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, I’ve recently been searching for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best I’ve came upon till now. But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure in regards to the source?
You are a very capable person!
I am truly delighted to read this webpage posts which includes lots of helpful information, thanks for providing these data.|
Hey, you used to write wonderful, but the last few posts have been kinda boring¡K I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
You completed several nice points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found most folks will go along with with your blog.
Great remarkable things here. I¡¦m very happy to see your post. Thank you so much and i’m having a look ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
Quality articles or reviews is the key to interest the people to go to see the web site, that’s what this site is providing.|
Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too magnificent. I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it wise. I can’t wait to read much more from you. This is actually a terrific site.
Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too fantastic. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it wise. I can’t wait to read much more from you. This is actually a tremendous site.
magnificent issues altogether, you just won a logo new reader. What would you recommend about your publish that you made a few days ago? Any sure?
I have read so many content about the blogger lovers except this paragraph is genuinely a fastidious piece of writing, keep it up.|
I know this site gives quality dependent articles and other data, is there any other web page which offers such information in quality?|
I need to to thank you for this fantastic read!! I certainly loved every bit of it. I have got you book marked to check out new things you post…
I’ve been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i’m happy to exhibit that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I came upon just what I needed. I such a lot no doubt will make sure to don?t put out of your mind this website and provides it a glance on a continuing basis.|
I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be much more useful than ever before.|
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon everyday. It will always be exciting to read through content from other writers and use a little something from other web sites.