DR HQ: Anatomy 101—Tommy John Surgery
Aug 15 2013
The most important sports medicine event in baseball history occurred in 1974. Dr. Frank Jobe completed the first ligament replacement procedure on left-handed pitcher Tommy John. It was reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in John’s elbow, which had torn in 1974. Up until then, a pitcher with a torn UCL usually saw his career end with that news. Dr. Jobe believed he could take an unessential tendon (palmaris longus) from John’s non-throwing arm’s wrist, replace the torn UCL in the left elbow with it, and—with a rigorous rehab—Tommy John could pitch again. In 1976, John was reborn as a pitcher, and ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery would bear his name from then on.
The UCL
The ulnar collateral ligament...
Almost!
You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
More From The Big Hurt
Almost to the home stretch. Varsho is done. What about Kwan and Lindor?
Sep 18 2024 3:03am
Sep 18 2024 3:03am
And now Glasnow is done... plus some others. Is Lindor one of them?
Sep 16 2024 3:04am
Sep 16 2024 3:04am
The end is near. A few guys who are iffy, but could make it back.
Sep 9 2024 3:03am
Sep 9 2024 3:03am
Kershaw hurt again. Scherzer has a outside chance of making it back.
Sep 2 2024 3:05am
Sep 2 2024 3:05am
Aug 26 2024 3:05am
