Kamyah Hall
back on the court: how Kamyah overcame injury with expert care
- patient name: Kamyah Hall
- age: 15
- seen in: Emergency Medicine, Center for the Female Athlete
- providers: Carla Bridges, MD, Caitlyn McComb, MD
For Kamyah Hall, basketball has always been more than just a game—it’s where she feels most like herself. Since second grade, the 15-year-old point guard has built friendships, confidence, and community through the game.
“I fell in love with basketball because you get to meet new people,” Kamyah says. “You can play basketball any season, anywhere, and it’s always exciting.”
But in the fall of 2024, a sudden basketball injury left Kamyah unable to stand and sidelined her for a season. Within hours, she was on her way to Dayton Children’s emergency department, and started a journey through an ACL tear, surgery, and recovery—supported every step of the way by the Dayton Children’s orthopedic experts and the Center for the Female Athlete care team.
quick injury, quick decisions
In September 2024, during a basketball game in Cincinnati, Kamyah landed wrong while going up for a layup. Suddenly, she couldn’t get up. “I just started crying immediately,” Kamyah remembers.
On the way home, still in pain, her mom, Idris Hall, had to make a quick decision: could treatment wait until tomorrow, or did Kamyah need help right away? At Kamyah’s urging, they chose to act fast, heading to the closest care: Dayton Children’s south campus. It was a decision they would come to greatly appreciate.
Kamyah was taken straight to the emergency department, where she received X-rays and an MRI. Following her results, she was referred to the Dayton Children’s orthopedics division, where she saw orthopedic surgeon Carla Bridges, MD, who confirmed Kamyah had torn her ACL, a ligament in the knee that helps stabilize the knee during cutting and pivoting movements, meaning she would need surgery to safely return to her sports of interest.
“If we had gone somewhere else, we might have ended up referred to a regular doctor’s office, and I don’t know if we would have been referred to Dayton Children’s,” her mom reflects.
The convenience of the south campus meant Kamyah could start expert care immediately, setting her on the path to recovery.
supporting the whole female athlete—on and off the court
Kamyah had ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair surgery in November of 2024.
“Facing the surgery was scary,” Kamyah says, “but I recovered quickly and without infection. My mom’s faith really pushed and motivated me.”
Following surgery, Dr. Bridges recommended Kamyah join the Center for the Female Athlete. The Center for the Female Athlete comes alongside athletes being treated for other conditions, to provide support services such as nutrition, behavioral health, and injury prevention” Athletes meet with physicians, dietitians, behavioral health specialists and athletic trainers to develop an overall wellbeing plan tailored to their physical and mental health needs.
Here, she found a team that supported her in more than just her injury recovery. In fact, her team discovered Kamyah had an iron deficiency, an important factor impacting her healing and recovery. Kamyah was then connected with Caitlyn McComb, MD, a hematology/oncology specialist, who helped manage her condition and support her recovery.
And when the emotional toll of being sidelined became heavy, Kamyah’s team was there for that too.
“Basketball is huge for me, and this was a really hard time,” Kamyah says. “I was dealing with sadness and even depression. My Center for the Female Athlete team helped motivate me and lift my spirits.”
From helping her recovery and offering nutrition guidance to behavioral health support, Kamyah’s providers worked together to create a plan made just for her unique needs.
care that connected
Kamyah and her mom say what stood out most was how deeply the care team connected with her as a person.
“They take their time. They’re patient,” her mom says. “Kamyah is energetic and had a difficult time with the physical part of her recovery, but they never got frustrated and they knew exactly how to connect with a young girl who needed care.”
Those connections showed up in small but meaningful ways, like Kamyah starting a “question of the day” during her time with her care team. What began as a poll about whether other kids her age knew who Michael Phelps was quickly became a weekly tradition with questions and polls posted on the board for every patient to participate in.
These special moments made a difference, and Kamyah’s mom is glad that her quick decision to come to Dayton Children’s led to this overall experience.
recovery and return to the court
Eight months after her injury, Kamyah picked up a basketball for the first time.
“The first time I saw her pick it up, I cried,” her mom says.
With another checkup scheduled in January, Kamyah is close to returning to court. She hopes to be back for the playoffs this season and fully ready for AAU by March—stronger, healthier, and more confident than ever.
“Basketball is my life,” Kamyah says. “Thanks to Dayton Children’s, I’m getting back to doing what I love!”
book a consult at the Center for the Female Athlete
Support your athlete’s strength, resilience and wellbeing. Schedule your consult with the experts at the Center for the Female Athlete today.
share your story
Every patient journey at Dayton Children’s is powerful — from NICU miracles to courageous cancer survivors and beyond. These patient stories not only celebrate our families but also offer hope and encouragement to others facing similar challenges. Share your experience today and help inspire, support, and celebrate the strength of our patients and families.
related stories
care that goes above and beyond
Because every child deserves care that goes above and beyond, Dayton Children’s provides compassionate, expert care for kids of all ages. Find a provider, schedule an appointment, or learn more about conditions we treat today.
