Article At A Glance
- Tommy John surgery is a UCL reconstruction often needed by baseball players after repeated strain injuries.
- It repairs or replaces the damaged ligament using a graft from the forearm or hamstring.
- Recovery usually takes 6 to 9 months, with most athletes regaining full strength within a year.
- The surgery has a success rate of over 90%, allowing many to return to their sport at their previous level.
If you are a fan of playing baseball or softball, odds are you’ve heard of someone suffering from a “Tommy John” injury. This colloquial name describes tears in your elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). If you’re unlucky enough to sustain this injury, you can expect severe pain that greatly restricts your range of motion, but you should also know that there’s a potential solution – Tommy John surgery.
Tommy John injuries most commonly happen on the baseball pitch due to the repeated overhead motion. However, it can result from any other kind of physically strenuous activity, as well. Let’s take a look at how sports medicine surgery can reduce Tommy John pain and help athletes play the sport they love again.
If you’d like more details about these treatments, please contact Orthopedic Specialists S.C. to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.
What Is Tommy John Surgery?
Doctors describe Tommy John surgery as a type of UCL reconstruction surgery. UCL tears are commonly associated with the overhead pitching motion in baseball, but any kind of repetitive twisting motion of the arms will do the trick. This procedure aims to repair and strengthen the UCL to restore your elbow’s functionality and range of motion and eliminate the pain of movement.
The surgery’s namesake, the famous baseball player Tommy John, suffered this injury to his UCL in 1974. It threatened his Major League baseball career. However, Dr. Frank Jobe from California devised a new surgical method and repaired John’s UCL ligament, allowing him to return to his professional team.
How Does Tommy John Surgery Work?
Jobe’s Tommy John surgery used a grafting technique to repair the UCL tear. The surgeon takes a tendon graft from the forearm or hamstring to repair the damaged ligament. Via a series of small holes in the humerus and ulna (on either side of the elbow joint), the surgeon then threads the replacement ligament through the holes in a figure-of-eight pattern.
Tommy John surgery is similar to some types of ACL reconstruction surgery for the knee. Both require grafting a replacement ligament to the injury site. Various techniques have prevailed over the years, but recently, there has been some interest in repairing tears rather than grafting these replacement tendons (both techniques are still called Tommy John surgeries).
The modern version of Tommy John surgery—a repair, not a graft—sometimes involves placing a special ligament suture brace. The fitting reinforces the elbow’s ability to handle higher loads.
How Long Does Elbow Reconstruction Surgery Take?
The actual Tommy John elbow reconstruction procedure only takes about an hour to complete. However, surgery may last longer with additional procedures related to your injury, such as removing bone spurs or decompressing the ulnar nerve.
Additional Read: Sports Medicine Specialists In Elmhurst IL
Who Could Benefit From Tommy John Surgery?
Tommy John surgery is most common for UCL injuries due to repeated wear and tear, not blunt trauma. Thanks to Dr. Jobe’s pioneering work, over 2,200 professional baseball players have undergone Tommy John surgery, with many returning to their previous level of play.
Industry experts like Orthopedic Specialists S.C. now see plenty of amateur sports enthusiasts also benefiting from Tommy John surgery to regain their athletic abilities. Navigating daily life is easier when this surgery can help you:
- Reduce pain.
- Enhance arm strength.
- Improve your range of motion.
The Symptoms & Diagnosis of Tommy John Injury
What are the most common symptoms of a UCL tear?
- Pain or burning sensation in the inner elbow
- Restricted range of motion in the elbow
- Fatigue when pitching
- Numbness or tingling in the elbow or forearm
- Lost throwing power
- A popping feeling or sound when moving the elbow
Pain from a UCL injury can range from mild to extreme. Physicians identify UCL tears through physical examination, X-rays, and MRIs.
Recovery & Rehabilitation After Tommy John Surgery
Your full recovery time after Tommy John surgery may take about six to nine months, depending on the severity of the initial injury. People normally wear an elbow brace to restrict motion for six weeks immediately following the procedure. Depending on your recovery goals and physical condition, exercise therapy might begin immediately or a few weeks after surgery.
Experience suggests that athletes should be able to throw a baseball again about five months after the orthopedic procedure. However, most athletes will not return to full capacity until 12 to 14 months after the Tommy John surgery. That’s still an extremely high success rate of above 90%, with younger patients boasting even better recovery rates.
UCL Reconstruction With Sports Medicine Surgery and Orthopedic Specialists in Elmhurst, IL
Isn’t it amazing that proven treatments like Tommy John surgery can help athletes and amateurs alike recover and re-engage in the physical activities they love? If you have questions regarding elbow reconstruction surgery or other sports medicine solutions, contact Orthopedic Specialists S.C. online or call (630) 782-8600!
