SHOULDER LABRAL TEAR
So here it is. The first blog entry. I wish I was writing about a crushing victory by the BYU Cougars over that school to the north, but alas, I will gloss over the fact that BYU got shellacked by a really great Utah team that looks to be every bit as good as the hype train would have you believe. Seriously, I think they have at least five guys on their defense that will be NFL draft picks. Legit.
Enough about The School That Shall Not Be Named, time to talk a about what you came here for, information on labral tears and how to keep your shoulder healthy and hopefully avoid injury. So let’s first learn a little bit of anatomy and talk about why the labrum in your shoulder is important.
Shoulder Joint Anatomy
The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint with the glenoid cavity being the socket and the head of the humerus (your arm bone) being the ball. As you can see, the socket is not very deep at all and it looks like the ball should just slide right out. The labrum is what prevents that from happening along with the rotator cuff muscles. The labrum acts to increase the depth of the glenoid cavity by approximately 50% to allow for increased motion, it centers the head of the humerus in the glenoid cavity, and adds increased stabilization to the shoulder joint. Clearly, the labrum plays a vital and important role in the movement and function of the shoulder joint. A loss to the integrity of the labrum would result in a loss of motion and stability for a quarterback or any athlete that is required to perform movement overhead. Yes crossfitters, I’m even talking about you with your overhead squats and butterfly pull-ups.
Now, just like most injuries, all labral tears are not created equal and not all labral tears require surgery, but the most common type of tear is the SLAP tear.
SLAP stands for Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior. This means that the tear is in the top area of the labrum. This top area is also where the biceps tendon attaches to the labrum. A SLAP tear occurs both in front (anterior) and back (posterior) of this attachment point. The biceps tendon can be involved in the injury, as well. These most likely occur during a traumatic event like a car accident, a fall on an outstretched arm,or a rapid or forceful movement of the arm above shoulder level. It also can happen as a natural result of aging. You may have a SLAP tear if you experience popping, locking or catching, decreased range of motion, decreased shoulder strength, pain with lifting objects, and overhead athletes may experience the feeling of a “dead arm” after activity.
If you suspect a labral tear or are having pain in your shoulder depending on your state you can be evaluated by a licensed physical therapist. There is clinical testing that can be done to determine if you have a possible shoulder tear. Physical therapy can be a great way to treat a labral tear and treatment involves mobility training, strengthening of the rotator cuff, corrective exercise for improved flexibility, strength, and stability, dry needling, cupping, and movement analysis to determine why you ended up with a torn labrum or shoulder injury in the first place. It also is a good idea to consult with an orthopedic surgeon to get imaging done and consult on the possibility or possible need for surgery. If you don’t know a good orthopedic surgeon your physical therapist can most likely recommend a good surgeon in your area.
We at Polaris PT & Wellness have had lots of experience working with overhead athletes from the weekend warrior and adolescent athlete all the way to the professional level. Give us a call, email, or DM us on social media to see how we can help you find your way back to healthy. In the meantime, keep moving and stay mobile.
Dr. Brig Woods PT, DPT, OCS