Tommy John Surgery: What to Know + Who Needs it

With increased competitiveness and greater demand on athletes of all ages, physicians are seeing an uptick in injuries affecting the UCL, or ulnar collateral ligament, which is inside the elbow and helps to stabilize the elbow joint. In this episode, Dr. David Altchek is joined by fellow HSS orthopedic surgeons Dr. Joshua Dines and Dr. James “Beamer” Carr, who are both experts in shoulder and elbow surgery and have experience caring for professional athletes. Together, they discuss Tommy John surgery, which repairs the UCL and is often needed by baseball players and other athletes who play sports that require throwing. This episode also delves into best practices to consider for athletes at every level – high school, collegiate and professional – and provides case study examples as part of the discussion.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

01:53 case study of a high school baseball pitcher

04:14 when to consider a repair

04:41 difference between repair versus reconstruction

06:07 rehabilitation time after repair or reconstruction

07:37 explaining the biology of repair and reconstruction

08:43 case study of a college baseball pitcher

11:54 adding a brace to stabilize elbow 

13:20 recovery time before returning to sports

14:57 case study of a professional baseball pitcher

18:19 role of PRP injections

18:42 weighted balls and increased injury risk

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