Tommy John Surgery: Understanding The Procedure

Tommy John Surgery is one of the most famous procedures in professional sports, especially for baseball players. Tommy John surgery is a procedure on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) which is a ligament located in the elbow and is mainly an injury in baseball pitchers. Dr. David Altcheck, a Tommy John surgery doctor, has dealt with many baseball players being the medical director for the New York Mets. Below are the benefits of getting Tommy John surgery and what causes it.

Benefits Of Tommy John Surgery

After seeing a tommy john surgery doctor, many baseball players return better than ever. The main proof of that is major league baseball pitcher Tommy John, who was the first person to get the procedure, played much better after he recovered from the surgery. There are a number of other benefits of Tommy John Surgery:

• Players who have received Tommy John Surgery have a long-lasting career and remain healthy.
• For baseball players, many have seen an improvement in their performance after the surgery, and the reason for this is that the surgery gives your elbow more stability
• This surgery applies to sports and the everyday life of the individual who receives Tommy John surgery. It improves people’s quality of life by reducing pain and regaining functionality in the elbow.

Recovery

After receiving surgery from a Tommy John surgery doctor, recovery time could take up to 12-18 months to return to normal activity. There are other things you must consider when recovering from the surgery:

• The rehabilitation process includes resting your body and seeing a physical therapist. Only do exercises that your doctor recommends. Running and riding a stationary bike are good exercises for recovery.
• Rest: After surgery, you will be in a rigid brace for at least two weeks, which leaves your arm completely still. After those two weeks and some improvement, you will be given a hinged brace to help with more movement. 
• Continue to work with your doctor: Though the success rate of Tommy John Surgery is high, you want to continue to check in with professionals to ensure you remain healthy.

Contact Our Tommy John Surgery Doctor in NY

As you can see, many people have benefitted from seeing a Tommy John surgery doctor. If you are suffering from pain in the elbow and you are in need of Tommy John surgery, request an appointment with Dr. David Altchek, located in New York City.