus. I’ll continue to support and facilitate his interest in sports medicine.”

Over the summer, Jayden will continue to work with his St. Luke’s orthopedic sports medicine team, aiming to return stronger and ready to take on the sports he loves. His dedication to recovery and the unwavering support of the St. Luke’s team highlights the power of resilience and teamwork in overcoming adversity.