Yet another shoulder injury thread — To surgery, or not to surgery...

[teenwolf80]

I finally got an arthrogram of my shoulder as a follow-up to an MRI I got back in May, and discovered the following:

1. “large, very high grade partial-thickness tear of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons”

2. “chronic Hills-Sachs defect” and “probable old Reverse-Hills-Sachs defect”

3. “chronic Bony Bankart injury”

4. “extensive chronic tear of the anterior inferior glenoid labrum and adjacent ligament process”

5. “extensive synovitis and debris” in joint

6. “moderate glenohumeral osteoarthritis”

The only symptoms I’ve been having, which led me to get imaging done in the first place, is the rotator cuff. I had developed the rotator cuff pain over the course of a few weeks, not from a specific trauma that I can recall. Rehabbing on my own, going to PT, and taking a few weeks off from the gym haven’t helped much, although there have been periods when it was feeling great - lots of peaks and valleys over the past 8 months. The supraspinatus is about 90% torn.

The Hills-Sachs, the Bony Bankart, and the torn labrum are most likely from wrestling 15+ years ago. I didn’t even know I had those until I got the imaging for the rotator cuff, so I can say that those haven’t bothered me in well over a decade.

Cutting to the chase, I’m trying to figure out what to get surgically repaired, if anything. Since the labrum has never bothered me, I’m tempted to not have anything done to it. My only apprehension is the possibility that my rotator cuffs are shot due to the shoulder instability from the labral tear. I’d be heartbroken if I were to get the rotator cuff fixed, only to tear it again after the recovery. I’m also not sure whether or not a 90% tear is something that I can nurse back to health with, say, PRP and several months of rest and still be able to lift all-out once I’m healed.

Anyone have any advice?