The shoulder labrum is a specialized cartilage that reinforces the shoulder joint. Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint composed of the ball of your arm bone (humerus) and the socket (glenoid). The socket is shallower than other joints, allowing your arms to have a huge range of motion.
The labrum lines the socket part of the joint and supports the rotator cuff muscles and tendons. In addition, the ligaments that connect the bones are attached to this area, keeping the shoulder joint in place.
The shoulder labrum is a thick connective tissue that helps keep your shoulder joint in place. It is attached to the socket part of the joint, attaching deep into the joint to provide more stability. A shoulder labrum tear typically occurs due to injury, usually when a person dislocates their shoulder.
We mentioned that the shoulder socket is more shallow compared to other joints. The shoulder labrum lines it, making it deeper and helping to keep the ball in the socket. The first vital function of the labrum is to support joint stability. When the labrum is damaged, the ball can slide out of the socket, causing dislocation or subluxation (partial dislocation).
This specialized cartilage also plays a vital role as an attachment place for other connective tissues in your shoulder joint. For example, ligaments attach to certain parts of the labrum, and these fibrous tissues are vital for joint stabilization.
In addition, the biceps tendon also partly attaches to the labrum. The other part connects to the bone close to the socket part of the shoulder joint.
A shoulder or glenoid labrum tear usually occurs because of an injury that causes damage to the labrum. Tears can be partial or complete, which affects the symptom severity and best treatment options. Below you can find the most common types of shoulder labrum tears.
Superior labrum from anterior to posterior or SLAP tears typically occur in place where the biceps tendon connects to the shoulder. These injuries are usually not caused by single incidents, but by repetitive movements causing stress on this area. That’s typical for sports, which is why SLAP tears are common among volleyball players and baseball pitchers.
People with a SLAP tear usually experience pain at the front of the shoulder, where the biceps tendon attaches to the joint.
Bankart tears occur in the bottom part of the socket, called the Bankart lesion. That can happen when a person dislocates the shoulder, and the ball comes out on the front part of the socket, pulling the labrum with it.
Bankart tears can make it easier to dislocate a shoulder again and can even lead to shoulder instability. People suffering from these injuries usually feel like their shoulder joint may slip out of place in certain positions.
A posterior labral tear occurs when you damage the labrum at the back part of the socket. This can be caused by an injury or wear and tear due to old age. That’s why this condition is more common in people over 40 years of age, who may experience symptoms like clicking when moving the joint around.
The most common shoulder labrum tear symptoms include:
The frequency and intensity of symptoms depend on the type and severity of a labrum tear. A doctor usually performs a shoulder labrum tear test and imaging to identify the scope of the injury and determine the best treatment plan.
Many patients with a torn labrum wonder if recovery is possible without surgery. The answer is yes, and most people heal completely with conservative treatment. That may include rest, physical therapy, medications, ice therapy, and injections.
At Pure Health Clinics, we focus on providing a holistic, non-invasive treatment alternative to invasive surgeries. We use regenerative medicine to help you recover from a torn labrum and help you get back on track. That includes boosting your body’s natural healing systems to improve recovery and overcome pain.
Schedule a consultation at Pure Health Clinics and discover the best non-invasive method to treat your labrum tear shoulder.
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