Almost 50 years have passed since one of the world’s greatest advances. Sports medicine: Tommy John surgery.
On September 25, 1974, Dr. Frank Jobe performed his first surgery on professional baseball pitcher Tommy John. major league (MLB) teams from 1963 to 1989.
During the surgery, Jobe reconstructed the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in John’s left arm.
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It was a pioneering feat for Jobe, a lifeline for John, who went from a career-ending injury to playing in the majors for another 14 years, and a link to sports medicine that continues to live on long past his playing days. It became a eponymous connection.
Since then, Tommy John surgery (more formally known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction) has been performed on many other baseball players, according to Johns Hopkins University.
New York Yankees pitcher Tommy John pitches against the Kansas City Royals during a game at Yankee Stadium on July 9, 1988 in New York. (Getty Images)
These players include David Wells (1985), John Smoltz (2000), Stephen Strasburg (2010), Rich Hill (2011), and Shohei Ohtani (2018), to name a few. ), Justin Verlander (2020), Bryce Harper (2022), and more. According to MLB.
“If it wasn’t for a surgery like this, I wouldn’t still be standing here,” Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech said, according to the Associated Press. “The length of my career has doubled.”
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John Gallucci, based in New Jersey physical therapist The sports injury specialist pointed out that Tommy John surgery has extended and saved many careers.
“Before this surgery, a torn UCL was considered a career-ending injury,” he told FOX News Digital.
“This surgery was a major advance in treatment and was revolutionary for athletes and people suffering from elbow injuries.”
Dr. Frank Jobe, orthopedic surgeon and team physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pioneered elbow ligament replacement and shoulder surgery for baseball players, a procedure commonly known today as Tommy John surgery. The photo of Jove was taken in 1997. (Getty Images)
together arthroscopic surgery Tommy John surgery is one of the biggest advances in sports medicine in the past 50 years, according to longtime Cincinnati Reds physician Dr. Tim Kremczyk.
“that [has] It just extended and saved so many careers,” he told The Associated Press.
“We do that for so many athletes, not just baseball, but other sports that we’re working on right now, especially overhead athletes. Regarding baseballI think that’s why we’ve been able to see some of the best players in the world continue to play for a long time. ”
“That allowed us to see some of the best players in the world continue to play for long periods of time.”
In his debut surgery at Rancho Los Amigos, a Southern California hospital, Jobe removed the palmaris longus tendon from John’s right arm, drilled four holes in his left elbow, and then tore the tendon into a ligament. used instead of.
“It wasn’t a new idea,” Jobe said in July 2013, about seven months before his death.
“It was a new symptom regarding my elbow.”
During the first surgery, Jobe removed the palmaris longus tendon from John’s right arm, drilled four holes in his left elbow, and used the tendon to replace the torn ligament (not pictured). do not have). (St. Petersburg)
Although some improvements have been made by doctors, the procedure itself hasn’t changed much since Jobe pioneered it.
“Fundamentally the same hasn’t changed, but there has been progress,” Gallucci said.
“These advances, along with the collaboration of physical therapists and certified athletic trainers during the recovery process, have made the surgery even more effective.”
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“Advances and improvements in rehabilitation processes have reduced the standard recovery period by almost half compared to 50 years ago,” he added.
The effects of Tommy John surgery can also be seen in the players’ performance on the field.
Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award in 2022, two years after Tommy John surgery.
Tommy John of the New York Yankees is pictured before the start of a Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, circa 1987. (Getty Images)
Harper, who underwent surgery in November 2022, returned to Philadelphia’s lineup in May.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who had Tommy John in 2021, struck out 162 batters in a career-high 120 innings last year.
Within months of undergoing his second major elbow surgery, Ohtani was signed to a record $700 million contract by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“There is no question that Tommy John is the most valuable reconstructive procedure available.”
Dr. Neal El-Atrace, attending physician for the Dodgers and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, told The Associated Press, “There is no question that Tommy John surgery is the most valuable reconstructive surgery in terms of money.” I think so,” he said. .
Despite the high success rate, the main challenge associated with surgery is the lengthy recovery and rehabilitation process.
You will need to wear a cast at a 90 degree angle for about 10 days after surgery.
“It wasn’t a new idea,” Jobe said in July 2013, about seven months before his death. “It was a new symptom regarding my elbow.” (Getty Images)
It then takes several months for the athlete to regain full range of motion, and it usually takes at least a year to return to the field.
“This is it. the surgery was revolutionary“The road to recovery is not an easy process, and that’s where physical therapy comes in,” said Gallucci, who has spent years working with patients in rehabilitation after Tommy John surgery.
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“It’s not easy and requires dedication from the patient,” he said.
“It will take several months of rehabilitation and slow growth, but strengthening exercisesI have seen patients make a full recovery and be able to play again. ”
Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin, who underwent surgery on September 1, reflected on his first day pitching after surgery.
Tommy John, a four-time All-Star pitcher who won 288 games, and Tommy John III, a sports medicine chiropractor, are pictured on the right. (Getty Images)
“It felt like I threw it about 30 times. It was fun and easy. It was a very foreign feeling, like nothing I’ve ever thrown before,” he said, as reported by the Associated Press. “I tried taking a video, but it didn’t look good at all. Then I tried throwing some.” [of] After a few days, I felt much better. ”
As the 50th anniversary of the surgery approaches, Gonsolin said he is grateful for the advances in medicine that began with Tommy John in 1974.
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“I think the evolution of surgery and the purely medical advancements that have resulted have made that possible.” [it] “It’s about advancing people’s careers,” he said.
“It gives everyone a second chance.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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