UCL Tear: Types and Prognosis

[@AdrianMorrison]

My guy, your videos are extremely informative. Prob. the best ones i've seen so far on YT through my research today. I recently had an MRI and discovered I have a partial tear of the UCL. However, it doesn't notate where the tear is exactly (prox or dist). I don't play sports, I actually did this while lifting weights and I believe I began to feel the pain in gap of elbow whilst doing hammer curls. It's also in my non dominant arm --- this video def. made me feel much better in regards to the need of surgery vs. rehab.

[@OverheadAthletics]

This would definitely be a case where I avoid surgery if at all possible. Most of these types of injury can be rehabbed to 100% without surgery.

[@rickeramirez193]

Thank you very much, Max, and Chuck for your genereous medical lecture. Very much appreciate what you both are doing to help others in this area of study. Max, quick question after observing your clear comprehensive detail regarding the ulner nerve and the tears that occur among the bundle of muscle and ligament in the elbow area presented. My question is, are these the same muscles and ligaments that tear for persons that injur this area due to opening a very tight lid on a jar over a period of years, where the muscle and ligament finally give way, tear and become injured?

[@OverheadAthletics]

Of course, glad we are able to provide such a great service to you all! But to answer your question, it depends. In most cases, opening a jar can reproduce UCL tear-like symptoms because many of the same muscles involved in resisting valgus in the throw are active in opening a jar. With that being said, the stresses are relatively low in terms of opening a jar vs a throw but overuse of that motion can definitely lead to some pathologies in that same area. Very rarely would a tear or even a sprain occur from strictly that movement, but some intrasubstance fraying and/or tendonitis/tendinosis could occur over an extended period of time.

[@cyberdoctor366]

Do you recommend Kinesio Taping for a UCL elbow partial tear and how to tape it?

[@JorgeTorres-nq4op]

Hey I made my first start 2 weeks ago after having problems with my arm I had little league elbow and this off-season I gain some weight and did lots of arm care when I pitch by the 2nd inning I felt tightness I got a mri the results was 50 percent of my ucl was torn and doctor said it was a partially tear my elbow is still stable I can swing but he recommended to get Tommy John surgery so what do you recommend me

[@OverheadAthletics]

I’d be willing to do a consultation with you if you’d like to reach out!

[@ajiisss]

I have pain from extension of elbow. I took an MRI and the results read this . 1. Mild degenerative change of the posterior elbow articulation with cysts in the proximal olecranon at the level of the olecranon fossa. Bone marrow edema in the proximal olecranon likely reactive. 2. Partial thickness tear of the ulnar collateral ligament from the C1 tubercle. Can the UCL tear cause an extension issue?

[@OverheadAthletics]

It can because the elbow because is now unstable. The elbow stability is now your issue. I’d consult a respected elbow surgeon who has experience with throwers.

[@slyck007]

Would I need surgery if I tore my non dominant arms ucl, I lift weights regularly but don’t play any sports involving throwing using that arm

[@OverheadAthletics]

Nope

[@gregdull3293]

What are the deficits if only the Posterior UCL has a high grade to full tear without retraction? Will it heal?

[@OverheadAthletics]

Doubtful but I’d get some opinions from sports med docs in your area who see throwing athletes.

[@cassandraerickson2832]

Is it possible to have a positive milking maneuver(valgus instability) of 3+ instability and a UCL injury be missed on MRI? X-ray's also show bone spurs and loose bodies and they weren't mentioned at all in the MRI. I constantly have popping and locking of the elbow joint and it feels extremely unstable. Also, what is the grading scale for instability?

[@OverheadAthletics]

It’s definitely possible for it to be missed. It sounds like you have a lot going on in there.

[@ryanhunter3304]

So when I throw especially pitch it hurts but not over the top but I still able to throw 2mph less than usual so what would you think that is

[@OverheadAthletics]

Could be a number of things. First you’ve identified that altering your mechanics decreases the pain and load on the pain sensitive tissue so I would start there. As opposed to arbitrarily making adjustments to your mechanics get it checked out by a knowledgeable professional. That is what we do at the OAI. Feel free to shoot me an email [e-mail]