Tommy John Injury
When they operated, I told them to put in a Koufax fastball. They did - but it was Mrs. Koufax's - Tommy John
image by: HWN
HWN Suggests
Just who is Tommy John, and why does everyone talk about his surgery all the time?
Over the past few years, you've probably come cross the phrase "Tommy John surgery" in your daily life. Spring Training or a September pennant race, National League or American League -- it can seemingly pop up anywhere, at any time. Not even the best pitchers on the planet are immune.
But, like a lot of baseball history, that ubiquity masks a pretty important question: Just what is Tommy John surgery? And why is it called that in the first place? Was it inspired by two separate men, Tommy and John? One man with the courage to sport two first names? And what did Thomas and Jonathan do to earn such an, uh, honor...
Thomas Edward John Jr. didn't seem a likely candidate to…
Featured
There’s a Pandemic. Is This a Time for Tommy John Surgery?
Decisions to schedule operations for pitchers like Noah Syndergaard of the Mets and Chris Sale of the Red Sox have caused debate.
Understanding Tommy John Surgery and How to Avoid It
We have an epidemic on our hands in youth baseball. With nearly half a million participants, baseball is one of the most popular high school sports in the United States.1 Injuries to the throwing arm continue to grow every year and there is no slowing down in sight. While there are a number of injuries that a baseball player can succumb to, the most well-known are Tommy John injuries, also known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears.
The Tommy John Injury of Swimming
The amount of adolescent elbow injuries in little league pitchers is considered an epidemic in the respective sport. It has become a major issue of debate in the world of little league baseball, with several recent injury prevention protocols being put into place to cut down on adolescent Tommy John surgery. Several policies now exist to prevent this invasive procedure, including pitch counts for games played as a pitcher and the amount of rest required after said pitch counts.
Why Tommy John Is Against the Surgery That Bears His Name
The baseball legend says the procedure is too commonplace among sports-obsessed teens.
Articles of Interest
The curious case of MLB non-pitchers and Tommy John surgery
More and more MLB position players are undergoing Tommy John surgery, and no one knows for sure what rehab should look like.
What Causes Tommy John Injuries?
Tommy John surgery, also known as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCL), is a procedure done to help treat an injured elbow ligament. Some background about the name, this procedure was titled after former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, who was the first patient to ever undergo this type of surgery back in 1974.
Testing the elbow for a UCL sprain in baseball players
I have assessed hundreds if not thousands of elbows for various injuries. One of the most common ailments that I see in my practice is a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) sprain, aka ‘Tommy John ligament’, especially in a baseball player. This post discusses the typical presentation of a UCL sprain, testing the elbow for a UCL sprain and how I rule in/out with a few simple tests.
What is Tommy John Surgery: How to Know if You Need It
The name, Tommy John surgery, isn’t exactly a dead-giveaway for what this procedure entails — unless you know who Tommy John is. Tommy John was a pitcher, who was the first person to have this type of surgery back in 1974.
Resources
5 Myths of Tommy John Surgery
While I would certainly agree that complications can be kept to a minimum with good surgery and rehabilitation, don’t forget that Tommy John surgery does not always go smoothly and can have complications.
