Tommy John diagnosis

Partial tears do not always require surgery. Junior currently has a 50% tear and the treatment plan is rest and it will likely heal on its own. However, partial tears usually do not "pop", but they can, or cause a complete inability to throw a ball immediately.

Good luck to your son.

quote:

When the surgeon's assistant handed son the post-op rehab schedule, and son had a chance to read it, tears filled his eyes. 18 months to get back to where he was last Monday before that pitch.

18 months? You may want to do some looking around.. That seems like a long time. I'll look at the materials I have, but I'm thinking more around 12 months and not 18.

Feeling a "pop" is not always an accurate way of attempting to diagnose an injury. Wait for the MRI and go from there..

CPLZ,
You might want to research PRP if you haven't already. It isn't a miracle treatment but it can result in quicker and more importantly, better (less scar tissue), healing in some cases.

27Dad,

Sorry to hear about your son. I know he (and you) have got to be very disappointed. My son missed his Sophomore season at college due to an injury and I know how that little time was extremely hard to deal with.

If you haven't already, Id find a way to get to Dr. James Andrews in Alabama. IMO, the best in the business when it comes to TJ surgery. He works on all the MLB players who have TJ.

Good luck.

YGD

i agree with ygd. if surgery is needed, call dr andrews. if you have insurance it should pay for it. just some travel expence.

my son had tj there in 06. throwing at 6-8 months on the mound at 12 months. mental rehab can be the bigger issue,son was never really the same pitcher. velocity came back,feel for pitches took longer.

I appreciate all the info. That's why I have loved the HSBBWeb since finding it.

20dad and Bulldog19: 9-12 months to be back on the mound, but not necessarily throwing competitively. The 18-month mark is allowing a gradual build-up to pre-injury pitch counts, as well as getting the "feel" of each pitch and the control back. He could be back on the mound in 12 (best-case scenario); but it could take longer. From the information I've found, 18 months is more realistic for an amateur pitcher to be "fully" back.

YGD: Thank you. Any advice on handling a HS athlete's angst at being injured instead of on the field is appreciated. As far as Dr. Andrews is concerned: he is considered one of the best. If I or my wife feel that a 2nd opinion is needed, that's probably where we'll go. However, TOSH handles sports injuries and orthopedic surgeries every day, including professional and olympic athletes. Our son's surgeon comes highly recommended. Not only by son's physician and physical therapist, but also by coaches and parents of players who have seen him in the past. So, for now, we'll stay local.

CPLZ: Thank you. Part of the reason for the current MRI is to check for past scar tissue as well as the extent of the injury. Surgeon believes that son's tendonitis last year may have been an injury to the ligament instead. He is known for being conservative; and has a very good track record with non-surgical recoveries. Therefore, if he's leaning towards surgery, he either truly believes it is warranted; or the note is coming due on his houseboat (just kidding on that last one).

Thanks again to each of you. The advice and comments from the experienced "hands" here are what makes this place so special.

27dad

at what level is he now? college,hs?

20dad: son just finished his sophomore year in HS. Starting varsity pitcher going 6-2 in 5A (largest class here in Utah). Played on a senior-heavy team, and was a pitcher only.

Danny: Thank you. I'll read through the threads, and I will e-mail you with questions. (You can be sure I'll have plenty of questions)

Update: MRI results show a complete tear. Surgery will be next Wednesday.

My son had TJ surgery about 15 months ago. Fall of his freshman year in college he felt severe pain in the elbow, rehabbed through winter and unfortunately felt the infamous "pop" in his elbow in February 2009. Surgery in March 2009. He started pitching (not very well) off the mound at 12 months - one inning at a time. Now can go about 60-70 pitches per outing. His velocity is coming back but his control is struggling. From a kid who in high school rarely walked a batter, now he is happy if he only walks one or two per inning. The mental part is the toughest - dealing with the frustration of the prolonged rehab and not being the same pitcher "as before". The only thing that we as parents can do is to be emotionally supportive and reassuring that it will get better.

27's dad

sorry to here he needs tj. but on the upside ,it is a very effective operation.

good luck to you and your son on this. don't rush the rehab, when it's time it's time.

quote:

Originally posted by 27"sDad:
Update: MRI results show a complete tear. Surgery will be next Wednesday.

From my small sample, your son should have full range of motion in about 6-8 weeks.

Bottom Line: Be patient. Allow the tendon replacement to get stronger and stronger thru rehab.

c27mom,
Good point about it taking a long time for the control to return in some cases. That's one of the reasons some doctors try to tie the "old" ligament to the replacement tendon in some cases hoping to retain the "feel".

catcher27mom, thank you for sharing your son's experience. His pitching seems to mirror what many here and in other areas say is quite normal. And, you're right, the best we as parents can do is to be there for them.

20dad, thank you. You are also right. The best advice we're getting from virtually everyone is to allow the rehab to proceed at its own pace. We need to take a very long view and allow the ligament to heal and "learn" its new job. If that means son's senior year looks very different from what we expected before this...then that is the way it has to be.

quote:

From my small sample, your son should have full range of motion in about 6-8 weeks.Bottom Line: Be patient. Allow the tendon replacement to get stronger and stronger thru rehab.

Bear, that is both good and bad (small grin). Regaining the full range of motion will be the first positive. Having to train the tendon to become a ligament, and the strength and conditioning, will be the true test.

Update: Surgery went well yesterday. The surgeon had to use a donor tendon. He said that son's was just too short to use doubled-up. Surgeon stated that the new ligament is the perfect length...he used the screws in order to get it as tight as possible, and he also used the remaining ends of the old ligament to weave into the new. From what I've read, using the old ligament in this way helps the new ligament to send the "spatial" messages to the brain. This allows the brain to know what position the elbow is in at all times, without the new ligament having to "learn" to send that information.

Son is very sore, and bandaged like a mummy <grin>, but is up and about. Hinged brace in about 10-14 days, and then son can start range of motion therapy.

Again, thank you to everyone for your advice and well-wishes.