What Is Your “Tommy John” Ligament?
You’ve probably heard of a few odd or unusual terms that refer to various medical conditions, body parts, or specific injuries. One of the most common of these terms, particularly heard in sports circles, is used to describe the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) of the elbow, also known as the “Tommy John Ligament.”
The UCL, or Tommy John ligament, is the main ligament stabilizing the inner part of the elbow. It attaches the end of the arm bone to one of the forearm bones. The UCL is often torn or stretched by activities causing repetitive strain on the ligament – particularly throwing or tennis. Stretching of the ligament can cause subtle instability in the elbow leading to pain with repetitive throwing. Often the ligament needs to be reconstructed with a tendon graft to restore its strength and allow return to pain-free throwing or overhead sports, a procedure that has become common in baseball pitchers.
Where Did The Name Tommy John Come From?
Tommy John was major league baseball pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers and New York Yankees over a twenty-year career and was the first person to undergo the procedure that now carries his name. John began to experience some serious ligament discomfort and pitching problems around 1974. Dr. Frank Jobe, a noted orthopaedic surgeon who was team physician for the L.A. Dodgers at that time diagnosed John with tearing of the UCL as the cause of his pitching problems and devised a new surgical procedure to reconstruct the ligament – a radical and controversial treatment at the time. Back then, it was believed that a major league pitcher could never return to pitching in the big leagues after having surgery. Faced with few options and the prospect of having to retire from baseball, John placed his trust in Dr. Jobe and underwent the procedure. He then went on to return to the major leagues and had a successful Hall of Fame carreer. Based on his success, the procedure became known as the “Tommy John” procedure and is now commonly performed on baseball pitchers with painful elbows.
Misconceptions About the “Tommy John” Procedure
Based on John’s experience and the success of others who have had the procedure over the years there has become a misconception that undergoing the procedure can actually improve pitching performance over that of having a normal elbow. Many players and coaches came to believe that the procedure increased pitching velocity and accuracy and that players were actually “better” after undergoing the procedure. There is no medical or biomechanical evidence to support this. However, most sports medicine and athletic trainers believe that the post-operative rehab and strengthening that players undergo after the surgery is what often times can lead to their improved performance. This has lead to more research and focus on prevent exercises and training regimens to improve performance in throwing and to help prevent the need for a thrower to undergo a “Tommy John” procedure.
Read this: Advair Diskus
Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the challenges. It was definitely informative. Your site is very helpful. Thanks for sharing!|
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is wonderful, let alone the content!|
Thanks on your marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back down the road. I want to encourage continue your great posts, have a nice evening!|
I am glad for writing to let you know what a awesome discovery my cousin’s daughter had reading your webblog. She figured out such a lot of issues, which included what it is like to possess a great helping heart to let men and women without problems know precisely a variety of extremely tough issues. You truly surpassed people’s expectations. Many thanks for providing those useful, trusted, informative and even fun guidance on the topic to Kate.
I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thanks , I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
There is noticeably a lot to know about this. I believe you made some good points in features also.
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thanks , I¡¦ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
Good write-up, I am regular visitor of one¡¦s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
Thank you, I’ve recently been looking for info about this topic for a while and yours is the best I’ve found out till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you positive in regards to the source?
Wow! Thank you! I continually wanted to write on my blog something like that. Can I implement a fragment of your post to my website?
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
hello!,I like your writing so a lot! proportion we keep in touch more approximately your article on AOL? I require an expert in this space to unravel my problem. Maybe that is you! Taking a look forward to see you.
Great klinersoid goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too excellent. I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is really a great web site.
When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!|
Good day! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Appreciate it|
Hello my family member! I wish to say that this post is amazing, nice written and come with approximately all vital infos. I¡¦d like to peer extra posts like this .
I would like to convey my affection for your kindness in support of those who really want assistance with this one idea. Your very own dedication to passing the message all through appeared to be incredibly significant and has continually encouraged somebody like me to realize their aims. Your new warm and friendly information implies much to me and additionally to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from all of us.
Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people consider worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
Great awesome issues here. I am very happy to look your post. Thank you so much and i am taking a look ahead to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
whoah this weblog is fantastic i love studying your articles. Stay up the great work! You recognize, many persons are hunting around for this info, you could aid them greatly.