Torn Labrum Recovery Without Surgery – Is it Possible?

Torn Labrum Recovery without surgery- is possible? YES! it is possible to recover from a torn labrum without surgery.  Labral tears are most often either a sports injury, the result of intense physical labor, or degeneration.  So, people who play contact sports like football or work in physically demanding fields like construction often experience labral injuries.

An extended period of rest and rehabilitation with regular physical therapy is the only non-surgical treatment for labral repair. Studies show that although it is not always possible to avoid surgery, you can delay it with scapular exercises, provided the injury is not severe. In extreme cases, surgery is necessary.

Read on to learn more about the surgical and non-surgical treatment methods for labral tears, the results of each, and which options are available to you based on the severity of your injury.

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Can You Heal A Labral Tear Without Surgery?

There are a lot of muscles and joints that help keep your shoulder in working order. So what is the labrum, and why is it important?

Shoulder movement mostly depends on the ball and socket joint between the scapula and the humerus. The soft cartilage of the labrum deepens the socket, so this movement is easy and painless. If a tear occurs, you will likely need to get labrum surgery, depending on the severity of your injury.

However, if the tear is not large, you can try other conservative measures before resorting to surgical repair. Alternative treatments may remove the need for surgery or delay it.

If you have a minor labral tear, you can:

• apply ice and rest your muscles to allow recovery
• use anti-inflammatory medications to manage pain
• engage in exercise and regular physical therapy to repair damage
• explore regenerative medicine options

It is important to note that patients should try all other treatment plans for their labral injury before resorting to Labral tear surgery. That is because research shows that the rate of return to pre-injury mobility levels is between 38 to 60 percent after surgical intervention. So it is by no means a cure for your problem.

Patients, especially athletes suffering from labral tears, must resign themselves that the road to recovery is long and arduous. Realistically, surgery can improve symptoms, increase range of motion, and help manage pain, but it does not guarantee return to pre-injury health. In fact, regardless of whether patients choose to get surgery or not, they will need to see a physical therapist for months after and take significant time off to rest.

The decision of whether or not surgery is essential in your case must be left up you and your  orthopedic surgeon. Possible treatment methods vary on a case-by-case basis.

What Are the Different Types of Shoulder Labral Tears?

Before you can explore your treatment options, you need to find out what you’re dealing with. You likely have a labral tear if you’re experiencing shoulder pain and limited mobility.

1. SLAP Tears

Superior Labrum Anterior To Posterior Tears occur at the point where your biceps tendon attaches to your shoulder. This upper arm injury is common among athletes like baseball pitchers and volleyball players, who often jerk their arm over their shoulder joint in a sudden and forceful motion. So if you’re experiencing a sharp pain near your biceps muscle, it maybe a SLAP tear.

2. Bankart Tears

Bankart tears occur in the front section of the labrum and are often a result of dislocated shoulder. Once the ball and socket joint separates, the fibrous tissues pull on the labrum and create a tear. This, in turn, increases the risk of recurrent shoulder dislocation.

One result of this is anterior instability which is when the humerus shifts forward.  With this type of tear, patients have to worry about dislocating their shoulder joint again.

How to Treat SLAP Tears

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SLAP tears may be able to be treated without surgery.  This depends on the type of SLAP tear you have.  The first step is a physical examination, and based on the results, you can discuss treatment options with your surgeon. You may have to get an MRI or X-ray at this stage.

Often you can treat superior labral tears with rest, anti-inflammatory medications, or cortisone injections. Especially if it is type I tear.  The type 1 tear is fraying of the labrum. These are the short-term steps that are followed up with 6 to 8 weeks of physical therapy and exercise.

If these initial treatments are unsuccessful, you will need to explore surgical options. Biceps tenodesis is a treatment used to treat pain in the biceps tendon. This BT procedure is often followed by arthroscopic surgery to fix the SLAP lesions.

However, it is important to remember that surgery does not guarantee a return to pre-injury performance levels. Research puts the rate of return at 38 to 60 percent for most patients and perhaps lower for professional pitchers.

How to Treat Bankart Labral Tears

For a bankart tear, the physician will reduce your dislocated shoulder and assign a few weeks of physical therapy to strengthen your shoulder muscles.

If you’re still unable to raise your arm over your head despite the shoulder exercises or are in deep pain, you may need to get orthopedic surgery. Similarly, if your shoulder continues to dislocate, you’ll need labral repair surgery to reconnect the torn ligaments to the shoulder bone. This surgery is minimally invasive and can typically be done with a small incision, however there is a long recovery. 

Alternatively, if the tear is restricted to the labrum and does not interfere with the biceps muscle, a surgeon may simply recommend debridement – cleaning out the tear,  by shaving and removing the injured portion of the labrum cartilage. This is followed up with physical therapy to restore muscle balance.

What Causes Labrum Tears?

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There are multiple scenarios that could lead to shoulder labrum tears, including:

• a motor vehicle accident
• landing on your shoulder or outstretched arm after a fall
• playing an intense sport that requires regular use of your shoulder, especially throwing motions
• any incident that led to a sudden jerking motion followed by a sharp pain
• chronic shoulder pain due to a labor-intensive job that involves lifting heavy items

Some warning signs to look out for can include:

• reduced range of motion
• decreased arm strength
• clicking sounds from the joints in your upper arm bone
• posterior shoulder instability
• chronic pain, especially when lifting arms overhead or carrying heavy objects
• a feeling of arm bone popping out of shoulder socket

Final Thoughts

If you are experiencing chronic pain in your arms or shoulder blade when they are at rest, in a particular position, or held above your head, you may be suffering from a labrum tear. Luckily there are many ways to treat labral tears. 

Depending on the severity of your injury, prolonged rest, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, physical therapy, and exercise can help heal your torn labrum. There is a popular misconception that these conservative treatment options have a longer recovery time and cannot offer the same results as surgery. That is simply not true.

Physicians always recommend that you exhaust all other potential treatment plans before you resort to shoulder labrum repair surgery because it does not guarantee complete recovery and has a long recovery. 

Of course, persistent shoulder pain can also be a symptom of other issues like torn rotator cuff tendons. If you’re experiencing shoulder or joint pain that is restricting your range of motion, you should see a doctor immediately.