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The ligament that Tommy John injured was the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on the inside of his elbow joint. Athletes with an injury to this ligament experience pain and discomfort on the inside of their elbow and instability within the elbow joint.
Tommy John surgery, developed by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974, is a surgical procedure to reconstruct the UCL using a tendon from the forearm. The tendon is used to recreate the damaged ligament and improve the stability of the elbow joint.
Sierra Pacific Orthopedics orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Steven T. Thaxter says Tommy John surgery offers tremendous benefits for active patients, especially pitchers.
“The success rates following this surgery are roughly 85%,” Dr. Thaxter says. “It allows patients with UCL injuries to return to their active, pre-injury lifestyles.”
Today, Tommy John surgery can be used to extend the careers of many baseball pitchers.
For more information on Tommy John surgery, call the sports medicine doctors at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics at (559) 257-4107 or click here to schedule an appointment online.
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