J.J. Putz has Ulnar Neuritis
A couple quick things about J.J.'s elbow injury that has put him back on the DL:
- Basically, the nerve that runs on the inside of the elbow (ulnar nerve) has been rubbing over the bone on the inside of the elbow (aka, the "funny bone") and is now irritated (irritated and inflamed nerve = neuritis). The Mariners' doc mentioned that this was because of hyperextension... meaning that when his arm is coming through, his elbow is going back, or giving way, more than it should. The nerve can then slide more, or get pinched more as the arm comes back forward.
- I see a lot of patients with similar symptoms, but usually because of leaning on the inside of their elbows while typing on the computer or putting their arm on the door or armrest while driving.
- The key is to rest the elbow, let the inflammation calm down, and avoid re-injury. In J.J.'s case, he will rest until the pain subsides, then begin some stretching and rehab. He may get to wear a splint that keeps his elbow straight at night. Sometimes a cortisone injection can help decrease the inflammation if needed.
- As with any pitching injury, the question is why did this happen now? Could it be that he has a little more laxity (looseness) in his UCL as he has used his elbow to compensate for other probelms in his mechanics? (This is why pitchers may tingle before they "pop" their UCL... the UCL gets looser and looser until "pop"). Could it be that his rib injury threw off his mechanics and has thus put more strain on his elbow? His location has not been as great since the rib injury, so a very strong possibility.
Let's hope a little rest, strengthening and attention to his mechanics will help get J.J. back on the mound.
Lofa Tatupu was arrested for a DUI, his blood alcohol level was about 0.155 percent. For many people who are casual drinkers, at a level between 0.15 and 0.20, the effects are lethargy and difficulty sitting upright without assistance. A more habituated drinker sometimes will show little to no effects even at that high of a level. So, it can sometimes be hard for people to truly judge how intoxicated they are because they feel fine, even though their blood alcohol level is far over the limit.
How many drinks is that before he decided to drive? Based on his body weight and gender, it would be the equivalent of having eight drinks or more (1 drink being equal to 1 beer, 1 shot, or 1 glass of wine) in one hour! If he was partying for a couple hours, it may have been 12 drinks or more. Eegads.
Having worked at the Harborview ER during my training, I have seen how devastating it is for someone to be killed by a drunk driver. I also have patients that still struggle physically with the after effects of being hit by a drunk driver. Lofa was lucky this time. I am sure that many listeners have been lucky at times, too. Just remember, luck runs out at some point, and it may not be just you that pays the price.
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