Anyone with a labrum tear?

[jspirate]

OK, I just got back from the doc and his reading of my MRI/arthrogram. He feels confident I have Bankart tear and probably a SLAP tear also. In short, this means that a good portion of the cartilage (labrum) attached to the rim of my shoulder socket damaged.

Based on our conversations I think it is safe to say that this is not a weight lifting injury. Instead, it is probably an injury I had some time in my youth that has been exacerbated by lifting. A Bankart tear is typically caused by a shoulder dislocation.

I can either have surgery to get the labrum trimmed and reattached/secured or continue to work around it. There is no blood flow in the socket so it does not heal per-say, but the symptoms can improve with time (boggling huh?). Although the surgery is fairly basic and has a 92% chance of being effective, the recovery includes 3 weeks with no movement and 3 months with no lifting.

I have not gotten a second opinion because my doc is well known for what he does. In fact, he used to be the team doctor for the Colts.

Anyway... is there anyone out there that has (or has had) a labrum tear? If so, I would love to hear about your experience.

[slackdaddy]

I think that you may have asked this on here before but if not, I had a repair about 3 years ago. I also had a decompression(spurs removed) at the same time. I had to have my arm straped down for about 3 weeks like you mentioned. It was all done arthoscopic and you can barely see the scars. It took about 3 months to completely recover but now it is 100 percent. We get alot of shoulder surgeries at work, some guys come back completely and some don't.

I noticed that your doc was the team doctor for the Colts. The doc who did mine does the University of Kentucky athletes.

[Most Muscular]

OK, I just got back from the doc and his reading of my MRI/arthrogram. He feels confident I have Bankart tear and probably a SLAP tear also. In short, this means that a good portion of the cartilage (labrum) attached to the rim of my shoulder socket damaged.

Based on our conversations I think it is safe to say that this is not a weight lifting injury. Instead, it is probably an injury I had some time in my youth that has been exacerbated by lifting. A Bankart tear is typically caused by a shoulder dislocation.

I can either have surgery to get the labrum trimmed and reattached/secured or continue to work around it. There is no blood flow in the socket so it does not heal per-say, but the symptoms can improve with time (boggling huh?). Although the surgery is fairly basic and has a 92% chance of being effective, the recovery includes 3 weeks with no movement and 3 months with no lifting.

I have not gotten a second opinion because my doc is well known for what he does. In fact, he used to be the team doctor for the Colts.

Anyway... is there anyone out there that has (or has had) a labrum tear? If so, I would love to hear about your experience.

I had a tear occur in the summer of 1996 and took 3 months off of any pressing movements hoping it would heal.... I later found out I could have taken 30 years off and it wouldn't have made a difference because unless you completely immobilize your shoulder you'll continue to flip the tear back and forth.... really the only alternative is surgery.

I had mine in January of 1997 and was back in the gym the next week... of course I had a sling on and could only really do legs but at least I did something. Until the healing process was complete (about 2-3 months) I focussed on my back and legs which in the end helped because my shoulders were too overpowering on my physique before. I looked for the silver lining in the bad and made it good.

The following summer I competed in the USA show and won my weight class at age 42 and all natural.

It can be done. Go for it.

nuff said...

[jspirate]

I think that you may have asked this on here before but if not, I had a repair about 3 years ago. I also had a decompression(spurs removed) at the same time. I had to have my arm straped down for about 3 weeks like you mentioned. It was all done arthoscopic and you can barely see the scars. It took about 3 months to completely recover but now it is 100 percent. We get alot of shoulder surgeries at work, some guys come back completely and some don't.

I noticed that your doc was the team doctor for the Colts. The doc who did mine does the University of Kentucky athletes.

Thanks for the feedback slackdaddy. Its great to hear about a 100% recovery. I tried to rep ya, but I guess I must have repped ya last time and "I need to spread some more around."

Most Muscular - thanks to you also. Your feedback is great because I was leaning about 51% to 49% with respect to getting the surgery. Your feedback makes me even more willing to take the knife. BTW, how did you little holes/scares turn out (I guess the surgery requires 3 holes)? I am guessing they came out OK because you have been competing. I looked at your pics and all I can say is awesome!

[nomasgordo]

i dont know if this helps any, but the New Orleans Saints quarterback had labrum & rotator cuff surgery on his throwing arm after the season last year, and this year he led the NFL in passing yards.

[BurritoMan]

I think having the surgery is the clear answer.

I had arthroscopic to repair cartilage in my ankle. Eliminated a lot of the pain I was having. Like you I used one of those NFL orthopedic surgeons.

[Most Muscular]

Most Muscular - thanks to you also. Your feedback is great because I was leaning about 51% to 49% with respect to getting the surgery. Your feedback makes me even more willing to take the knife. BTW, how did you little holes/scares turn out (I guess the surgery requires 3 holes)? I am guessing they came out OK because you have been competing. I looked at your pics and all I can say is awesome!

I have a very hard time finding them they are so small.

nuff said...

[slackdaddy]

My incisions didn't even have stitches, just glue and tape. There were 4 of them.