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
Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your website is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and simply could not come across. What a great website.
Great paintings! This is the kind of information that are meant to be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post upper! Come on over and seek advice from my website . Thank you =)
I think this is among the most significant information for me. And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on some general things, The website style is great, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
There is visibly a bundle to realize about this. I think you made certain good points in features also.
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is really annoying. A good web site with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?
Hi there. I found your website by the use of Google whilst searching for a similar matter, your website got here up. It looks great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.
Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is really irritating. A good website with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thanks for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is really annoying. A good site with exciting content, that is what I need. Thanks for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?
Hi there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on. You have done a marvellous job!|
Hello there, You’ve done a great job. I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.
Hello there. I discovered your blog via Google while looking for a similar subject, your website got here up. It appears great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.
Hi there fantastic website! Does running a blog similar to this require a lot of work? I have virtually no knowledge of coding but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyway, should you have any recommendations or techniques for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic nevertheless I simply had to ask. Cheers!|
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, let alone the content!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the web for additional information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this site.|
I was just looking for this information for some time. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your web site. I wonder what’s the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this type of informative sites in top of the list. Usually the top sites are full of garbage.
Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
Hello there. I found your site by way of Google at the same time as searching for a related matter, your site got here up. It seems to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.
I keep listening to the news update speak about receiving boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the finest site to get one. Could you tell me please, where could i acquire some?
Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally brilliant possiblity to discover important secrets from here. It is usually very awesome and as well , full of a lot of fun for me and my office mates to search your blog at the least three times every week to study the new secrets you have got. And of course, we are certainly amazed considering the great information you give. Certain two tips on this page are unquestionably the finest I have had.
Hey there. I found your blog by way of Google at the same time as looking for a similar matter, your website got here up. It looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.