Shohei Ohtani has undergone surgery on his right elbow twice — once in 2018 and again in 2023.

Technically, the first operation was a traditional Tommy John surgery, while the second was reportedly a newer hybrid version of the procedure.

According to Ohtani, the physical sensations immediately after surgery were different each time, and the rehabilitation schedules also varied significantly.

After his first surgery, Ohtani carefully tracked every stage of his recovery.

He always knew exactly how many days had passed since the operation, and he kept detailed records of his rehabilitation process, including how his body responded and how his condition improved over time.

He explained that there were two important reasons for doing so.

The first was personal understanding.

“Understanding it myself is important, but by keeping records, I can share what I’ve learned with other players who may go through the same surgery in the future.”

But there was another reason as well.

While surgeons who perform Tommy John procedures have extensive medical experience, they have never personally experienced the surgery as patients themselves.

Ohtani believed that by documenting his recovery accurately from the patient’s perspective, he could provide valuable feedback to doctors and potentially contribute to future medical progress.

It is an extraordinarily thoughtful perspective.

Most athletes focus solely on returning to competition as quickly as possible.

Ohtani, however, also considered how his experience could help future players and even advance sports medicine itself.

Memories eventually fade away.

Records remain.

Because records can be shared, studied, and passed on to others, Ohtani wanted his own difficult experiences to become something meaningful beyond himself.

Even during rehabilitation, he was thinking not only about recovery, but also about contribution.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

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