Patient Stories

As a two-time All-American wrestler from the University of Iowa, Max Murin proudly developed a motto that got him through grueling practices and tough matches.

“My initials are M3 (Max Michael Murin),” Max said. “So, after a tough loss on the mat in college, I turned it into my mantra: ‘Man up. Make adjustments. Move forward.’ And I’ve lived by that ever since.”

That determination is what allowed Max to continue competitive wrestling even after rupturing his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow during practice.

“It happened in a seemingly routine position, with my arm extended,” Max said. “I heard a loud pop and felt numbness shoot down my arm.”

With wrestling season fast approaching and his team seeking the national championship for the second year in a row, he decided to forgo surgery – and managed to continue to compete for the next three years.

“Thanks to the support of the outstanding medical staff at the University of Iowa, I wrestled without the support of the ligament in my elbow,” Max said. “They held me together with tape, cortisone shots and a lot of PRP (platelet-rich plasma).”

After graduation, Max took a job as a wrestling coach at Brown University but discovered that his left arm now felt weak and unstable.

“I started to realize that I hadn’t truly felt good on the mat in a long time and my love for the sport started to waver,” Max said. “I decided to have surgery and explore what was next in my career.”

Max turned to orthopedic surgeon Brian Wolf, MD, MS (Iowa City, Iowa), who serves as the Director of University of Iowa Sports Medicine and Head Team Physician for University of Iowa Athletics. Dr. Wolf performed a UCL reconstruction surgery, commonly known as Tommy John surgery – named after the famous ballplayer. Dr. Wolf used an Arthrex 2.4 mm Knotless SutureTak®anchor to repair Max’s distal native ligament back to the bone and then took a ligament from his forearm to complete the reconstruction, using the Elbow Reconstruction Instrument Set.

“While Tommy John surgery is most commonly done in baseball pitchers, wrestlers are the second most common group we see in Iowa to rupture their UCL,” said Dr. Wolf. “We usually recommend trying nonoperative treatment first. But after surgery, we have excellent results getting wrestlers back on the mat.”

Following surgery and several months of rehab, Max started to feel strong and stable again – reigniting his love for wrestling.

“I realized I’m not ready to be done with the sport,” he said. “I recently accepted a job as an assistant coach at George Mason University and I feel the passion for it again that started when I first stepped on the mat when I was just three years old.”

Today, with his elbow fully healed, Max encourages other wrestlers not to be afraid of Tommy John surgery, if they need it.

“It was super successful for me,” he said. “I definitely thought my wrestling career was over, but the surgery rejuvenated me and I fell in love with wrestling all over again. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Disclaimers: This is not medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by a surgeon or other qualified medical professional on the use of these products. You should talk with your physician or health care provider for more information about your health condition and whether Arthrex products might be appropriate for you. The surgeon who performs any surgical procedure is responsible for determining and using the appropriate techniques for surgical procedures on each individual patient. Arthrex recommends that surgeons be trained on the use of any particular product before using it in surgery. A surgeon must always rely on their own professional medical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label, and/or directions for use before using any Arthrex product. Postoperative management is patient-specific and dependent on the treating professional’s assessment. Individual results will vary and not all patients will experience the same postoperative activity level or outcomes. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory approvals and medical practices in individual markets. Please contact Arthrex if you have questions about the availability of products in your area.

This real patient was compensated for the time he took to share his experience.