Grip strengthening exercises Pronating forearm Supination exercise UCL injuries may or may not require surgery. Non surgical treatment will primarily focus on strengthening the<unk>  joint to regain strength and stability. First a course of RICE (Rest, ice, compression, elevation) is typically coupled with NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to help alleviate pain and swelling. When the swelling has subsided, individual exercises or physical therapy may be prescribed to strengthen muscles around the<unk>  joint to compensate for tearing in the UCL. These may include biceps curls (non resistance and resistance), pronating and supinating the forearm, and grip strengthening exercises, performed with low resistance and moderate repetitions no more than three times a week. Surgical treatment may help restore the ability to perform the overhand throwing motions most commonly associated with UCL injuries. The reconstructive surgery, generally known as Tommy John surgery, was first performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974 and has modified several times over the past 30 years. The surgery involves an autograft of the palmaris longus tendon (mostly seen as an accessory tendon) or an allograft of tissue from a cadaver or donor. The new tendon is attached by drilling holes in the medial epicondyle of the humerus and the sublime tubercle of the<unk> and lacing the tendon through them in a figure eight. The patient may begin physical therapy shortly after. It usually takes about 15 months after the surgery for standard rehabilitation. Rehabilitation following UCL injuries or surgery should follow a sequential and progressive multi-phased approach that involves a gradual and protected return of range-of-motion (ROM). The rehab program should include proprioceptive exercises to stimulate mechanoreceptors as well as arm strengthening, emphasizing proximal scapular stabilization. Low-resistance, high-repetition programs promote an optimal return to uncompensated throwing. Post-operative treatment is related to the restoration of normal scapulohumeral rhythm, which begins with establishing trunk stability,<unk>  range of motion and strength as well as balance exercises. In study conducted by Dr. Frederick Azar, 78 Tommy John surgeries were performed and analyzed after the surgeries. Of the 78 patients, 8 of them (8.8%) reported complications. Two patients had superficial infections that resolved with oral antibiotics, two patients reported tightness of tenderness at the surgery site, and one had a superficial wound infection at the<unk>  incision that resolved with oral antibiotics. One patient developed postoperative<unk>  nerve damage. Two patients had damages to the posteromedial part of the olecranon and required to have reoperation. Recent studies have shown that MLB pitchers who undergo Tommy John surgery return to pitch in the MLB 83% of the time and only 3% fail to return to pitch in the MLB or the minor league. Recently, there has been a recorded increase of Tommy John surgery. The increase is related to the false perception that the surgery improves the stability of the UCL joint. Many athletes believe in this false perception and cause them to lie about their symptoms in hopes to undergo the surgery. In order to combat these rumors, physicians are motivated to educate the public that Tommy John surgeries are only for those who have severe UCL injuries. The surgery will have an insignificant effect if the patient does not have a severe UCL injury. The tendon chosen is then woven in a figure eight pattern through the humerus and<unk>  which holes were first drilled in the bones. After surgery occurs, rehabilitation comes into place and usually takes about a year because a tendon needs time to convert into a ligament.
Ulnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow
Ulnar collateral ligament injury of the thumb
Metatarsophalangeal joint sprain
Iliotibial band syndrome
Olecranon bursitis
Patellar tendon rupture
Plantar calcaneal bursitis
Elbow fracture