FOX 4: How Tommy John's Legacy Lives On: Rise in Elbow Surgery Among Young Athletes
The Tommy John surgery is an elbow repair surgery named after former MLB pitcher Tommy John.
1 minuteIn recent years, physicians and baseball pros have noticed a sharp increase in Tommy John surgeries among younger players and those at the higher level.
The procedure, an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction on the elbow, received its name from former MLB pitcher Tommy John first underwent the procedure in 1974. The operation was career-saving for the MLB star, who passed away this past weekend.
FOX 4 talked with Dr. Wes Frevert, orthopedic surgeon at Rockhill Orthopaedic Specialists, about the procedure, the trends he's seeing, and why the ligament injury is so common among pitchers.