Making Waves Again

For 12-year-old Lucas, most of his life has gone swimmingly – both figuratively and literally. A competitive swimmer who has regularly been highly ranked nationally in his age group, his promising future appeared to have suddenly evaporated during a 2023 swim meet.

"I was swimming and suddenly felt this great pain in my right shoulder" when he was 10, Lucas recalls.

"He just started going slower and slower, so we knew something was wrong," his mother Joyce adds. "We went to see orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Gott at White Plains Hospital, where a contrast MRI showed that his ligament had become completely detached from his right elbow."

Dr. Gott was able to reattach the ligament using sutures, followed by three months of physical therapy. However, a few months later Lucas started to experience pain in his left elbow. "We thought maybe it was something like tennis elbow, and that all he needed was rest," Joyce says. After an exam with Dr. Jimmy Chan, it became clear more was needed. Dr. Chan performed a minimally invasive arthroscopic procedure to remove cartilage fragments in his young patient's left elbow.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

A few months later, Lucas was back in the pool. "It's been a slow progression," Joyce says. "There are still certain movements that he's not strong enough to do yet – but swimming-wise, he's getting there."

They had an exceptional experience at the Hospital. "They really treated him with care," Joyce says, "and both doctors were very approachable and reachable."

"I'm doing pretty well now," Lucas adds. "I'm looking forward to continuing to swim."