Tommy John Surgery for Kids?

An article appearing on CNN.com about Tommy John’s legacy as it pertains to medicine got me thinking about how this relates to youngsters.  “What’s your train of thought there?” you might ask.  Well let me explain.  Tommy John’s surgery is a procedure in which doctors replace the ulnar collateral ligament (which is the ligament on the inside of the elbow) by taking a ligament from a different part of the body.  The action that most commonly injures this ligament, necessitating surgical repair is throwing of a baseball, most often by pitching, but can be any position player.  It has become a common surgery in high school athletes due to them throwing the ball faster as well as different types of pitches, like curve balls, at too young of an age.  Little league baseball has placed limits on how many innings and how many pitches a pitcher can throw to minimize overuse injuries.  Once kids are old enough to play at higher levels the rules are not as strict and the chance of injury increases.  These injuries are known as repetitive stress injuries and are not limited to the elbow.  The rotator cuff of the shoulder is another common site of injury due to repetitive stress, also most commonly from throwing.

This brings me to my concern of youngsters’ injuries.  It is obvious that a greater emphasis is being placed on youngsters to perform at higher levels when they should just be out there enjoying the sports.  These emphasizes are from parents and coaches alike.  We live in a very high stress, highly competitive society that places “winning at all costs” as a primary goal.  Most kids will not earn their livelihood at sports so competitive athletics should teach sportsmanship, teamwork and learning to cope with disappointments rather than just to beat the heck out of your body to win.

Those involved in youth sports should be made aware that repetitive stress injuries to the musculoskeletal system can lead to lifelong injuries and or disabilities.