UI Sports Medicine helps player recover from a knee injury in time to win state basketball title
Specialized care for athletes of all ages made Dylan’s championship season possible
During his first year of high school, basketball player, Dylan Kurt, noticed persistent pain and swelling in his left knee. While he couldn’t remember a specific injury, he knew it was more than average sports-related aches and pains.
Dylan received various treatments, including surgery, to correct the issue. However, Dylan’s knee pain continued. That’s when he decided to seek a second opinion during his junior year.
“We asked around and were told to go to Dr. Wolf at University of Iowa Sports Medicine. They were right,” says Dylan.
Expertise from Hawkeye team physicians
At UI Sports Medicine, a comprehensive orthopedic care clinic for competitive and recreational athletes of all ages, patients are evaluated by the same team of physicians who take care of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Dylan met with Brian Wolf, MD, director of UI Sports Medicine and head team physician for UI Athletics. Wolf identified Dylan's issue as twice-broken cartilage in the knee that would need to be removed and repaired.
Dylan’s treatment included arthroscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a small camera into the knee to aid in the repair of tears and removal of damaged tissue. During the procedure, Wolf cleared out the broken cartilage and repaired the surrounding area to encourage new growth and healing.
Winning care yields championship results
After a successful surgery in summer 2021, Dylan faced a long road to recovery. But the prospect of playing basketball his senior year without pain kept his spirits high.
“There was a lot of physical therapy involved, but I wanted to get back for basketball season, so I tried to keep a positive attitude during the process,” Dylan says.
Seven months later, Dylan was not only able to play basketball for the entire season, but he went on to help his team win the Class 1A boys’ state basketball championship, scoring 16 points in the game.
“It's amazing to think I went from not knowing if I would get to play my senior year to leading my team in scoring during our state championship game,” he says. “I appreciate the knowledge and skills of Dr. Wolf and his staff. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Sharing his experience
Since graduating from high school in spring 2022, Dylan has self-published a book on the lessons he learned from his experience to help other high school students make the most of their time as athletes.
While he is no longer playing competitive basketball, he feels grateful for the specialized care he received at UI Sports Medicine.
“I would recommend Dr. Wolf and UI Health Care to everyone. They listened to me, were accessible, and worked with me to reach my goals. I can't recommend them enough,” he says.
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