THE INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF TOMMY JOHN SURGERY
An Operation That’s Saved Hundreds of Pitching Careers
Tommy John surgery was a massive step forward for baseball, and it wouldn’t have been possible to recover without physical therapy. When you have a new ligament, you need to rehab it intelligently and comprehensively. Physical therapists play a key role in getting athletes of all types back on the field, whether they’ve had Tommy John surgery or simply sprained an ankle.
The list of MLB pitchers who’ve undergone Tommy John surgery includes names like Stephen Strasburg and John Smoltz. These days, pitchers even get the surgery preemptively. Dr. James Andrews, perhaps the most famous doctor currently performing the surgery, perfectly describes Jobe’s contribution to sports medicine. “Without his contributions both clinically and scientifically,” he says, “none of us would be where we are today. The careers he has saved are a landmark that will probably never be duplicated.”
There was a time when a pitcher tearing their ulnar collateral ligament spelled the end of their career.A pitching elbow without a UCL is about as good as a hitter without a bat. But one doctor’s experimental procedure paved the way for more than 1,000 pitchers to get back on the mound, sometimes at a higher level than before the tear. The UCL reconstruction may be named after the first pitcher it was performed on,Tommy John, but it was the man who invented it, Dr. Frank Jobe, who changed baseball history forever. When Tommy John tore his UCL in 1974, he was willing to try anything that might work. Dr. Jobe, knowing full well that he was venturing into uncharted waters, told John that his chances of success were about 1 in 100. Before the surgery, John won 124 games. He had to take an entire year off to do rehab, ensuring that the healing and recovery were complete. He returned in 1976, played for another 13 years, and tallied another 164 wins. The 1 percent shot paid off and began a revolution.
If you want to get back to doing what you love, Advance Physical Therapy can help.
Wisdom FROM HARRY
BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH BACON AND APPLES
Then we go back into his office, get some water and a treat, and wait for the patients to come. I greet them when they come in and usually spend time with each patient during their visit when I’m not taking a nap. I do this all day. I believe most of them really feel comfortable with me around. At least, they show pleasure in seeing and interacting with me. It’s a long day for a dog. At around 12:30 p.m. or so, Al takes me to a ball park nearby and I get to run and sniff, and you know what. That’s my favorite part of the day, I get to do “dog stuff,” and it breaks up the day. Then it’s back to work in the afternoon. So my message is, as JT put into song: “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.” —Harry
I take my work at my owner’s physical therapy clinic very seriously. I can’t wait to get there in the morning. It’s about 7 a.m. when we show up. First, we go into his office, and he gets the leash, not my favorite thing, and a bag, for you know what. We leave the office and walk around the building, usually with the leash in my mouth. I love the scents of all the bushes, and I get to smell who’s been there over the past 12 hours. Most of the time as we walk around the building, people arrive for work and seem very happy to see me. The people I know say, “Hi Harry”, and they give me pets while I give them a sniff. I’ve discovered that people who own dogs are usually more willing to let me get a whiff than those who don’t. When we get back to the front of the building, Al will often take me to the grassy area, throw a ball for me to chase, and let me run the length of the area at full speed. That’s my warmup for the day.
Ingredients
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1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into pieces
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10 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved, stems removed 2 apples, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped
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1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
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1/2 cup olive oil
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6 slices bacon, cut into squares
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Juice of 1/2 lemon
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Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
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2 cloves garlic, crushed
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1/4 cup rosemary, finely chopped
Directions
marinade over the top. Season with salt and pepper.
1. Blend balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon, rosemary, and garlic to create marinade. Pour into bowl or sealable bag and add chicken. Marinate for at least 5 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken will be. 2. Heat oven to 375 F. Spread
3. Bake 20–25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. For extra crunchiness, turn the heat up to 425 F for the last 5 minutes. 4. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.
Brussels sprouts, bacon, and apples on a baking sheet. Add chicken and pour any extra
inspired by wholesomelicious.com
www.aptorthosports.com • 3
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