WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Local orthopedic surgeon treating younger and younger athletes for elbow injuries
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Dr. James Lebolt with the Virginia Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Institute is treating younger and younger children with serious elbow injuries. Some children as young as twelve have needed surgery.
Lebolt believes it's a result of them playing sports year-round without a break.
"I was doing like three sports almost everyday. It was a lot," said 15 year-old Taylor Locke.
The repetitive movements with softball, volleyball, and cheerleading were taking a toll on her elbow.
"You could feel the pulling in it. You'd hear a lot of popping and it would get stuck and it was painful," said Locke.
Dr. Lebolt told News 7, young athletes should never ignore consistent pain. It could be a sign of problems.
"With repetitive strain this ligament will stretch out and develop small tears in it," said Lebolt. "I see a lot of overuse in sports groups in this age group. What I tell them is I recommend one month a year completely out of sports."
Lebolt said that allows the ligament to heal.
Locke ended up needing surgery. This past May, she had a procedure known as the Tommy John surgery, named after the famous pitcher.
A tendon was removed from her wrist to repair the damaged ligament.
"They are able to throw and sometimes throw even better than what they did before hand," said Lebolt.
Locke is starting to get back into the swing of things. She's just hoping she'll be ready for softball in the spring, because it can take a year or more to heal.
"I think she'll be there," said Lebolt.
Good news for Locke she has dreams of a college softball scholarship.
