Tommy John Surgery Alternative: Regenerative Orthopedics
Most of us have seen major league baseball players in the news because they have undergone the infamous “Tommy John Surgery.” And many of them have had success, but others have not. It is important to realize that surgery is risky, even if that surgery is deemed a minor one. Just recently, the George Mason University baseball team lost a 20-year-old student-athlete. The freshman died unexpectedly from complications after a Tommy John elbow surgery.1
Tommy John surgery is a common procedure for baseball pitchers. The surgery is used to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) inside the elbow. And the procedure is becoming more common among young pitchers due to the stress pitching puts on the elbow.
The good news is that there is a non-surgical alternative to repair the UCL. At OrthoRegen®, we offer regenerative medicine techniques that include Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, and Stem Cell Therapy. Our clinicians will recommend the best treatment for your individual case and situation.
Prolotherapy is one type of regenerative therapy utilized at our clinic. It is the use of simple dextrose to heal a partially torn ligament. How does it work? If you are a pitcher with a UCL that is injured, you have most likely lost velocity in your fastball. Plus, the wear-and-tear transpiring in the elbow is probably causing pain on the inside of your arm.
Prolotherapy is not a new treatment. It has been used in clinical practice for more than 80 years to treat various chronic musculoskeletal conditions. And it is a safe and practical option to treat ligament damage. How does it repair an injured ligament? By “stimulating the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the restoration of joint stability by augmenting the tensile strength of joint stabilizing structures, such as ligaments.”2
PRP treatment utilizes your own concentrated blood platelets, which are then injected into the injured areas of your elbow. Blood platelets are helpful at repair because they contain growth and healing factors. PRP can play a great role in injury healing and may be part of the recommendation for repairing the UCL injury.
Regenerative Orthopedics are great solutions to avoid surgery for the majority of musculoskeletal injuries involving soft tissue, including UCL injuries. Many injuries involve degeneration of the ligament, or even partial tears, and the UCL can be repaired and regenerated with Regenerative Orthopedics. There are times, such as when the ligament is completely torn, that surgery may be the only option. An experienced regenerative medicine clinician will give you a recommendation for the best treatment options after an evaluation.
If an ulnar collateral ligament injury has stopped you, get back in the game with Regenerative Orthopedics at OrthoRegen and Peter A. Fields, MD, DC. At OrthoRegen® , we offer innovative, non-surgical treatments for many sports injuries and chronic pain problems, including UCL injuries. Without unnecessary medication, prescriptions, cortisone shots, or surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics can regenerate damaged or worn ligaments and strengthen weakened tendons.
The most beneficial aspect of our non-surgical sports injuries treatment is that you can continue to train while you receive the treatments. We treat athletes of all skill and age levels including high school and college athletes, and amateur or professional athletes.
We’re here to help. Call today to schedule an evaluation to receive non-surgical treatment for your sports injuries or UCL injury with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics at OrthoRegen®.
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Prolotherapy Sports Injuries Treatment can help you get back in the game – and get back quickly!
Receive treatment for your sports injuries by Ironman Triathlete Peter A. Fields, MD, DC. For over 25 years, Dr. Fields has been active in the sport of Triathlon and an 11 time Ironman finisher. And it is his experience as an athlete that allows him to understand the potential for injury and the demands of sports on the physical body. Plus, he also understands the passion athletes have to get back to training and competition, and their need to recover quickly from injury. He has been there! That’s why Dr. Fields is known as The Athletic Doc®. Wouldn’t you want to be treated by a sports doctor who is also an athlete?
Check out the testimonials on this page and on our Testimonials page.
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1 Hertel, A.College baseball pitcher Sang Ho Baek dies from complications following Tommy John elbow surgery. USA Today. 2021 Jun 9. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/baseball/2021/06/19/george-mason-pitcher-sang-ho-baek-dies-after-tommy-john-surgery/7753020002/
2 Hauser RA, Lackner JB, Steilen-Matias D, Harris DK. A systematic review of dextrose prolotherapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain. Clinical Medicine Insights: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2016 Jan;9:CMAMD-S39160. [Google Scholar]
