Rehabilitation Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Overhead-Throwing Athletes

Abstract

»: The prevalence of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury and UCL reconstruction (UCL-R) continues to rise, causing morbidity in overhead-throwing athletes.

»: Postoperative rehabilitation protocols are essential for proper healing of the reconstructed ligament and safely returning athletes to competition, yet there is no uniformly accepted standard of care.

»: UCL-R rehabilitation has traditionally been guided by expert opinion and conventional wisdom rather than scientific studies, resulting in substantial variability in rehabilitation practices, time to return to play, and outcomes.

»: Current research efforts aim to closely investigate the biomechanical implications of UCL-R and overhead throwing to better guide rehabilitation and to improve competitive performance and outcomes.

»: Additional biomechanical and scientific studies on rehabilitation modalities and timing are warranted for systematic analysis, optimization, and standardization of UCL-R rehabilitation.