Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

From ACL injury to team captain

Pierce started his freshman year lacrosse season with the goal of making the starting varsity lineup. He did – then the pandemic hit and all games were canceled. Sophomore year, he was ready to come back in full force.

Anthony finds multidisciplinary support after ATV injury

Anthony, a freshman goalie on his high school soccer team, and his cousin were driving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) in April 2019, when they lost control of the vehicle. Anthony was trapped beneath the ATV when it flipped and landed on him. Because such severe accidents carry a high risk of internal injury, he was quickly transported by helicopter to a nearby emergency room. There, doctors determined his injuries required Level 1 pediatric trauma care, and he was immediately transferred to Children's Medical Center Dallas.

Teleconcussion care at Children's Health Andrews Institute helps Sawyer get back in the game

In November 2018, Sawyer was excited for her first soccer game back after a 12-week hiatus due to a jaw injury. She had been playing soccer since she was a young child and was thrilled to earn a starting position back after her injury.

Noelle sets her sights on recovery, shoots and soars

Noelle has always been active. After years of ballet, she decided to shift her focus to other sports in high school. She ran cross country, played tennis – and found an instant fit with basketball.

A young ballerina doesn't let injury hold her back

Hannah has felt "at home" on the dance floor since she took her first ballet class at just 2 years old. Over the years, she has expanded her repertoire to include tap, jazz and hip-hop, but her first love of ballet – and now pointe – is evident. The 14-year-old trains around 23 hours a week at a Dallas-area dance studio.

A mom finds answers at Children's Health after struggling to diagnose her son's osteomyelitis

Isaiah is a very active child who enjoys riding his bike, playing outside and reading adventure books. So when the 9-year-old complained that his leg was hurting one Sunday evening, his mom, Kristi – a nurse – didn't think much of it.

Pediatric hand experts restore the use of a young athlete's hand

In April 2010, Dayton, then age 13, was seriously injured when he was accidentally shot in the left arm by a 12-gauge shotgun.

David achieves his college football dreams thanks to a pediatric hand surgeon at Children's Health

David started playing football in the fourth grade. In high school, he was the team's starting running back, and like many football players, he had grown accustomed to the physicality and intensity the game is known for – especially in Texas. So when he started to feel pain in his left hand after a home game in September 2017, the high school senior didn't think much of it.

Jack gets back in the game after an ACL injury

For as long as he can remember, Jack wanted to play football. "Every year he would ask if he could play football. I would have to tell him, ‘No, you can't play when you're 3 years old,'" his mom, Ana, says with a laugh.

Ashton improves performance after a knee injury at the Children's Health Andrews Institute

Ashton first stepped foot on a softball field when she was just 5 years old, and it seems like she's been out there ever since. The high school junior now plays for a nationally acclaimed fastpitch softball program, as well as her school's varsity team, and has already committed to playing at a university when she graduates.

A competitive barrel racer succeeds after pediatric hand surgery at Children's Health

Shylynne, known as "Shy" to her friends and family, has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She got her first horse, Shirley, to ride around in her backyard when she was just 4 years old. Around the time she turned 6, she discovered her passion: competitive barrel racing. This rodeo event for women times a rider while she completes a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, showcasing the athleticism and skill of both the horse and the rider.

An aspiring Olympic athlete requires ankle surgery and finds support at Children's Health

When Tina Myers received a call from her son's gymnastics coach in September 2015, it was unsettling news – her son, Phillip, who was 13 years old at the time, had been injured at practice. He had landed awkwardly on his ankle, and something wasn't right. It would be frightening news for any parent, but for the mom of an elite athlete it was especially alarming. Mrs. Myers immediately picked up Phillip and raced him to the ER at Children’s Medical Center Plano.

Figure skater returns to the ice after scoliosis surgery at Children's Health

Ice skating has always come naturally for 16-year-old Alexa Hassell. She competes regularly and is a coach for younger skaters. When a fall through a trampoline in 2016 resulted in the discovery of scoliosis, Alexa worried about getting back to her favorite pastime.