As a standout high school player at Youngstown’s East High School, Samair Colon dreamed of playing college basketball. Her dreams came true when she was offered an athletic scholarship to Southwest Community College in Creston, Iowa.
In fall 2023, 18-year-old Samair Colon was living her dream playing college basketball on an athletic scholarship at Southwest Community College in Creston, Iowa, 800 miles away from her hometown of Campbell, OH. But in November 2023, everything came to a screeching halt.
“We were in the middle of a game when I went for a layup and felt a pop in my right leg,” Samair recalled. “The coaches had to carry me off the court.”
Although she was able to recover enough to walk, things got worse on the bus ride home.
“My leg was swollen, and I couldn’t move it,” she said.
Samair waited a few days before going to the doctor because she hoped her injury would get better on its own.
“I finally saw a doctor and requested an MRI, but they didn’t think it was necessary and cleared me to play,” Samair explained.
During her freshman college season, Samair tore both her ACL and meniscus. She made the decision to return home to receive care at Akron Children’s.
Despite her reservations, she returned to the court, only to experience the same popping sensation again. A third occurrence on December 29 solidified her concerns.
“This time, my knee gave way in both directions,” she said.
Yet, even after pleading for an MRI, she was cleared to play once more.
Determined to get a proper diagnosis, Samair made the decision to return home to Ohio to be seen by Akron Children’s Sports Medicine department, where she had been treated in high school for a different injury.
According to Dr. Christopher Liebig, sports medicine physician, Samair’s clinical history and exam were concerning, so he ordered an MRI and was able to help get it scheduled that day.
“Unfortunately, her suspicions were correct,” he said. “She had findings on her MRI that were going to require surgery.”
Since she was only able to return home for a week, Samair was impressed with how quickly she was seen and assessed. Two days after her appointment with Dr. Liebig, Samair met with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Patrick Riley, Jr.
“I first met Samair in January 2024 and diagnosed her with a complete ACL tear with lateral and medial meniscus tears,” said Dr. Riley. “The delay in her diagnosis could potentially have contributed to the additional meniscus tears caused by the ongoing knee instability.”
Samair had surgery in March followed by physical therapy. Her surgeon, Dr. Patrick Riley, Jr., expects her to make a full recovery and return to playing basketball next season.
While awaiting surgery, Samair returned to school in January 2024. On March 5 she returned to Akron Children’s Beeghly campus, where Dr. Riley performed a successful ACL reconstruction with meniscus repairs.
“If she follows her protocol and works hard with physical therapy, she should be able to play basketball without further risk of injury,” said Dr. Riley.
“We don’t expect a reinjury to occur as retears are fairly uncommon,” he added. “We actually have studies to show that she is probably more likely to tear her other knee ACL than the one we reconstructed.”
Although surgery had to be delayed to accommodate Samair’s school schedule, Dr. Liebig said further damage and pain was likely prevented due to Akron Children’s interventions.
“I’m very proud of our entire team and her family for managing the logistics of her various appointments to ensure she received the care she deserved,” said Dr. Liebig. “She’s a wonderful kid and I know she’ll do great in the recovery process.”
The women’s basketball season may be over, but Samair’s focus is set on a complete recovery. She’s eager to return to the court stronger than ever for the 2024 season.
“This experience has taught me the importance of advocating for myself,” she said. “Don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion if you feel something isn’t right.”
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