Successful Knee Surgery and Rehab at UH Lets Quarterback Return for His Senior Football Season

During Game 9 of his junior year at North Baltimore High School, quarterback Luke Long took a hard hit to the knee. He got right back up, but his parents, Jeff and Annie, immediately worried something was wrong. Jeff had torn his own ACL years ago and immediately suspected Luke’s knee might be badly injured.

After evaluating him, Luke’s athletic trainer told Luke he likely had a stretched MCL. Luke wanted to keep playing, so he did.

The next week, Luke did everything he could to get ready for the league championship. He went to physical therapy, iced, used a recovery chamber and kept working hard. His knee was still swollen, but he pushed through the discomfort and helped his team win the league championship. He even continued playing into the playoffs.

The Injury Was Worse Than Expected

However, after the season ended, an MRI revealed just how serious Luke’s injury was: He’d torn his ACL, PCL, MCL and meniscus.

It was devastating news, especially for a kid heading into his senior year.

“We had an emotional conversation as a family,” Jeff said. “We all knew getting Luke back to football was going to take a tremendous amount of work. But he was determined and ready to do it.”

Planning Ahead With Confidence

Around Thanksgiving, the family turned to Luke’s uncle, Adam J. Peiffer OD, MS, a pediatric optometrist for University Hospitals, for guidance. Dr. Peiffer immediately referred Luke to James Voos, MD, University Hospitals Chairman of Orthopedics and head team physician for the Cleveland Browns.

Even though it was Thanksgiving week, Luke was able to get in to see Dr. Voos the following Monday. From the moment Luke and his parents walked into his office, Dr. Voos put the entire family feel at ease.

“Dr. Voos gave us a plan,” Jeff said. “More importantly, he gave Luke confidence. ‘You have your senior year next year, and I’m going to get you back in the game,’ Dr. Voos told him.”

Luke was scared, and the family had no idea what the next several months would be like. But Dr. Voos was calm and reassuring. The family left that first appointment believing Luke could and would get back to the game he loved.

Surgery, Rehab and Patience

Luke underwent surgery on December 9. Just three days later, he began rehabilitation with Zack Bires, PT, and the rest of the UH Physical Therapy team at T3 Performance in Avon. From that first therapy session, the goal was clear: safely get Luke back on the football field.

“For months, we made the nearly one-hour-and-45-minute drive each way to Avon, often twice a week,” Jeff said. “Luke never complained. He just worked hard.”

Zack and the UH Physical Therapy team pushed Luke while making sure every step of his recovery was done the right way. Dr. Voos remained involved throughout the process, communicating with Luke, his family and his care team.

The family felt like everyone involved in Luke’s care was working toward the same goal. All of the appointments, miles driven and months of work eventually led to the moment Luke had been waiting for: his senior football season.

New Season Is Off to a Great Start

Today, Luke is back at quarterback for North Baltimore. His knee feels normal, and his team has started the season 4-0.

The experience has even helped shape what Luke wants to do next. After graduation, he hopes to play football in college and pursue a career in physical therapy – a choice influenced in part by the people who helped him get back on the field.

“I went into that first appointment scared,” Luke said. “But Dr. Voos was so calming. And he gave me a plan that worked. I’m so grateful to him for everything.”

“As Luke’s parents, it’s hard to put into words what this experience has meant to us,” Jeff said. “From Dr. Voos and his team, to the UH Physical Therapy team at T3 Performance, to the great communication throughout all of Luke’s care, we always felt like people were looking out for our son.

“If you’d asked us at the beginning what the best possible outcome could be, we don't think we would’ve imagined it going this well. For any athlete or family facing an injury like Luke’s, we’d tell them what we learned through our experience: Find the right team, trust the process and never underestimate what’s possible.”