Tommy John Surgery has allowed many athletes to continue playing or even extend their careers with reconstructing a torn or damaged UCL with a tendon from somewhere else in your body (commonly the palmaris longus tendon). Although the procedure has helped in some ways, there are many misconceptions, as well as an acceptance of a procedure that we should still be actively trying to avoid. Per MLB.com, despite extensive research examining risk factors associated with arm pain and fatigue, youth pitchers continue to exhibit the same risky behaviors.
How can we prevent elbow and shoulder injuries in youth overhead athletes? How long should we rest the arm after an injury? If my child has Tommy John surgery, will they throw harder or faster?
In Your Corner with CORA presents Dr. Richard Lehman hosting a phenomenal panel of sports medicine professionals to answer these questions while explaining common injuries found in middle to high school throwing athletes:
- Dr. Richard Lehman, Director of U.S. Center for Sports Medicine + CEO LehmanHealth
- Dr. Bradley Schoch, MD, Senior Associate Consultant of Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, FL)
- Dr. Marshall Kuremsky, MD, Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon for EmergeOrtho (Raleigh, NC)
- Kelly Jenkins DPT, FAAOMPT, Dry Needling Certified, ASTYM Certified, Clinic Manager of CORA North Bristol (Nashville, NC)
- Jackson Taylor, DPT (Pontevedra Beach, FL)
Take a listen to both of these episodes to learn more about the anatomy of the shoulder and elbow and how to rehab once an injury occurs. Our panel discusses what an evaluation of these athletes looks like with physicians and with physical therapists, and the role the kinetic chain plays in the assessment and treatment:
Pitching guidelines are reviewed and can also be found at mlb.com/pitch-smart for age-dependent guidelines.
These sessions is perfect for overhead athletes and parents of overhead athletes, of all levels of play including baseball, tennis, volleyball, and more. You’ll leave with a better understanding of what the injury means for you as the injured athlete, or as parents concerned for your child when considering a return to the playing field.
