Tommy
John surgery,
more commonly known as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCL),
is a common surgical graft procedure to the elbow that was first performed in
1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe and named after its first patient, former major league
baseball pitcher, Tommy John.
Common
among college and professional athletes, especially baseball player, throwing a
baseball or a javelin enforce repetitive and violent motions to the elbow which
could lead to inflammation, microscopic tissue trauma, and possibly tear to the
ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Only rarely do UCL injuries interfere with
non-throwing activities.
Symptoms associated with a UCL
injury include:
·
Pain on the inside of the elbow
·
A sense of looseness or instability in the elbow
·
Irritation of the "funny bone" (ulnar
nerve): This is felt as tingling or numbness in the small finger and ring
finger.
·
Decreased ability to throw a baseball or other object
UCL injury is diagnosed using
patients' medical history and physical examination including X-Ray and MRI.
Rest, ice, and physical therapy are generally recommended prior to the surgery.
Tommy
John procedure is a surgical operation in which a ligament in the elbow is
replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. Complete recovery is
estimated at 85 to 90 percent. For
baseball players, rehabilitation takes about 12 to 15 months for baseball
pitchers and 6 months for position players.
Manuj C. Singhal, M.D. of Orthopedic Associates is one
of the few doctors who perform the Tommy John Surgery in the DFW area. Doctor
Singhal had surgical fellowships in sports medicine
at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama with doctor James R. Andrews who
is known and recognized on an international level for his skills in Orthopaedic surgery and his scientific and clinic research contributions in knee.
Please refer to the table below to help prevent UCL injuries:
Pitch
count limits and rest before pitching again for all levels.
League Age
|
Pitch count limit
|
Rest Requirements
|
Rest Requirements
|
Rest Requirements
|
Rest Requirements
|
10 and
under
|
75
pitches a day
|
61+
pitches- 3 day rest
|
41-60
pitches- 2 day rest
|
21-40
pitches- 1 day rest
|
1-20
pitches- 0 days of rest
|
11-12
|
85
pitches a day
|
61+
pitches- 3 day rest
|
41-60
pitches- 2 day rest
|
21-40
pitches- 1 day rest
|
1-20
pitches- 0 days of rest
|
13-16
|
95
pitches a day
|
61+
pitches- 3 day rest
|
41-60
pitches- 2 day rest
|
21-40
pitches- 1 day rest
|
1-20
pitches- 0 days of rest
|
17-18
|
105
pitches a day
|
76+
pitches- 3 day rest
|
51-75
pitches- 2 day rest
|
26-50
pitches- 1 day rest
|
1-25
pitches- 0 days of rest
|
(Source: http://www.massgeneral.org/ortho/services/sports/pdfs/little-league-pitch-count.pdf) (www.webmd.com)
