A research has revealed that the Baseball players undergoing ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery are able to return to the same or higher level of competition for an extended period of time.
Daryl C. Osbahr, MD of MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, said that the previous studies showed successful return to play after UCL surgery, but they were also able to evaluate each athlete's career longevity and reason for retirement.
Approximately 83 percent of the athletes examined were able to return to the same or higher level of competition, with only 3 percent reporting persistent elbow pain and only 5 percent noting limitation of elbow function during day-to-day activities.
While approximately 243 (95 percent) of the athletes studied had retired by the minimum 10-year follow-up, 238 (98 percent) still participated in throwing at a recreational level with most reporting no elbow pain, the study showed.