WHAT IS TOMMY JOHN SURGERY

Tommy John Surgery, officially known as ulnar collateral ligament(UCL) reconstruction, is high-performance physical therapy in Philadelphia used to remedy a torn ulnar collateral ligament within the elbow. A UCL is a ligament on the inner side of your elbow that helps secure your elbow joint. UCL is common among athletes who are involved in throwing sports.

HOW IT'S DONE
A UCL reconstruction surgery involves harvesting a tendon from the patient's own body or a donor and attaching it to act as a new UCL.

BACKGROUND
Tommy John didn't invent this procedure. He was a baseball pitcher who was the first to undergo it and successfully return to his sport.

Thomas Edward John, a.k.a Tommy John, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was born on September 6, 1943.

Tommy John played for various Major League Baseball teams, including the Indians, the White Sox, the LA Dodgers, the Yankees, the California Angels, the Oakland Athletics, and back to the Yankees before retiring up.

The surgery aims to stabilize the elbow, reduce or eliminate pain, and restore stability and range of motion. This procedure was formally recommended and first performed by Frank Jobe, an American orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic on baseball pitcher Tommy John in 1974—hence the informal name Tommy John surgery.

Tommy John Surgery in Philadelphia is an outpatient procedure. You can return home the same day of your treatment. It is performed under general anesthesia and may last anywhere from an hour to one hour, thirty minutes.

BENEFIT OF TOMMY JOHN'S SURGERY
The most significant advantage of Tommy John Surgery is the provision of athletes with UCO tears to get back in the game. Just as the surgery worked and extended Tommy John's baseball career, it can also help other athletes continue their sports careers if they don't neglect their doctor's advice, practice physical therapy and observe their recovery program.

According to a study of 179 Major League Baseball pitchers who suffered UCL tears and had Tommy John Surgery, 148 players were able to return to play in the Major Leagues, 174 pitchers could return to play in both the major and minor leagues. Only five pitchers couldn't return to play in either league.

Tommy John Surgery has a high return to sports rates(RTS) of more than 80% after the surgery. However, this is not always the case for the RTS rate after revision. This means you may not experience the same results with first-timers if it's not your first UCL reconstruction.

DURATION
It's challenging to define an exact time frame for how long the results of Tommy John Surgery last, as it largely depends on the patient's injury. For some players, once is enough to get them back on their feet for their sports career. In contrast, other players might have to undergo modification surgeries. Tommy John Surgery is still extremely beneficial in other injuries not related to sports since it alleviates pain and restores the UCL to working properly again.

RISK
While Tommy John's surgery has a high-performance physical therapy in Philadelphia, not every athlete returns to his or her pre-injury level of performance. There is also always the risk of re-injury or post-surgery if the recovery programs are neglected.

It may take overhead athletes more than a year or longer to return to their prior level of play after a UCL reconstruction