Patient Testimonials - Ca'Dell

Reston – Achilles Repair

At 6’4”, 275 pounds, Ca’ Dell has a commanding presence.  A former linebacker and tight-end for the Washington Redskins back-up team, Ca’Dell has enjoyed playing league basketball and working out to stay in shape since his retirement from professional football.  Last summer, though, during the championship game of a summer basketball league at the local gym, Ca’Dell injured his ankle.  Initially, he thought the injury would heal on its own.  But, when his pain worsened and his calf became swollen, he immediately turned to his Commonwealth Orthopaedics physician for help.

Ca’Dell recalls, “I had gone to Commonwealth years before this injury when I had broken my fingers playing flag football.  I already trusted them because they had been great to me in the past.  They told me what to do and helped me recover fast.  So, I chose to go back to them again.”

When Ca’Dell’s physician determined that he had torn his Achilles tendon, surgery was scheduled for the following day.  Moving from a soft cast to a hard cast and eventually to a walking boot, Ca’Dell was on crutches for 3 months.  He also participated in therapy twice a week for several weeks.   

As a parole officer at a juvenile detention facility, Ca’Dell was eager to get back on both feet and resume his active lifestyle—both at work and play—with a new and improved tendon. 

He explains, “My Achilles is much stronger now than it used to be.  I most likely tore it from wear and tear.  But, my physician matched my new Achilles up with my body weight, reattaching it and making it thicker.”

Remarkably, Ca’Dell did not lose any muscle during his recovery period.  Determined to get back to the gym and maintain his workout schedule, he is on his way to a swift and total recovery.

He describes how he feels today, “I’m able to run.  I’ve been back on the treadmill, stairmaster, and the elliptical machine, and I’ve been riding the bike.  I’m jumping like I used to jump.  I don’t want to push it quite yet, but I’ll be playing in the winter basketball league this year.  I like to compete!”