A's pitchers battling back from elbow injury

There were times after his elbow surgery when A's reliever Joey Devine doubted he would return to a big league mound.

Teammate Josh Outman felt his pain -- literally.

Both pitchers encountered hurdles on their long road back from elbow ligament reconstruction -- "Tommy John" surgery.

Now both are savoring their return to the A's staff, and they're as happy for each other as for themselves.

"We spent a lot of time together last year, and we had our setbacks at the same time," Outman, 26, said. "If I was out for five weeks, he was out for five weeks. It just seemed like it went that way."

Elbow ligament reconstruction has become a common procedure in baseball since Dodgers left-hander Tommy John had his groundbreaking surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974.

It's said that 85 percent of pitchers return successfully from the surgery, in which a tendon is taken from the wrist or hamstring and woven into the elbow to act as a functioning ligament.

The typical recovery period is 12-18 months, but comeback stories vary.

New York Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett returned slightly more than a calendar year after his operation in April 2003.

Devine, a right-hander, had his surgery in April 2009. He was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento two weeks ago -- more than two full years after his procedure -- to bolster a relief corps that was missing closer Andrew Bailey.

An injury to the flexor tendon in Devine's elbow in spring training 2010 extended his rehab by several months.

"There's always that self-doubt, wondering if you're going to get back to your old abilities," said Devine, who has yet to allow a run in seven appearances. "The first eight, nine, 10 months of postsurgery, you keep focusing on the success stories of guys coming back. That's what kept me fighting that first year."

Outman, a left-handed starter recalled from Sacramento on May 23, had his surgery in June 2009.

Outman was progressing well last season -- throwing up to four innings in simulated games.

Then his elbow began hurting in June.

He was diagnosed with irritation in the ligament, and the A's sent him home to St. Louis for six weeks.

Devine was home in Atlanta at the time recovering from his flexor tendon issue. The two chatted on the phone often.

"I hated seeing him go through what I was going through," Devine, 27, said. "I know he probably felt the same way.

Ask the Trainer: Exercise After Abdominal Surgery | Get Your Rear ...

First of all, make sure you have clearance from your doctor for exercise.  The advice I am giving is fitness advice, not medical.

I have had the same issues with stomach incisions and understand that “stingy” pain.  There are several reasons for that.  Sometimes scar tissue can restrict the movement of nerves that can cause inflammation which causes the pain. Also, the skin in that area becomes tight which can cause that pulling feeling with certain movements. Gently massaging the scar is usually recommended, but again, talk to your doctor first.

The key to firming and toning muscles is to make exercise a habit.  It must be a part of your daily life. And you cannot get the results you want without proper nutrition. The most important thing to remember is that 20% is exercise and 80% is nutrition. Abdominal exercises are great for toning up your muscles but don’t do much for the body fat that is covering them up. To get your abdominals back in shape you should have a fitness routine that includes cardio and resistance training.  You can get toned, even ripped, abs without doing a single crunch! Always keep your core tight no matter what exercise you are doing.  I am a big fan of plyometric training and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to get your entire body into shape.