Soccer Ref Back on Field after Special Knee Surgery at St. Luke’s

Rob White is happily married and the father of five boys, all younger than 10, and referees high school and college soccer games, so he has plenty to chase. But worsening knee pain left him barely able to run and threatened to remove the “stress relief” of officiating from his life.

White took cortisone shots, received gel injections, and had arthroscopic surgery, but they were merely temporary solutions. When doctors told him to accept the pain or consider a knee replacement, the 44-year-old Allentown resident sought another option.

That’s when an outside orthopedist referred White to Dr. Ajay Kanakamedala, an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care. Kanakamedala is a leading specialist in joint preservation surgery, an alternative to joint replacement that deploys innovative technologies to correct alignment issues causing knee pain.

Five months after undergoing a double level leg osteotomy in spring 2025, White is running 4-6 miles again on the soccer field. He is pain-free and has returned to his joy without requiring a new knee.

“From the moment I met Rob, I had the sense he was going to benefit from the osteotomy,” Dr. Kanakamedala said. “He’s the ideal person. For him to be doing what he’s doing with a double level osteotomy is not easy. It’s a testament to his work.”

Osteotomy, which means to cut bone, is a type of surgery used to correct severe leg alignment problems, especially around the knee. Though advancements in knee replacements have led orthopedic surgeons to perform fewer osteotomies, the procedure remains an option for patients with chronic pain and alignment problems who want to avoid replacement. Through advanced 3D mapping technology, which Dr. Kanakamedala is using, osteotomies are more precise than ever.

In White’s case, Dr. Kanakamedala took a series of X-rays, a CT scan and an MRI to form a picture of the misalignment and arthritic locations in the knee. Then he printed a 3D model of White’s leg, using software from a company called Bodycad, to generate accurate cutting specifications for the surgery.

Dr. Kanakamedala performed an osteotomy on two sections of White’s leg (hence the “double level” reference) and realigned the knee to distribute its weight and pressure more evenly. The 3D mapping provided Dr. Kanakamedala with exact reference points for White’s procedure and his body. “Using the 3D technology to create a patient-specific guide has revolutionized this surgery,” Dr. Kanakamedala.

This animation shows how orthopedic surgeons use advanced 3D mapping technology and a technique called BC Fine Osteotomy to realign bones with precision.

White spent six weeks on crutches, though he was riding a stationary bike five days after the procedure and began strengthening exercises 12 weeks later. He worked with Joseph Ladesic, DPT, a clinical specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s in Orefield, and started running four months after the surgery. White appreciated that Ladesic, a distance runner, could relate to his rehab needs and credited Dr. Kanakamedala for returning him to the soccer field with his own knee.

“I would recommend him to anyone,” White said. “He didn't rush. Before deciding on surgery, we spoke for several hours. He thoroughly explained the procedure, shared detailed graphs to illustrate his approach, and remained fully accessible, even on weekends.”

Dr. Kanakamedala called osteotomy an option for active people who deal with hobbling knee pain, from injury or arthritis, but might not be ready for a knee replacement. Like Rob White.

“I’m passionate about this surgery and hope more people keep it in the back of their mind,” Dr. Kanakamedala said.