In case there was any lingering doubt that “Tommy John” surgery to repair a torn elbow ligament really works, a new study indicates it even improves Major League Baseball pitchers’ games. The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) connects the upper arm bone to the forearm and repetitive throwing can cause the ligament to tear. To repair it doctors make use of a healthy arm tendon to replace the torn UCL. The surgery is named after Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John who was the first Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher to have the operation.
As reported by PR Newswire, researchers at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and Rush University Medical Center conducted the study which found that four of five MLB pitchers who had “Tommy John” surgery pitched as well or better after the surgery than they did before their injury.
The researchers compared the performance and records of 179 MLB pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery to those who did not. They found that about 83% of major league pitchers who had had the surgery returned to play, that 97% returned to play in major or minor leagues, that pitchers who had surgery experienced a lower losing percentage and that they threw fewer walks and gave up fewer hits, runs and home runs.
“College and professional pitchers and catchers are at risk of an UCL injury because repetitive motion and overuse puts stress on the ligament, ” said study author Charles Bush-Joseph, M.D., and Chicago White Sox head team physician. “We are pleased with study results showing a high percentage of athletes return to play after Tommy John surgery.”
