Tommy John Surgery /

Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Reconstruction

Tommy John Surgery, an Ulnar Collateral ligament reconstruction of the elbow, is named for Tommy John. A man who pitched 26 Major League Baseball seasons from 1963-1989. He was the first pitcher to undergo the procedure in 1974 and was able to pitch another decade and a half.
Chip Review @ (14:19): Kettle Brand – Korean Barbeque (Thank you Peter Jennings)
Trivia question of the week @ (12:51): How many grooves are there on the edge of a quarter?
Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.
Thanks for listening!!

To Subscribe, Review and Download select your preferred hyperlink below

Brief overview of the episode:

Tommy John has become synonymous with Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction (UCLR) and being just another common baseball injury. With this injury and subsequent surgical procedure we are talking about a ligament tear on the inside of the elbow.

This injury is most common with overhead athletes (think baseball, volleyball, tennis) and is the result of the repetitive overhead throwing motion that causes repetitive valgus stress on the elbow. Ulnar collateral ligament injury can also happen due to trauma. These would most commonly be due to a fall on out stretched hand (FOOSH) as well as a forced twisting of the arm.

In this podcast we dig into the research surround UCLR. Who will benefit most, what does this mean for MLB players, NCAA players as well as high school and younger? Is there a preferred technique, graft type and tear characteristic.

Other episodes you might enjoy:

Little League Elbow: Episode 130

Scapular Winging: Episode 91

Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow: Episode 7

Little League Elbow

Elbow pain is reported to affect between 20-26% of the little league baseball players in America. Making little league elbow the most common injury in little league baseball.
Chip Review @ (13:35): Sabritas – Tubros Flamas (Thank You Judy Bloomburg)
Trivia question of the week @ (11:07): How many dots are there on a pair of dice?
Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.
Thanks for listening!!

To Subscribe, Review and Download select your preferred hyperlink below

Brief overview of the episode:

Elbow pain is reported to present in 20-25% of little leaguers. That is a really significant number. When up to a quarter all participants in an activity deal with a similar injury then it is certainly time to look into ways to limit that.

Little league elbow is due to repetative valgus overload due to the throwing motion. This affects pitcher more than position players but that does not rule out position players. Most often pain is located on the inside of the elbow. It can also present on the outside and the back as well.

This pain pattern occurs because there is tension strain on the medial structures of the elbow. The medial epicondyle, epicondylar apophyasis and the collateral ligament are tensioned and become stressed. On the lateral aspect of the elbow there are compressive forces on the radial head and the capitellum. More concerning is the stress that overhead throwing places on the growth plate. Damage to the growth plate can result in permanent deformation.

Most kids will present with pain, decreased throwing distance and velocity, swelling, loss of elbow range of motion (specifically straightening the elbow) and on x-ray there is often a change present. Recover times vary from 6 weeks to 3 months depending on the extent of damage.

The best treatment is also the best prevention. Work on mechanics, pitch counts, strengthening of the arm, shoulder and para-scapular muscles, as well as the rotator cuff, core and legs. It is also a good idea to avoid year round participation in a single sport.

Other episodes you might enjoy:

Core/Abdominal Wall: Episode 35

Stretching: Episode 25

Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow: Episode 7