Introduction
In the human body, various bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments play an essential role in functioning. Ligaments are some of the most crucial body tissue that plays a vital role in holding and connecting two bones, particularly in joints like rope (Asahara et al., 2017, p.2). The main composition of the ligament is the collagen fibers which are strong and hence able to withstand the pressure and stress of holding bones together at joints where there is a constant movement of the bones. Due to their role, they stabilize the joint of two bones, making body movement in this joint possible without the joints getting dislocated. One of the most critical ligaments is the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. The Ulnar Collateral Ligament is a band of ligament that is found on the inside of the elbow. This ligament comprises three prominent bands of tissue fibers: the transverse band, the posterior band, and the anterior band. The Ulnar Collateral Ligament plays a vital role in providing static and dynamic stability to the elbow hence acting as the stabilizer in the flexion (Wear et al., 2011, p.1198). Thus, this is an important ligament that supports the movement at the elbow joint as it connects the humerus, radius, and ulna bones found in the elbow joint.
Mechanism of Injury
Like many other body parts, the Ulnar Collateral Ligament is subjected to injury when placed under extreme pressure for a particular period. When it comes to Tommy John’s injury, or the injury of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, this injury happens when there is a tearing of the Ulnar Collateral Ligaments due to the movement that is taking place at the elbow joint. Tommy John’s injury mainly occurs due to the overuse of the Ulnar Collateral Injury, a factor that leads to the tearing of this ligament. Hence the injury results from body movement activity involving movement of the elbow joint, a factor that continues to subject the Ulnar Collateral tendons to stress. For instance, Tommy John’s Injury commonly occurs in athletes involved in overhead throwing (Redler et al., 2016, p.229). The athletes involved in overhead throwing do not subject the ligament to a high level of stress; however, the continuous repetition of their activity subjects their elbow joints to repeated motion, a factor that results in overuse of the Ulnar Collateral ligaments. Hence the Tommy John injury is facilitated by continuous and repeated overuse of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, resulting in the tearing of these ligaments.
Signs and Symptoms of the Injury
Some signs and symptoms manifest in an individual experiencing the Tommy John injury. One of the common symptoms for overhead throwing athletes that manifest as an individual experiencing Tommy John injury includes decreased performance associated with the decreased velocity of throwing (Mayo et al., 2021, p.4). Hence, the decline in the performance of an athlete involved in overhead throwing is one sign that the individual is experiencing a Tommy John injury. But some other signs and symptoms are linked to Tommy John’s injury, including elbow pain and swelling of the elbow. This pain and swelling manifest that the Ulnar Collateral Ligaments have been torn. Furthermore, pain can also be experienced during the elbow joint’s movement. Furthermore, a weak hand grip can also be a symptom of this condition, as the joints cannot generate enough strength to promote griping. Hence pain, swelling, and a decrease in throwing velocity are some of the primary symptoms of Tommy John’s injury.
Care for the Injury
One of the primary options in treating and caring for Tommy John’s injury involves a surgical approach. The approach involves Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction (Wear et al., 2011, p.1198). In this care and treatment procedure, the broken tendons are replaced with tendons from someone else or another body part. These new tendons that are replaced are known as grafts. However, other preventive approaches are essential in lowering the chances of an individual experiencing Tommy John’s injury. One approach applicable in prevention measures includes adopting a good flexibility training program and warming up before participating in overhead throwing. Hence apart from the reconstruction approach, incorporating preventive measures is also essential when dealing with Tommy John’s injury.
Conclusion
One of the athletes who recently faced Tommy John’s injury is Chad Green, a baseball Yankee player. Chad Green, the right winger, picked up this injury during the tournament and anticipated undergoing Tommy John reconstruction. Through this session, I have learned that some injury that occurs in the jolts, particularly tearing of muscle, does not have to come from a high-stress level to the muscle it is subjected to. Minor stress on the ligament that is repeated over a long time can cause a significant problem. Furthermore, I have learned that preventive measures and other care options, such as reconstruction, are relevant in ensuring that an athlete can continue to perforce and overcome Tommy John’s injury. This is important information that I can use in promoting preventive measures for injuries such as elbow injuries and noticing symptoms associated with injuries such as Tommy John’s injury.
References
Asahara, H., Inui, M., & Lotz, M. K. (2017). Tendons and ligaments: Connecting developmental biology to musculoskeletal disease pathogenesis. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 32(9), 1–20. Web.
Mayo, B. C., Miller, A., Patetta, M. J., Schwarzman, G. R., Chen, J. W., Haden, M., Secretov, E., & Hutchinson, M. R. (2021). Preventing Tommy John surgery: The identification of trends in pitch selection, velocity, and spin rate before ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in Major League Baseball pitchers. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 9(6), 1–6. Web.
Redler, L. H., Degen, R. M., McDonald, L. S., Altchek, D. W., & Dines, J. S. (2016). Elbow ulnar collateral ligament injuries in athletes: Can we improve our outcomes. World Journal of Orthopedics, 7(4), 229–243. Web.
Wear, S. A., Thornton, D. D., Schwartz, M. L., Weissmann, R. C., Cain, E. L., & Andrews, J. R. (2011). MRI of the reconstructed ulnar collateral ligament. American Journal of Roentgenology, 197(5), 1198–1204. Web.