Tommy John Surgery Rehabilitation
Tommy John rehab, built for return to performance.
We build throwing athletes back to full competitive output, velocity, command, and workload capacity, measured well past the point where most protocols stop.
One-on-one with a DPT. Dylan in Kent, WA or Jason in Tampa, FL. In-person and hybrid care.
Self-pay appointments from $80 for 30 minutes. Managed plans from $200/week.
Free consultation: 20 minutes by phone or 30 minutes in person.
A return to the mound, in his words.
“After finishing early rehab from Tommy John surgery, I knew I needed a place that went beyond the basics. Athletic Potential built a fully customized return-to-throw plan and continued rehab/performance program around my needs. The process was collaborative from start to finish, and I surpassed my goal, with my fastball back to 96 mph with my offspeed and breaking balls looking sharp.”
Michael Rucker
MLB, RHP
Returning to play and returning to performance are different goals.
Appearing in a game tells us less than recovering the velocity, command and workload your role demands. These published MLB results illustrate that distinction; they are not a prediction of your outcome.
Return to Play
Appeared in at least one MLB game after surgery
Return to Prior Performance
Matched pre-injury velocity, command, and production
Source: Mastroianni & Ahmad, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025. 129 MLB pitchers, 2017-2023.
Your recovery follows the procedure, surgeon guidance and your response to training. We manage strength, throwing and workload together through the Rehab Advantage Plan, with the goal of preparing you for the demands ahead.
Phase Progression
The 5-Phase Recovery Journey
Time and healing matter. Each transition also considers your symptoms, strength, loading response and surgeon guidance.
Phase 1:Protection & Early Motion
Approx. Weeks 0-6This phase follows the surgeon’s precautions and focuses on protecting the repair and restoring elbow motion. Grip, scapular, and lower-body work may begin as appropriate.
Gate to Next Phase
Full elbow ROM, grip strength baseline established
Phase 2:Strengthening Foundation
Approx. Weeks 6-12Forearm, wrist, shoulder, and total-body loading progress during this phase. Exercise selection and intensity depend on the procedure, current findings, and response.
Gate to Next Phase
Motion maintained and loading tolerated
Phase 3:Advanced Strengthening & Plyometrics
Often Months 3-5Upper-body plyometrics and light weighted-ball work may enter this phase. Strength, motion, symptoms, and response help determine when throwing preparation advances.
Gate to Next Phase
Strength and faster loading are tolerated
Phase 4:Return to Throwing
Procedure-DependentThe starting date follows the procedure and surgeon protocol. Once cleared, we build the throwing progression with PULSE workload data, planned velocity zones, constraint drills, and radar. In-person sessions or remote video review let us coach mechanics when a movement pattern is creating a specific problem. We move from controlled catch play into mound work as the athlete earns it; there is no separate flat-ground pitching phase.
Gate to Next Phase
Throwing response supports the next phase
Phase 5:Full-Effort Bullpens & Handoff
Often Months 9-14+Bullpen intensity, pitch mix, volume, weekly workload, and recovery are built toward the athlete's role. Strength and throwing response continue to inform progression. When appropriate, current information is shared with the team, private coach, or Driveline staff for the next performance phase.
Gate to Next Phase
Full-effort bullpen workload tolerated with stable recovery
Treatment, training and throwing. Managed together.
One-on-one care is connected to your strength work and throwing progression. Inside Driveline Baseball, mounds, cages and the strength floor support that plan. Hybrid care puts the work that can travel at your own gym or field.
- Choose the next workload. Radar and throwing records add context to symptoms and recovery.
- Build the capacity behind it. ArmCare, grip testing and strength work help identify what needs attention.
- Coach the transition. Video and tailored drills can help address specific movement problems as throwing returns.
Workload tracking
A real Tommy John return-to-throw, charted day by day.
Daily throw counts, acute:chronic workload ratio, and the chronic load curve over a full year of rehab. Every spike flagged for review before the next progression.
Care options and cost
Baseball Rehab Advantage Plan
From $200 per week
One-on-one care, a six-day mobility, strength, conditioning and performance plan, and a tailored return to throwing. Training-space access and hybrid participation are available.
Compare tiers and payment optionsIndividual appointments
$80 / $120 / $160
30, 45 or 60 minutes of one-on-one care. Self-pay; superbills may be available for eligible PT visits. Reimbursement depends on your insurance.
Individual appointment detailsRemote Performance Programming: $450 per four weeks, including a weekly 45-minute telehealth visit. In-person appointments are added separately. Clinical telehealth eligibility depends on where you are physically located. Remote care details
Standard rates are subject to change and confirmed before care. You may request a written Good Faith Estimate.
Book a Free ConsultConfidence is part of the return.
Setbacks, flat weeks and the first bullpen can feel different from physical rehab. Ongoing one-on-one care gives you someone to discuss that response with as the plan changes.
Confidence, setbacks and the longer recovery
The Part Nobody Talks About
40% of return-to-play failures after UCL reconstruction are psychological (systematic review, 378 athletes). The graft heals on a fairly predictable timeline; the confidence to compete on it rarely follows the same curve.
Early on, you are stuck in a brace watching your teammates play, wondering when this starts feeling like progress. When you pick up a ball for the first time, the anxiety is real. Then the first bullpen. Then the first pitch that does not feel right, and your brain goes straight to the worst-case scenario.
There are ups and downs for months. Your velo jumps one week and stalls the next. You wonder if something is wrong. You worry about falling behind your timeline, about re-injury, about whether you will feel the same on the mound again.
In high school athletes, 62.5% of those who failed to return to play cited psychological reasons. Loss of interest was the most common. The mental side of this rehab runs from day one through your last competitive outing.
“You will have
flat weeks.
We plan for them.”
We have walked athletes through every phase of this. We know when the doubt shows up, what triggers the anxiety, and how to keep you moving forward when the process feels stalled.
Every session is one-on-one. We are with you the entire rehab, not just the physical work. When something does not feel right, you have someone in the room who has seen it before and can tell you what it means.
More patient experiences
“I had the privilege of rehabbing from Tommy John surgery with Athletic Potential. The rehab process was rigorously data-driven and helped ensure I was on-track and maximizing my time in rehab. I came out stronger than I have ever been. The combination of excellent rehab, strength work and custom return to throw helped me get back to the minor leagues hitting velocity PRs in my first year back.”
Josh Hejka
Minor League, RHP
“The expertise and personalized approach provided were pivotal during a critical moment in my career. The tailored rehab strategies and unwavering support not only addressed my specific deficits but also bolstered my confidence, guiding me through a challenging recovery. The commitment and innovative techniques stood out when traditional methods fell short.”
Casey Sadler
Mariners, RHP
Tommy John recovery
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you're deciding whether this fits, start here.
Return to competitive throwing often takes roughly 12–18 months after reconstruction. Competitive pitchers may need longer than position players, and the procedure, surgeon protocol, and athlete response can shift the timeline.
Tommy John surgery does not create velocity. Rehab may include strength and performance work when appropriate, but the response differs from athlete to athlete.
After reconstruction, structured throwing often begins around months 4–5. Some repairs and hybrid procedures may start earlier when the surgeon approves it. Workload records, radar, video, and strength testing help guide the progression.
Studies report revision rates around 5–15%, depending on the population. No single test predicts an individual outcome, so we review symptoms, strength, workload, velocity, recovery, and role demands throughout the process.
Yes. In fact, a significant portion of our Tommy John caseload is high school athletes. Younger athletes often heal faster but also face unique pressures to return early for recruiting timelines. We work with families to set realistic expectations and build a plan that protects long-term development.
Related Conditions
Ready to Start Your Comeback?
One week post-op or six months into a program that is not working, the first step is a free call with the clinician at your location. We will talk through where you are, what has already been done, and what the path ahead may require.
Choose a clinic and book a free consultation. We are a cash-based practice, and superbills may be available for eligible PT visits.
Also available at our Tampa Bay location with Jason Modafari, DPT.
Baseball clinical guides
Continue learning about Tommy John rehab
Follow the injury from diagnosis through strength, throwing, mound work, and the return to competition.