Table 3.
Studies Evaluating Pitching Performance After Return to MLB Level for UCL Injuries a
| First Author (Year) | Primary or Revision Surgery | Rate or Advanced Statistics b | Control Group? | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erickson (2014) 21 | Primary | Rate | Yes | Improved ERA c and WHIP c vs pre-UCLR and controls |
| Erickson (2019) 14 | Primary | Rate | No | NS difference in rate statistics between hamstring autograft harvest from drive or landing leg |
| Erickson (2019) 16 | Primary | Rate | No | Worsened K/9 c and HR/9 c in hamstring graft group vs palmaris graft; other rate statistics NS |
| Erickson (2020) 12 | Primary | Rate | No | NS difference in WHIP or ERA between distal and proximal UCL tears in those proceeding to UCLR |
| Gibson (2007) 23 | Primary | Rate | Yes | NS difference in ERA and WHIP vs pre-UCLR or controls |
| Jiang (2014) 30 | Primary | Both | Yes | Lower FB velocity c vs pre-UCLR; NS difference in velocity, ERA, and WHIP vs controls |
| Jones (2013) 31 | Revision | Rate | No | NS difference in rate statistics between starters and relievers |
| Keller (2014) 35 | Primary | Rate | Yes | Improved ERA c post-UCLR year 1, NS difference in years 2-3 vs controls; worsened ERA c and WHIP c vs pre-UCLR |
| Keller (2016) 32 | Primary | Advanced | Yes | NS difference in velocity for all pitchers vs pre-UCLR and controls |
| Lansdown (2014) 36 | Primary | Both | No | Lower FB velocity c and FB pitch % c post-UCLR; NS difference in rate statistics vs pre-UCLR |
| Liu (2016) 37 | Revision | Both | Yes | NS difference in FB velocity, FB pitch %, and rate stats vs pre-UCLR or controls |
| Makhni (2014) 38 | Primary | Both | Yes | Worsened FB velocity, c FB %, c ERA, c and WHIP c vs pre-UCLR; NS differences vs controls |
| Marshall (2015) 41 | Revision | Rate | Yes | Worsened BB/9 c vs controls and pre-UCLR; all other rate statistics NS vs both |
| Marshall (2018) 39 | Primary | Both | Yes | Higher FB velocity c vs controls but NS vs pre-UCLR; lower FB pitch % c vs pre-UCLR |
| Marshall (2019) 40 | Primary | Both | No | NS difference in FB velocity, FB pitch %, or rate statistics between palmaris and gracilis grafts |
| McKnight (2020) 44 | Primary | Advanced | No | Worsened FB accuracy c vs pre-UCLR; NS difference in FB velocity and curveball movement |
| Peterson (2018) 50 | Primary | Advanced | No | Decreased FB pitch % c vs pre-UCLR |
| Platt (2021) 51 | Primary | Advanced | No | NS difference in FB velocity, or slider, curveball, or FB pitch movement vs pre-UCLR |
| Portney (2017) 54 | Primary | Advanced | Yes | NS difference in FB velocity or FB pitch % vs pre-UCLR or controls; decreased horizontal movement c for FB and sliders and increased curveball vertical movement c vs pre-UCLR |
| Walker (2021) 65 | Nonop d | Rate | Yes | NS difference in ERA and WHIP vs controls |
a BB/9, walks per 9 innings; ERA, earned run average; FB, fastball; HR/9, home runs per 9 innings; K/9, strikeouts per 9 innings; K/BB, strikeout-to-walk rate; MLB, Major League Baseball; Nonop, nonoperative; NS, nonsignificant; Pitch %, pitch selection; UCL, ulnar collateral ligament; UCLR, ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction; WHIP, walks and hits per inning pitched.
b Rate statistics refer to statistics from Table 1. Advanced statistics refer to statistics from Table 2.
c Statistically significant findings.
d Nonoperative management of partial UCL tears.