If you spend time playing sports that involve elbow strain, you have a risk of developing damage to your ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). There’s a surgical procedure that can help, and it’s among the services on offer from Kristofer J. Jones, MD.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect from Tommy John surgery in terms of results and recovery timeline.
The most common cause of damage to your ulnar collateral ligament is overuse — a repetitive strain injury. Any activity where you frequently move your elbows increases your risk of damaging this ligament, which works to connect the bones of your upper and lower arm.
Some examples include:
Minor damage to your UCL can often be treated with rest and caring for your damaged joint with ice, rest, elevation, and compression. But if you’re a serious athlete who uses this joint extensively during practice or play, a more involved treatment approach might be needed.
Tommy John surgery is a specific type of UCL reconstruction.
It’s named after Tommy John, a Major League Baseball pitcher who had to sit out an entire season due to a torn UCL. The surgical intervention that allowed him to return to professional baseball became known as Tommy John surgery.
This procedure uses a grafted piece of ligament from another area of your body to replace the damaged UCL. Most often, that ligament is sourced from your forearm, hamstring, or the back of your knee.
Once Dr. Jones creates an incision to access your elbow and removes any damaged tissue from the area, he creates two holes in your ulna (lower arm bone) and three holes in your humerus (upper arm bone).
These holes allow Dr. Jones to thread the new tendon within your bones and create a strong and durable joint connection. Then, he checks to see if there are any other damaged areas within the joint that can be repaired at the same time.
Once he’s pleased with the results, Dr. Jones closes the incisions and applies a clean dressing.
This is the beginning of your recovery process.
Your body needs time to adapt to the newly repaired elbow joint and for circulation to the area to improve. Generally, it takes a year or more to fully recover from Tommy John surgery.
The actions you take during this time will have a significant impact on your recovery. Adhering to the guidelines given by Dr. Jones and our team is the best way to support your healing and get back to normal as quickly as possible.
You’ll likely need to wear a hard splint for a few weeks following your surgery. This immobilizes the joint, giving it time to begin the healing process. Then, you’ll transition to wearing a hinged splint, which allows you to move your elbow in a safe and controlled manner.
A course of physical therapy is often prescribed after Tommy John surgery. You’ll also learn how to perform simple exercises on your own. When you’re not in physical therapy or exercising at home, you can lock the hinged splint to prevent your elbow from moving.
After 3-4 months, Dr. Jones will assess your healing progress and may clear you for more intense exercise or even a return to light throwing. You’ll gradually increase your exercise over time as your joint heals and strengthens.
A long recovery can be frustrating, but the results are well worth the effort. If you have additional questions or concerns about Tommy John surgery and whether it’s right for you, come in for a personalized consultation with Kristofer J. Jones, MD.
Booking a visit begins with a quick call or a visit to our online booking page.
