Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries in Youth Throwing Athletes

The medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the elbow is a vital structure for the overhead throwing motion. Injuries to this ligament are becoming increasingly common and specifically in youth baseball players. Significant work has been done to provide pitch count guidelines to monitor workload and prevent UCL injuries. Yet despite these efforts, injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament continue to occur at an alarming rate, leading to lost playing time and impacting player development. Complete tears of the UCL have traditionally been addressed surgically by reconstructing the ligament with a tendon graft, known as Tommy John Surgery. Newer techniques have allowed for repair of the native UCL tissue in many cases, drastically changing the treatment paradigm and subsequent rehabilitation.